Why HowGiving?

It's Spring of 2004 and I'm at the Hallmark store grabbing a card for my nephew Danny.  It's his birthday on the 24th of February and I - for once - am being proactive in acknowledging his birthday.  He is the first of my only sister's brood, so I better not forget.  Here's the thing ... I'm there with probably 20 other dudes.  This strikes me as strange - I mean, Hallmark is kind of a girly place.  Not to be sexist, but women are just more thoughtful and loooooooove cards, so the greeting card industry is focused on them.  So, why all the dudes?

Then it strikes me - It's Valentine's Day.

My mind flashes back to this morning.  A big smile on my wife's face, an extra gushy 'Good Morning Sweetie!', and a clueless me.  Then I look into the eyes of these dudes - they are frantic.  They, too, woke up this morning, but at least they understood what was going on.  They are no less guilty, but at least they were there at the Hallmark store as a direct result of their wife saying, "Happy Valentine's Schmoopsy-Poo!  Can't wait until you open your Valentine's gift from me!  What did you get me?  Come on, just a little hint?!"  Oh, that tight chested feeling.  Awesome.

Why aren't we as thoughtful as we'd like to be when it comes to acknowledging those important in our lives?  Are we really all that ego-centric ... self-absorbed?  Well, that's true for some just as it's true that some are just uber-thoughtful (freaks of nature, really).  The truth is, we all WANT to be thoughtful.  We want to be proactive and fulfill our desire to acknowledge those important to us, but that "LIFE" thing gets in the way every time.

When I kept forgetting to pay my credit card bill on time and the bank was so nice to remind me on my subsequent bill with a $29 charge (yes, I'm dating myself), along came PayTrust to save my financial day.  It automated what I intended.  I intended to pay my bills consistently, on time.  I had the money and the will, just not the discipline and focus.  Slam dunk - I signed up.

But there is nothing for acknowledging those you love - those you want to remember and acknowledge.

Enter HowGiving ... your automated thoughtfulness. 

You absolutely intend to remember, stop by the store, wrap it up, sign it and send.  You do, but you get distracted with life.  Ooh, a bird!  So is it so wrong to ask for help?  Nope.  I don't think so, and I don't think most others will either.

So, I've started building out a new service that automates the fulfillment of your intended thoughtfulness.  Imagine the ripple effect.  I thought of you - what will you do?  Of course, you'll work harder to remember and acknowledge me.  A better world.

And speaking of a better world, there is another "thoughtful" angle to this service that those with good intent and good will should love.  I'll discuss that in my next blog post.

Remember.  Acknowledge.  Fulfill.

Posted by Greg Dean

Co-Founder & CGO of HowGiving

Find out more about

HowGiving at HowGiving.com