I've spent 35 years building software for other companies. I came home to build something that actually matters to the people around me.
It was a freezing morning in Cheboygan. I'd just finished plowing my mother-in-law's driveway and was heading home when I noticed an older woman standing in the middle of hers — not shoveling, not waiting for a ride. Just stuck. Her driveway was buried in snow and she was trying to get to her mailbox. She didn't have anyone to call, and she couldn't get through it on her own.
I stopped and cleared it for her. But the whole drive home I couldn't stop thinking — how many people are out there right now dealing with the same thing? And how many people nearby would happily help if they just knew about it?
The problem is simple (and frustrating)
If you've ever posted "Anyone know a good plow guy?" on social media, you know the drill. You get a few names, maybe a phone number. Then you're texting strangers, playing phone tag, hoping someone shows up. Social media posts are a black hole — you might get some names, but then what?
I've been on both sides of it. My truck breaks down and suddenly I'm the one scrambling. I've spent 35 years building software — solving problems like this is literally what I do. So I thought: it shouldn't be this hard. Why not actually fix it?
It shouldn't be harder to find help than it is to do the work yourself.
What Chori actually is
People ask me what Chori does and the easiest way to explain it is "it's like Uber, but for chores." You need your driveway plowed, gutters cleaned, lawn mowed? Open the app, see who's nearby and available, and get connected. No phone tag. No guesswork.
But here's what makes it different: the people on Chori are your neighbors. College kids earning extra money. A retired guy with a snowblower who doesn't mind helping out. Local pros picking up jobs between their regular routes. It's a mix — and that's the point.
Chori isn't trying to replace the landscaping company you've used for ten years. It's for the times when you need help right now, or when your usual person isn't available, or when you just moved to town and don't know who to call yet.
Angels: because some things shouldn't cost anything
That woman in the driveway? She didn't need an app. She needed a neighbor.
Our community has always been good at showing up for each other. I thought — why not make that even easier? Chori Angels lets anyone sign up as a volunteer to help people who need it most. Seniors, people with disabilities, anyone going through a tough stretch. No charge, no strings.
It's not a side feature. It's baked into why Chori exists. The goal was never just to build something good for customers or good for providers — it's to make the whole experience better for everyone involved. Whether that's a college kid earning extra cash, a local pro finding new customers, or a volunteer helping a neighbor get to her mailbox.
Why I came home to build this
I grew up in Cheboygan. Finished high school here, then spent my career in software — always coming back to visit, always glad to be here. My wife Trish and I are back for good now, and I wanted to put those 35 years of building things to work on something that matters to the people around me.
Not another app that over-promises and under-delivers. Something genuinely useful. Something simple.
That's the whole philosophy behind Chori. Every decision comes back to one question: is it easy? I have a real distaste for friction between users and the thing they're trying to do. If it takes too many taps, too many texts, too many steps — we haven't done our job yet.
The name
Chori. As in chores, minus the hassle. We kept it short because the app should feel the same way.
— Darrin