Today, my "why’s" collided, and I needed the reminder—it hit hard.

1. I am passionate about first impressions and home identification.
2. I am passionate about helping women feel confident using power tools.

A long-time friend and supporter ordered an Entry Envy sign and kindly let me capture content of her unboxing and installing it. 

WHY #1: As Siri guided me to my destination, only about 10 minutes from my home, she announced, "The location is on your right." I double-checked the house numbers and parked in front of a beautiful home, not dissimilar to the other homes on the street. I walked to her porch and thought, "I hope this is the right house." And boom, I was reminded of my first "why" right there—every single guest and delivery driver visiting a home for the first time has that thought: "I hope this is the right house."

We live in a world of "dual verification" today. You verify your email address, check your messages to verify your phone number, look at your phone to verify your identity, and enter your two-factor authentication code. It's everywhere—except when it comes to identifying your home.

Half the time, you can barely see someone's house numbers. You drive slowly down the street, figure out where to park, gather your belongings, get out of the car, and slowly approach the front door, hoping you're in the right spot. Even if you saw the house numbers, you feel much more confident walking up to the front door if you see a "sign" that you're at the correct house—a car in the driveway, a doormat with the initial, or even better, a literal sign with the last name. Your experience ringing the doorbell is transformed. When the door opens, you're excited for the greeting, not nervous that you might be at the wrong house.

First impressions are often overlooked, but they exist everywhere. How you feel when you enter a space for the first time sets the tone in less than 7 seconds—whether it's a party, a meeting, a coffee shop, or dinner in a restaurant. It doesn’t matter...you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When guests and delivery drivers come to your home, that first impression starts on the porch before they even ring the doorbell.

As they approach the front door, their assumptions might include:

• Clean porch = clean house
• Current holiday decor = enjoys decorating and takes care of their home
• Well-maintained lawn = well-maintained home
• Untidy porch = untidy home
• Out-of-season yard and porch decor = lack of concern for home value (and neighbors)
• Updated porch light = updated home
• Small, old doormat = cheap home interior accents
• Burned-out porch light = burned-out lights inside

These assumptions may or may not be true, but consciously or subconsciously, they exist.

First impressions are huge. Solid home identification is important for safety in an emergency and also shows consideration for your guests and delivery drivers.

WHY #2: My friend was able to install her personalized sign today in less than 20 minutes. All the installation supplies, except the drill, were included in the Entry Envy box. Yes, it’s that easy! Her smile was ear-to-ear when she finished. She used a drill for the first time and hung the sign herself—I was really just there for moral support. She did it!

My friend and her husband will never again have a guest or delivery driver wonder if they’re at the right house. She didn’t need to ask her husband for help with the installation. And a huge bonus—Entry Envy will ship a fabulous decor kit every month, so she never has to figure out how to keep her sign styled. Just like with the sign, everything she needs is in the box, and in less than a minute each month, she’s ready for the next holiday or season.

It’s a beautiful day when passion meets purpose. 💫