Standing in my garage, surrounded by thousands of dollars worth of event supplies, camping gear and tools that sat untouched for months at a time, I felt frustrated by the waste I was seeing everywhere. My power drill – used maybe twice a year. The folding tables and chairs, coolers, the ladder, the pressure washer… all just collecting dust. The carpet cleaner is taking up space in my closet. Meanwhile, my neighbors were buying the same items, using them once, and storing them in their own homes and garages.

But this wasn’t just about tools and event supplies. As someone who founded a nonprofit in 2016 to empower women economically through skilled trades, I’ve seen firsthand how lack of access to equipment creates barriers. Women wanting to learn home improvement skills often can’t afford the tools they need to practice. Families recovering from illness can’t access mobility aids during temporary recovery periods. Small business owners avoid taking on projects because they can’t justify buying expensive, specialized equipment they’ll rarely use.

The sharing economy promised to solve these problems, but existing platforms failed people in my community. They were either too expensive, didn’t have the right items, or felt impersonal and corporate. I realized we needed something different – a platform that truly builds neighborhood connections while making practical items accessible and helping people earn money from things they already own.