The Story
Turning Lemons into Lemonade - A Letter from our Founder
When I decided to sell my home, I did not anticipate also going through a divorce. As I packed up my daughter’s rooms, the reality of both situations hit me - I was moving out of the family home we had created together. Sifting through their possessions brought a tidal wave of emotions. My house was under contract; this move was happening no matter my emotional state.
I desperately wished for someone to talk to during that painful process. I did not want to burden my family or friends with my turmoil. My business partner Mike kindly offered support, but I knew unloading the full weight of my emotions onto him was unfair. I had always believed I could never withstand the personal struggles clients revealed to residential brokers. Yet here I was, living those raw feelings myself.
From my pain came an idea - what if real estate transactions could be paired with mental health assistance? I envisioned creating a program that connects clients undergoing life challenges with professional therapists as they navigate life changes. We would include the therapist fees in the transaction by offering six (6) one-half hour telehealth appointments with a licensed therapist. By providing mental health strategies we focus on the real estate details while experts address psychological needs. Clients could be offered a set number of subsidized counseling sessions to process grief over a death, anxiety from relocation, depression during unemployment, or strain during marital transitions like my own.
And so “Bridging Homes and Hearts” was born - a business fusing my personal and professional experience into a model for serving the whole person through major life changes. By braving my own emotions, I gained inspiration to develop better support for others facing similar times of turmoil.
In the process of developing this concept, I've been met with great enthusiasm from trusted friends. My business partner Mike brings invaluable leadership skills from managing global teams and assets in his corporate roles. He will help lead training and operations, lending operational excellence to our human-centered services.
My hope is our fusion of professional support during challenging housing transitions will bring light to others. Creating this solution lifted my entrepreneurial spirit to new heights and I look forward to hearing about other’s experiences and how we can improve them together.
- Be well, Ted.