Our Story
Our founders, Kirsten and Francis, first crossed paths as colleagues at International Justice Mission. Since then, Kirsten has served as Global Vice President of Planning & Effectiveness at IJM, while Francis launched and scaled a software startup, Sawa, which was later acquired by Mailchimp and introduced to over 14 million users.
The idea for Mia grew out of their own lived experiences with the absence of a “village” in today’s culture, with Kirsten during the challenges of postpartum, and Francis while navigating the demands of the sandwich generation, caring for both his disabled mother and young children.
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For a full year, they relentlessly interviewed both people in need of care and well-intentioned friends and family offering support, digging into why village support so often breaks down. Out of these conversations came the insight behind Mia: a simple way to connect people and provide the loved one with a village so that no one has to face a season of crisis alone.
Mia's Core Features
Step by Step Guidance
Behind Mia is the expertise of a mental health counselor with more than a decade of experience. She asks thoughtful questions to understand what kind of help would be most meaningful for the loved one in need and guides friends and family in creating a village, making sure the right kind of support is offered when it’s needed most.
Offers on the Shelf
Offers are everyday ways to help — things like meals, rides, errands, chores around the house, or simply keeping someone company. Village members can place their offers on the “shelf” with times that are convenient for them (think Calendly), and the loved one can choose what feels most helpful in the moment without the pressure or guilt of asking.
The Right Help at the Right Time
Mia suggests ways the village can step in that will be genuinely helpful. These suggestions aren’t random or AI-generated; they come from the insight of the mental health counselor who designed the app's approach. By considering both the needs of the loved one and the strengths of each village member, Mia is able to make recommendations that truly make a difference.
"Already Going" Board: It's No Trouble, Really.
The “Already Going” board is where both the person being supported and village members can post something they’re already planning to do in the next 24 hours. It’s a low-pressure open invite to offer help and connect, kind of like saying, "I'm going to the store — need anything?" or “I’m grabbing coffee — want to join me?” Since they're "already going", the loved one can accept without feeling like they’re adding extra work or being a burden.
How Mia Works
Research Stories
When people say "how can I help?" it actually has the opposite effect. I don't even know where to start.
LISA DRIVER, MI
If I could do anything differently, I wish I had more of a plan before the baby came. Who would do what and when, who I would go to for advice. Instead of piecing it together myself while sleep deprived."
JENN CONNOR, ATL
FAQ
Is Mia only for the 'Champion' who is taking the lead to help someone in need?
Based on our research, the best place to start is with the Champion. There is a hidden blocker we call the "impose/intrude blocker" where the Beloved doesn't want to impose on others, and the Village (though willing to help) doesn't want to intrude on their privacy. The best way to overcome that blocker is to start with a trusted friend or family member who acts as point person and go between: the Champion. After starting the process, the Champion will then invite village members and the Beloved.
How is Mia different from something like MealTrain, or SignUpGenius?
With Mia, the village pursues the Beloved.
The village places their best guesses of what would be helpful on the shelf for the Beloved to consider, and the Beloved browses the options at their convenience, the way someone would at a grocery store. Some offers, and perhaps even most offers, will not end up getting placed "in the cart" by the Beloved. The village bears the burden of putting themselves out there to provide a low pressure situation.
Why do I have to create an account?
Every member of the village fills out a survey to start, as will the Beloved. Our in-house mental health counselor painstakingly created if/then logic to suggest the best ways to help, based on what is known about both sides -- applying her experience and best practices. We use accounts to aid in this process. We are not funded by VCs or Big Tech, we do not accept advertisers, are not tied to any app store, and do not track or sell data.
What does it look like for Mia to be working well?
There are generally three indicators of a healthy village in Mia:
1) Village members invited by the Champion actively place "Offers on the Shelf," understanding that they aren't allowed to have hurt feelings if the Beloved doesn't accept their offers. They understand it's part of the loving sacrifice to keep the offers stocked.
2) Village members actively post on the "Already Going Board" activities they are already going to do in case the Beloved could use some company. The Champion has helped the Village understand these are not typical events with advanced planning, or "RSVP so I know how much food to buy" type events.
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3) The Champion has helped the Beloved understand that they are not the driver of Mia. They do not need to come up with tasks for the village to sign up for time slots. They do not need to reply to every offer they don't accept with an explanation or apology. The Champion has helped the Beloved see: "this is what your village is willing to do for you."
