Announcing Hammers & Flip Flops - Coming 7.10.24

"If you love something so much let it go. If it comes back it was meant to be; if it doesn’t it never was.” — Albert Schweitzer

In February 2023, I planned to launch a new company called Hammers & Flip Flops. On the advice of a well-respected founder, I stopped. I discarded 2000 business cards, shut down the website, and emailed the 265 women on my waiting list to say I wasn’t moving forward. It hurt. I had never started something, let alone a company, and not finished it before in my life, but I needed to keep my focus 100% on building Entry Envy.

At the time, I wasn’t sure if I would ever revisit the concept, but I just haven’t been able to let it go. Since I started remodeling my house during the middle of COVID, I haven't gone a day without thinking about some variation of HFF. During COVID, hundreds of thousands of women lost jobs in industries such as hospitality, tourism, and entertainment, and tens of thousands of people remodeling their homes needed labor. I so badly wanted to connect the two resources and didn’t know how at the time, but knew with strong conviction, my calling was to teach women how to use tools and raise their confidence level.

Entry Envy is my “first baby.” I love her with all my heart and she’s doing great. I have an incredible team helping me continue to nurture and grow her. With that said, I’m thrilled to announce I’m launching my second company on July 10, 2024! Hammers & Flip Flops is a private membership community to empower women with skills, confidence, and support to tackle their home improvement projects.

50% of women do not have a “handy” spouse, dad, brother, friend, etc., to help them with their home improvement projects. Hiring someone for the honey-do list is hard and expensive. And when you do find someone, you’re literally on the “list” to get to when they can. Meanwhile, you just want your lock changed, your curtains hung, or a tile backsplash finished.

I was lucky—my dad was a carpenter. My mom worked nights at a restaurant, so I spent a lot of time with my dad on side jobs and tinkering around our house. He built three houses while I was growing up, and my mom and I spent a lot of time helping. My dad was never afraid to put a tool in my hand and put me to work. I may have groaned about it then, but I am sure grateful for it today. I’ll never forget when the high school guidance counselor told me I scored the highest of 150 students in my senior class on the “assembling objects” section (aka construction) and second highest on the auto and shop section of the ASVAB test.

When I moved into my fixer-upper in 2020 after a long marriage that didn’t work out, I started remodeling right away, room by room. It was the best therapy I could have ever bought. I blogged the entire house and learned so much. Every time I encountered a woman who was following me on social media, they would say, “I wish I had the courage to do what you’re doing. How did you learn?” Every time I worked on a new area of my house, I went to “YouTube University” to figure it out. I’d watch 25 videos of 25 different men with 25 different tools, products, and recommendations on how to fix XYZ. As I watched, I’d think, “Where’s my girl?” The one who could show me how she fixed it, what tools I needed, with an “add to cart” supply list? She didn’t exist, so like a typical founder, I am creating the solution I wanted then and want for other women.

Hammers & Flip Flops delivers value in three ways:

1. A private community with four live (recorded) sessions per month featuring design and project planning advice, practical home improvement tips, instructional how-to classes, and a monthly Q&A.
2. An extensive course library of how-to videos including how to install a shiplap wall, fix woodpecker damage, install a tile backsplash, and so much more. Find what you need, when you need it.
3. A Design & DIY Center featuring vetted designers and DIY pros available for hire in 30-minute increments for just $50 per session. Can’t choose which color of white paint for your kitchen? Started a tile project and need some guidance before moving forward? We've got you.

I am OVER THE MOON to finally see this company I've dreamt about for four years come to life. Hammers & Flip Flops launches July 10, 2024. Please share our “Join the Waitlist” link with the women in your life who might be interested in this community for more information. Thank you all! I’m so excited to finally share my passion and love of tools and the trades with other women and help everyone love the home they live in!