Today we’d like to introduce you to Robynne Boyd.
Robynne, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The Goodgrief app is Kim Libertini and my labor of love. It is the Social Network for Loss. We wanted to create a place where grieving people could privately connect, chat, and support each other in finding a new normal.
Goodgrief was created out of a unique texting friendship between Kim and me during the early days of our respective losses. Kim’s partner had suddenly passed away. My mom was dying from cancer and my marriage had just ended. A mutual friend introduced us via a text message. Though we live about 1,000 miles apart, we wrote to each other about the rollercoaster of emotions we were weathering. We have never met… yet.
The conversation was such a surprising source of support that we decided to create an app that replicates this possibility for others. The app connects people to others who have lost their spouse, parent, sibling, child, relative, or friend due to a variety of causes.
People in the Goodgrief community begin with creating a private profile by answering questions related to their loss. Then, they can connect to other people through a one-on-one in-app texting service. Private information is never seen publicly and chats are private and secure. Additional filters narrow connections by age, gender, religion, time frame, and type and cause of loss.
Has it been a smooth road?
For most people, forming an LLC and developing a technology that’s outside of the scope of your daily duties or comfortable niche is difficult. Kim is a science teacher by training, and I’m a journalist, so launching an app is a new path for both of us. Not only have we both stepped outside our wheelhouse, but we launched our company and app without ever having met and that’s a pretty amazing feat.
The process from conception to launch took about one year. It’s been an exciting challenge envisioning and creating a private and safe social network for those that are grieving. Like any new startup, we are constantly working to ensure that our app works as well as possible. For Goodgrief, that means ensuring that people are able to quickly find other people to connect and chat with.
Another element is making sure the company is able to grow and is sustainable for the years to come. Kim and I are in constant to communication to address these challenges or any others that arise.
So has it been smooth? The process has moments of momentum and then moments of challenges. Luckily, these feel less taxing the emotional challenges we have both had to navigate in the last few years.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Goodgrief app – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We specialize in normalizing grief. All too often people are left to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of loss alone. Our platform is designed to safely pair individuals going through similar grief experiences during a very vulnerable time with others who can understand and support them–often at a distance. It is a novel tool.
We are proud of our ability to take something so emotionally difficult and devastating and turn it into a silver lining or beacon of light for others.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Atlanta’s diversity, pace and recent growth, which makes the city feel like it’s coming of age. The traffic and limited public transportation, when compared to other cities of our size, can be a challenge.
Pricing:
- The app is subscription-based. First three months are free and then it’s $4.99/month.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.goodgriefapp.com/
- Email: good.grief.app2017@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodgriefapp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodgriefapp/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodgriefapp
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
