Your Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

Your Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

Millennials are generally speaking a generation of renters and move a lot. Who likes that though? Moving is painful, expensive, frustrating, and extremely stressful. But what if there was a new generation of moving services created by Millennials with the goal of making the moving process easy and enjoyable?

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

There is a company like that and today we are having a lengthy interview with them to find out how they are making it happen!

Dino: How did it all start? I am guessing Jake came up with the idea and was it a hard sell for Kate and Jenn to get onboard?

Jake: Your Hometown Mover started as the Rugby Movers in New Paltz in 2011. We grew up in the moving industry so naturally, as a starving student in New Paltz I put up ads as moving labor loading Uhaul trucks to make money. Eventually, I started getting so much business I began employing my friends and housemates to keep up with demand. I quickly realized I had a viable business and created Your Hometown Mover.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

I originally ran the company out of a renovated chicken coop in my backyard and parked trucks on the street but the town didn’t like that. Once we got a building, our growth exploded and I needed more help. That’s when I started recruiting my family members. I always dreamed of having a family business and building something that would take care of my people. This business is more than just moving and storage, it’s a place for my family, friends, and employees to work on their goals and improve themselves. It’s an incredible feeling to have a successful family business.

Dino: Is there a story behind the name of Your Hometown Mover?

Jake: We called ourselves “The Rugby Movers” when we first started but I wanted to brand the company as the family-friendly movers that we are today. It was about that time in 2013 when I sat down at a table with a friend and we started to spitball ideas. At one point we each said one word back and forth, Rory said “Your”, I said “Hometown”, he said “Movers” and that was it lol Your Hometown Movers was born!

Dino: How would you say you differ from other moving company? (From the way you treat your client to how you treat your employees)

Jake: There are many differences between Your Hometown Mover and our competition. As far as our service offerings we provide carbon-neutral local and long-distance moving services. Our long-distance moving services come standard with expedited shipping with delivery within 1-3 business days. The biggest differentiator though would be our people. All of our staff are paid REAL livable wages. We pride ourselves on paying our people the best in the Hudson Valley. This is hard work so we also value work-life balance and do so with unlimited vacation time and quarterly company events such as paintball and sailing.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

Jenn: Our main difference is that we are truly a family-owned and operated company. We personally understand how stressful and challenging moving can be based on the factors surrounding why people move. We listen to the personal story that is bringing them to the decision to move and we align the best solutions and move plans for them. We don’t treat each move the same. Each client has specific needs as to what is important to them and we focus on making sure their transition is seamless.

Dino: What’s a priority for you when it comes to your services?

Kate: Our priority is making every move a seamless transition. We accomplish this by taking detailed notes and creating a custom move plan for every customer and reviewing the expectations for move day with the assigned moving team.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

Jenn: A priority is making sure that our client’s expectations are met. However, more importantly, making sure that each client is knowledgeable about what to expect and how to prepare for their move.

Moving isn’t something that people do every day. Beyond the sale, our job is to educate our clients so that they are prepared for us when we arrive and to mitigate any surprises

Dino: I know you offer local and long-distance moving services so what would be the main challenge or difference between them?

Kate: We consider a move local when the move occurs within the same city or town or within 25 miles of the origin. For moves outside of New York State, we offer our expedited long-distance moving service at a guaranteed price.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

The most obvious difference between the two would be how we bill. Our Hourly Local Moving Service’s are the most popular in the Hudson Valley. For an hourly move we bill by the hour for however long it takes to complete the move. Whereas our long-distance moves are one guaranteed flat rate price from a to b.

Dino: Moving is such a personal experience and trust is a crucial decision making factor. How do build trust with your clients?

Jake: It’s important to start building trust with a future client from the moment they search google for a mover. By maintaining a 4.8-star reputation and offering transparency in pricing and service we show that we aren’t hiding any extra fees or nickel and dime-ing our clients.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

There are a lot of moving companies that can move furniture but not all of these companies will be as honest as we are with pricing and service. When you choose to move with us, you’re not only getting an expert moving company, you’re also getting a moving resource.

Dino: Where do you feel the future of your industry is going especially with such a development of automation in transportation and the growth of the gig industry?

Jenn: Our future investments include purchasing all-electric semi’s and moving trucks as soon as manufacturing ramps up. This will offer us a lower cost per mile with zero emissions and more affordable moving services overall. We can pass these savings on to our customers. This is vital for the environment and the future of our moving industry.

Dino: In such a male-dominated industry you stand out with a female majority leadership. What would you say are your individual strengths and skill each of you bring to the team?

Jenn: It’s empowering to lead an all-women sales team especially in this male-dominated industry. The strength behind that is the compassion and empathy that we show to our clients on every phone call. We believe in building personal relationships.

 

I strive to be an expert in this industry. There is always something new to learn in industry standards for moving, storage, and logistics.

Whenever I am faced with something new, I make it a priority to learn and become an expert in that area. My immediate focus is to then share that knowledge with the sales team. We always want to be in a place of learning and growing.

At a very young age, Jake was an executive for United Van Lines for many years. He learned every possible way to move every possible item. He learned household, national accounts, commercial, rigging, packing, and crating. He was an expert in all verticals of moving and storage. He passes down all of these skill sets to everyone that we hire at Your Hometown Mover.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

Kate is the most compassionate on our team which is why she is the lead with all of our clients. Her strongest skill set is building personal relationships with each of our customers and making them feel like a friend. Kate ensures that each of our clients is fully prepared, informed and their expectations are exceeded with every move. Her future plans include managing a nationwide sales team as we continue to expand Your Hometown Mover.

Dino: Tell us more about your internal decision-making dynamics when it comes to business strategies and development?

Jenn: Of course! Our main focus as a team is growing, improving our service standards, remaining cutting edge in this industry, and ensuring that we exceed our client’s expectations. However, since we are family and have very different personalities we can definitely have disagreements on how to achieve those elements. At the end of the day we respect each other even on days we have to “Agree to Disagree”. But respect will always remain intact!

Kate: Yes, but with every disagreement, there is a lesson as well. We each bring a different perspective to the table. Typically, we end up with a solution that satisfies the three of us which helps unify us to grow together.

Dino: You have also put a huge emphasis on the importance of inclusion and equality with your support for the LGBTQ+ community. Tell us more about the programs and partnerships you have developed?

Jenn: Being part of the LGBTQ community I know how important it is to feel understood and valued when selecting a moving company to work with. I’m very aware of that and want everyone to feel comfortable when working with us. Your Hometown Mover has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign and we donate on a yearly basis as a way to support and provide for this community as a whole.

Dino: I can tell you are all so passionate about what you do and the experience you provide to your client just by the way you talk about it. How do you make sure your clients feel comfortable when your crew enters their homes and handles their personal belongings?

Jenn: Within our organization, there is a focus on continuous training of our operations team. We place an emphasis with our crews on the importance of following the procedures we have set in place to achieve a perfect move.

When we enter a client’s home we want them to feel that we are an extension of their family for that day. With families that have children, our truck captain will give them their very own Your Hometown Mover branded moving box with a set of crayons to keep them occupied with a fun activity.

Kate: I make it a priority to always be available to my clients. Building a strong rapport is essential. Being that this is a very stressful and personal experience, I always want my clients to feel that I am there for them to talk through all obstacles.

Dino: What are your growth goals? Where is your hometown mover going next?

Kate: This industry is all about transitions. We help people move from one phase of their life to the next, with new challenges and opportunities.

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios

We want to make sure everything we do helps our customers to seamlessly close one chapter and open another. This transition should be exciting, and we promise to bring the positivity, care, and enthusiasm that every move deserves.

Jake: Our goal is to start franchising, as our business model proves to be extremely successful. We have plans to expand nationwide.

Dino: Where can our readers find you?

Jake: We can be found at 845movenow.com or by phone: (845) MOVE-NOW / (845) 419-3808. We love getting email inquiries at support@yourhometownmover.com.  And feel free to connect with us at facebook.com/YourHometownMover, or Instagram: @845movenow

Always looking to grow our followers as we keep our content relevant and fun! We are also a resource that provides moving tips & tricks for anyone who is planning an upcoming move – including other movers.

Follow us on social media for a chance to win some cool YHM swaggg!

Hometown Mover Moving Company – The New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino Alexander – Photography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios
Your Hometown Mover Moving CompanyThe New Generation of Moving Services Created in Hudson Valley – Interview by Dino AlexanderPhotography by Maxwell Alexander / Duncan Avenue Studios