Organizing Homes Across America with Dewan Farhana of Betternest
Have you ever come home from a busy day full of running from one meeting to another, answering emails, and working on the biz to find your belongings strewn across the floor, dishes piled in the sink, and absolutely no idea where to find your child's clean clothes for tomorrow?
Americans are busier than ever. In between balancing raising children, running a business, and trying to keep the household in-tact, you just can't win them all. Something's got to give. And in many cases, it's keeping things cleaned and organized.
A few months ago, Netflix released their new original tv show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. It was instantly a hit.
Why is that? Well, for one, it's chalk full of incredible stories. But more than that, Americans are desperate for some respite from the piles of junk filling every corner of their life.
That's where Betternest, a home organization marketplace built by Dewan Farhana, comes in. Within just a few clicks, you can sort through various home organization specialists in your area and hire just the right one for you to come and relieve your anxieties around messes.
Building a company is hard, but also so much fun -- even the challenging parts. When I transitioned from medicine to entrepreneurship, I couldn’t stop thinking about my idea.
Dewan Farhana, Founder & CEO of Betternest
Farhana came up with the idea when she got tired of struggling with balancing all the things and knew there had to be a better way. So she put together a team and has built a platform to help others live better, less stressful lives.
We had the honor of chatting more with Farhana about her vision and how she built her company. So, without further ado...
Read her inspiring journey in the full interview below:
Ashley Hoffman (AH): What is Betternest?
Dewan Farhana (DF):Betternest is a marketplace that connects users to professional home organizers. Whether someone is looking to declutter their garage, an entire home, or even their desktop, we connect them to non-judgemental and certified professionals who work closely with them to get organized and stay organized.
Our platform makes it easy, seamless, and even exciting pairing with a partner who will take them through the “organization transformation.” For businesses, many organizers provide a variety of digital services with expertise in cloud storage solutions, uploading and organizing of files and documents, assistance in “going paperless,” CRM, and effective workflow solutions.
Essentially, we are taking a chore that people find unsexy, and transforming it to something seamless, even exciting.
AH: What gave you the idea to launch a platform like this?
DF: Like many new mothers, I struggled with balancing work, daycare, commuting, quality time with my son, and maintaining the house all at once while still trying to keep my sanity intact. I found myself struggling to find things when I needed them and dealing with more clothes than I could handle. I couldn’t fit into all of my pre-maternity clothes as quickly as I had anticipated and had children growing out of theirs every time I blinked. I knew I needed some help.
I worked with an organizer which ended up saving me hours in my daily schedule and made me less stressed and a much happier mom. After all, when your child is throwing a tantrum, the last thing you need is to not be able to find their favorite toy or even just a shirt that fits.
Through all of this, I realized others may be going through similar experiences. We all need help but finding someone we can truly count on to guide us through the process and make sure it gets done can be difficult.
I created Betternest to solve that problem and make finding a trusted professional faster, transparent, and more efficient. This way, it’s not only easy to simplify your life, but it’s also even a little exciting.
AH: What has your experience been like building this from the ground up?
DF: Building a company is hard, but also so much fun -- even the challenging parts. When I transitioned from medicine to entrepreneurship, I couldn’t stop thinking about my idea.
I know I made the right decision because I really enjoy working on Betternest with my team, and when I’m stressed (and we all have tough days!), I’m just grateful I’m able to do something I love.
Before |
AH: What has been one of your biggest struggles so far?
DF: I think finding product market fit is the golden ticket for most startups, and one of the hardest things to achieve. When you do, this means you understand your customers and their needs, that you understand your market and have created a product that will help your customers and make a difference in their lives.
After |
AH: What's your vision for Betternest and where do you see it in 5 years? How do you plan on getting there?
DF: Is it too bold to say we want to organize all of America? Haha.
Truth be told, the average American household has more than 300,000 items and 1 in 10 Americans rent offsite storage, with over 50,000 storage facilities around the country.
Our goal is not to focus on getting away -- it’s about simplifying every day and turning every home into an organized and productive space. Essentially, we want to help create an oasis of the mind and make room for happiness.
AH: What is your biggest learning point so far?
DF: The biggest learning point is that it isn’t possible to do everything yourself. It’s important to find a great team to work with (team can be consultants and freelancers too) because they bring a fresh perspective and get things done quicker because they already have industry knowledge and are experts in their field.
In a sense, this idea goes hand-in-hand with our platform -- that it’s ok to ask for help and hire an expert to assist you in doing something a little mundane, because you may not have the time or energy to get to it.
AH: What's your #1 piece of advice for fellow female entrepreneurs?
DF: One of the best pieces of advice I’ve recently heard is from Manoj Bhargava, founder of 5-hour Energy drink. I think it’s great advice for every entrepreneur.
To paraphrase, he said that founders should
Use common sense
Stay determined, because passion and other motivation may run dry
To work with urgency.
Learn more about Betternest here.