2022 is here and it is in full throttle. Like many of you, I have a ton of goals, plans, and ideas to take The Home Dispatch to the next level. Each year as I think about the forward vision, I take time to reflect on the past. Reflection and the ability to learn from it helps me figure out what is next.
There were many moments that led me to start The Home Dispatch but one in particular was pivotal. It was a Friday in February 2015, and I was wrapping up my last week at one company and getting ready to start an amazing job on Monday. I booked a spa day at the wonderful Claremont Spa in Berkeley, CA and packed my bag.
Upon arrival, my husband calls and tells me that there is a fire alarm at our home. I rushed back to find a fire truck, a dozen firemen, and neighbors surrounding my home. I walk in to find a butchered front door, an inch of water in my living room and a charred kitchen cabinet. It was devastating and at that moment all I could think about was, how did this happen? Unfortunately for us, it was a random accident of faulty wiring with our dishwasher. Apparently, when it was in cycle there was a fire spark and it became a big ball of fire in my kitchen. There was water, fire, and smoke damage mixed with toxic materials that made our home uninhabitable.
My husband and I, we lovingly call each other Bonnie and Clyde or Beyonce and Jay Z, knew we were going to do whatever we needed to do to keep our family healthy and okay. We fiercely protected our young children's experience as we turned this into our family adventure. We lived in a hotel for 2 weeks before moving to a rental for the next 9 months. All we could do was to take it one day at a time and focus on being grateful because it could have been worse. As time went on, I realized what an emotional toll it took on us all and when we shared our story – people reminded me that it was big. We were fortunate to have friends and a community to support us.
But, even being grateful, there was one thing that still annoyed me. I worked in real estate and financial services based in the heart of technology – San Francisco. I worked with some of the most amazing minds out there and yet I had to manage the logistics of my home repairs via text, notebooks, spreadsheets and my photo app.
I didn’t plan to bet on an adventure to repair and improve our home but I was deep in it. There were so many decisions that needed to be made and I was worried about making the wrong decision. The right flooring for each room, new appliances, paint colors, etc. The list was long and for each decision I had to think about brand, quality, reviews, cost, and keep track of it. To remind you, I had just started at a new company and had two young children who needed time and attention. For a few months, I made it a nights and weekends project. I began to resent it. It was overwhelming and everyone wanted to sell me something.
I happened to complain to a friend who told me of a neighbor who was an interior designer staying at home with her little one and might be able to help. She was looking to do something fun and thought this could be an interesting project. It was life changing. She went above and beyond the role of designer and became my trusted guide. She listened to what I needed, helped research the right brands and gave me recommendations. While I was working, she was able to source samples for me and swing by after dinner to help me make a decision to keep the process going.
If I had to make all of those decisions on my own, well, I don’t know when we would have made it back home. She listened to me, provided me with options, and helped save time. I knew that I was lucky to have found someone who wanted to do this for me. I was comfortable with paying for help with my kids, cleaning and other services but this was invaluable. My home is a safe place for my family and I wanted to create the right environment.
So fast forward to 2021, we decided to test that idea at The Home Dispatch. What if we were to help people with their home projects? What if we helped them learn, discover, make decisions, and get the project completed. Ultimately, we bring the home services industry to you but with a trusted advisor that thinks about your needs first. When we kicked it off, it was pretty clear that people wanted our help and support. It wasn’t always the big things but it was the things that people have on their list but don’t have the time and headspace to do. We began to help tackle projects like installing dimmer switches, fire chimney conversions, oven swaps, new deck ideas, and more.
So, here is a question for you. What projects would you want help with? Let's chat! Join our waitlist or email us concierge[at]thehomedispatch.com
Talk to you soon,
Amirah Raveneau-Bey, CEO
