#151: Crowdfunded Disaster Recovery with Rebuildee Founders Russell Tuchman and Adrian Baker-Kang
Over 106 million people in the United States live in designated disaster areas, with millions more around the world. Flooding, earthquakes, fires, and other natural disasters can devastate miles of land and uproot families in one fell swoop.
Trying to get back on your feet after experiencing something like that can be overwhelming. Russell Tuchman and Adrian Baker-Kang started Rebuildee as a way to help. Think of Rebuildee as a cross between GoFundMe and a wedding registry — only for disaster recovery.
We're talking about how they've grown the company, why user experience is so important, and what's often underlooked in the face of disaster recovery.
Highlights of our conversation
Where the idea for Rebuildee came from. (3:43)
Adrian’s firsthand look at experiencing a wildfire that forced him from his childhood home — and what the road to recovery looked like. (6:21)
The gap between when people are likely to donate to disaster recovery efforts and when the recipients actually need it. (10:14)
Why Rebuildee also focuses on people affected by less recent disasters and how the recovery process works. (17:45)
How Rebuildee works with different campaigns and allows for crowdfunding big ticket, more expensive items. Plus, plans for working with small businesses and local communities. (21:56)
What branding Rebuildee has looked like and what Adrian and Russell hope users get from the platform. (29:47)
The most surprising parts of running an organization. (34:00)
The top brands doing good work out there - take notes, y’all. (37:18)
Additional resources
Learn more about Rebuildee and contribute on their website. Or, if you’ve gone through a disaster, you can start a campaign of your own.
Here is the list of brands Adrian and Russell discuss in this episode: