We’ve Been Unknowingly Gatekeeping

and decided it’s time we do something about it...

Hellloooo!

Emily and Ingrid here.

We’ve always been the ones people text when they need someone niche to hire. Not just anyone, but the kind of person you’d never know how to find without a personal referral. The type you’d usually spend hours searching for, tabs open, reviews skimmed, trying to figure out who’s actually good and who just has a great Instagram.

We built I Have This Friend to make that process simpler, more personal, and far more trustworthy. The problem was never a lack of qualified talent; it’s that the best people are rarely the most visible.

What started as a few thoughtful introductions between friends has turned into thousands of services booked: from weddings and big moves to closet clean-outs and surprise 60th birthdays. We’ve helped people find the right person at the right moment—and watched our creative friends build thriving, independent businesses along the way.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this, we noticed something bigger:

We built a community of like-minded people who care about quality, creativity, and intention. Not only our featured creative talent, but our clients, too. We see it every day: The kinds of people who come to IHTF are sharp. Resourceful. Discerning.

You’re early adopters. You care about building a beautiful life. You want things done right. And most of all—you understand the power of a great recommendation.

And while services will always be our lane, the values this community shares—the taste, the thoughtfulness, the way you approach lifestyle decisions—span far beyond who to hire.

Which is why we figured: it’s time our friends met our friends.

That’s what this Substack is for.

It’s a more candid gathering place for us to share what we’re seeing behind the scenes and also for our community to connect with each other.

We don’t want this to be just another thing you passively read in your inbox. We want it to feel like a forum. A conversation. That’s why we’re really excited about Substack’s community chat feature—you can think of this as the ultimate group chat.

A group that just happens to be full of like-minded people who care about quality, creativity, and intention to text whenever you need something. The people who are equipped with first-hand stories, sharp recommendations, and lived experience that you desperately want to hear from. Directly, quickly, and in real time.

If there is one thing we know for sure, it’s that the mindshare of this group is SO much more powerful than what we are able to source, discover, and recommend just on our own.

We’re excited to make this the space for insider intel, thoughtful inspiration, and a few things we just can’t stop talking about.

Here’s everything else you’ll find here as the new home to our newsletter:

Life Guides

We’ve been part of a lot of firsts—first time hiring a chef, first time working with a designer, first time investing in something you’d usually DIY. We also get a lot of questions around the etiquette of these moments: what’s expected when you’re hosting, what’s a thoughtful gift when you’re a guest, what’s a special touch to include to make someone you love feel extra special. These guides cover the things we answer all the time (and wish more people felt comfortable asking – you shouldn’t have to text a friend to text their sister-in-law to find out what’s appropriate to spend on a baby shower gift). They’re designed to help you move with confidence, clarity, and a little more ease through life’s many logistics.

Recs from Friends

Our Friends are experts—and who better to ask for product recs than someone who uses them every day? These roundups are our version of “Where’d you get that?”: the stylist’s perfect white tee, the chef’s go-to olive oil, the travel advisor’s most useful carry-on. No affiliate links. No fluff. Just well-worn, well-loved recommendations from the people who know what’s good.

Concierge Diaries

Grace, our concierge, has a front-row seat to what people are actually booking, asking for, and quietly craving. These are her notes from the field—real client questions, subtle trend shifts, bookings we can’t stop thinking about. Sometimes it’s a cultural signal. Sometimes it’s just a surprisingly smart solution we think more people should know exists.

People to Know

This is where we highlight the talent behind I Have This Friend—not just what they do, but why they do it. These features go beyond the bio. We explore how someone got started, what shaped their work, what they care about, and the kind of experience they bring into your home or project. Some profiles will be longer, some short and sweet. Either way, it’s about giving you a fuller picture—so that when you book, it feels like a fit, not a gamble.

Musings

This is where we let you in on what we’re building behind the scenes. Not the startup-y version. The real version. What’s working. What we’re still learning. What we’re seeing shift in the way people live, hire, spend, and build. These are reflections that have stuck with us—and we think might stick with you too!

If you’re a long-time newsletter subscriber thank you so much for making the move with us. As a free subscriber, you’ll still receive our new talent drops and occasional inspiration as you did before.

If you’d like access to all of our newsletters, like our life guides, recs from our expert friends, and most importantly the chat! (the people you’ve always wanted to be in a group chat for recs with), you can upgrade to paid below:

We are so grateful for your support and can’t wait to bring this to life together. See you in the group chat!

xx

Em + Ing