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‣ Company: Binary Formations
‣ Founder: Diane and Kevin Hamilton
‣ Mission: To help you track your belongings, warranties and more
‣ App launched: 2021
‣ Team size: 2
‣ Go-to emoji: :)
When Diane and Kevin Hamilton launched Binary Foundations in 2005, their life was already pretty full. They’d just had a baby. And quit their full-time jobs. And moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Virginia.
“We would have regretted not trying to go and do something ourselves,” says Kevin. “That was our big decision: Would we regret failing more or not trying more? And we decided we’d regret not trying more.”
The leap of faith paid off. Under My Roof – and its predecessor, Home Inventory – have become go-to apps for anyone needing to organise their home life, whether by tracking appliance repairs, keeping an eye on warranties or cataloguing a guitar collection (something Kevin knows a thing or two about).
We caught up with the Hamiltons about evolving a hit app and succeeding with “no shrewd business savvy whatsoever”.
How do you describe Under My Roof?
Diane: I explain it as the ultimate junk drawer but one that’s totally organised and available in your pocket. It makes things so much simpler; no more digging around and trying to find information when you need it the most.
How did you decide to make a home-cataloguing app?
Kevin: It’s the idea of, “Build something you care about.” This literally started because it was something we wanted solved and needed in our lives. We have no shrewd business savvy whatsoever. We once tried to do an app based on the market and it was a total flop. We make things we like and hope they find an audience.
How did you evolve Home Inventory into Under My Roof?
Kevin: As we get older and presumably more mature, we’re more sensitive to being wasteful. Our first app was like a first-time homeowner’s concept, like, “OK, we’ve gotta be adults now and I think we need insurance and don’t know how much to buy.” Under My Roof is more about focussing on getting the most out of what you have. That’s why repairs, renovations and modifications are all in there.
Diane: It comes down to being wise with your belongings, regardless of what those belongings are. Take care of what you have.
The reason Kevin and I can work together is that we’ve both taken on opportunities that were maybe outside our comfort zone.—Diane Hamilton, Under My Roof cofounder
What’s it like to work out of a house that’s part home, part tech company?
Kevin: We do have separate offices.
Diane: And they have doors!
You’ve been at this a long time. What’s the secret to your success?
Diane: I was one of six kids. And my dad always encouraged us to not pass up an opportunity. The reason Kevin and I can work together is that we’ve both taken on opportunities that were maybe outside our comfort zone. We saw something that was really valuable and needed and we believed in it. It was just a matter of figuring out how to get the pieces in place.
Binary Formations is a part of the App Store Small Business Program. If you are a developer and would like to learn more about the program, follow the link below.