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The following article is the first in a series about my experiences developing and launching my first startup, HugBoard.com.
When I was 15, I moved 250 miles from my small hometown to attend a state-funded boarding school for Alabama’s nerdiest teens. (Yes, such a thing exists. As a matter of fact, Alabama has two.) That first year was unbelievably rewarding and incredibly hard. Every teacher had a Ph.D., every student was a competitive overachiever, and we were repeatedly told that 30% of us would be back at our old schools within the first year. Whenever I felt certain I’d be in that 30%, I’d usually get a card or letter from a family member. They’d write to say that I made them proud, that I could do anything I put my mind to, and that they loved me no matter what. Their encouragement helped me make it to graduation and go on to become the proud, ambitious nerd I am today.
In late 2011, my mom told me she was going to start training for her first 5K, and I found myself thinking back on those cards and letters from boarding school. My mom has always struggled to stay in shape, and I wanted to find a way for family and friends to shower her with the same love and support I received. I started searching for a tool that fit the bill, but everything I found felt too impersonal, too hokey, or too focused on one-to-one communication. So, I did what any enterprising nerd would do: I set out to design my own.
At that time, I thought the hard part would be finding an amazing developer who loved the idea. Instead, I found two: Corey Haines, CTO at Wavetable, and Sarah Gray, a developer at Trunk Club. What I didn’t realize was that we’d be spending a year of Sundays refining the concept and bringing it to life. Fortunately, our perseverance has paid off, and we’re now ready to help the world cheer up and cheer on friends with the launch of HugBoard.com.
“What’s a HugBoard?” you say? Well, I’m glad you asked. A HugBoard is an online pinboard that friends and family cover with photos and loving messages. Each contributor can create a custom card with a unique cover, add a personal message, and invite others to contribute and help the HugBoard grow. During our testing phase, users created HugBoards for a variety of thoughtful reasons. A husband invited friends to show their love for his wife as she recovered from chemotherapy. Children posted messages for their father while he completed a deployment to Afghanistan. One HugBoard received over 150 cards as developers from around the world thanked a group of volunteers for their hard work improving an open-source project.
I know that HugBoard wouldn’t have made it this far without the incredible support I’ve received from the Chicago startup community, but this is just the beginning. If you know someone who could use a group hug, I hope you’ll give HugBoard a try and let us know what you think. Whether you have a friend who’s celebrating a special day, a mom who’s trying to stay in shape, or a kid who’s just trying to survive his or her first year of boarding school, a HugBoard has the power to make them happier, healthier, and, quite possibly, nerdier.
For HugBoard updates, cute animal gifs, and other things that make Team HugBoard smile, follow @HugBoard on Twitter or like HugBoard on Facebook.
