Entrepreneur Traci Whitney is Founder of Two Happy Homes, which is participating in the 2018 reSET Impact Accelerator.
Two Happy Homes Founder Traci Whitney is participating in the 2018 reSET Impact Accelerator, a program designed for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development.
Traci joined the accelerator to get support to help grow her business. She told Innovation Destination Hartford about her startup experience and future goals.
INNOVATION DESTINATION HARTFORD: When did you start your company and how did you develop the business concept?
Traci Whitney: The concept of my company came to me after my divorce in 2008. I quickly realized that, as a single mother, I could use some help organizing everything that goes on with my kids, and how to best communicate those with my ex-husband. I looked for a product on the market but was not able to find anything. It took some time to gather my ideas and enough funding to make it a reality. The website launched in 2012.
IDH: Tell us about the company.
TRACI: Two Happy Homes provides co-parents tools to help successfully parent between two households and communicate better on a day-to-day basis. The tools include a customized shared calendar and a note board that helps track expenses and payments and enables the sharing of vital family-related information.
IDH: Why did you get involved in reSET Accelerator program?
TRACI: Two Happy Homes has been growing, but at a slower pace than I would like. Now that my children are a bit older, I am focusing on growing the business so I can take it to the next level. The reSET Accelerator program seemed like a natural progression for me, and the support it provides has already proved invaluable.
IDH: In what ways is your company making a social impact?
TRACI: Our goal is to create a more peaceful coexistence for co-parents and their kids. Many of these families deal with stress and anxiety following a divorce or separation, and kids often feel the effects. We want to simplify daily life for these families, so they can move on to the important job of raising and nurturing their children, without the added stress of organizing life between two homes.
IDH: What has been your biggest challenge as a startup?
TRACI: My biggest challenge has been the battle of time and money, as I’m sure many startups often feel. When I started as a single mother I had little of both, and getting the company off of the ground was certainly a challenge. I still face some of these same uphill battles, but now that I’m able to focus on the growth of the company I’m working harder to procure more of both.
IDH: What resources do you need most to move your company forward?
TRACI: My future goals include adding new features to Two Happy Homes as well as modernizing the user interface to keep up with constantly changing technology. Marketing is also a focus for me. In the United States alone there are roughly 38 million co-parents, so reaching my core audience is a big task. I am currently seeking investments to fund these projects.
IDH: What lessons have you learned in your entrepreneurial journey?
TRACI: Being a part of this program has made me realize that I’m not alone in this process. Other startups have taken some time to get to where they are, and not everything in entrepreneurship works at light speed. My business is at a point where it’s ready to grow—and I’m ready to grow along with it—which I am very much looking forward to making happen.
Learn more about Two Happy Homes
VISIT: www.twohappyhomes.com
FOLLOW: Facebook and Twitter @TwoHappyHomes
Find out more about startups participating in the 2018 reSET Impact Accelerator:
- Bare Life – Food and Beverage Startup For Healthy Eating
- CNG Fit, LLC – Startup Brings Fitness/Dance Workouts to Wethersfield, CT
- florapothecarie — Startup Launches Natural Beauty Line
- Project Ray – Startup Makes Smartphones Accessible for the Visually Impaired
- SKYWIREme – Startup Provides Messaging Solutions for Nonprofits and Growing Businesses