When you run a company whose mission is to support and provide resources to people living with chronic invisible illnesses, you need systems and protocols that function seamlessly and securely. It can be overwhelming to try and tackle the day-to-day technology challenges on your own, and this is precisely the situation that Hope Hill, the creator of Working With Hope, found herself in before partnering with Greg Brainerd and his team at Braintek. But today, her organization is thriving. Thanks to the robust technology solutions provided by Braintek, Hope and her team are able to focus on what matters most—giving hope to those struggling with chronic invisible illnesses throughout The Woodlands.
Tech Trouble
The creation of Working With Hope came from a very personal experience Hope and her family faced. “Working With Hope was founded by my husband and I after I was diagnosed with a rare neurological autoimmune disorder that curtailed my previous career path,” Hope explains. “One of the symptoms was another rare condition called trigeminal neuralgia that is very painful and affects the side of your face. As you can imagine, this diagnosis completely turned our world upside down.” She continues, “Thankfully, I was blessed to have short- and long-term disability as well as access to the resources we needed to get our life back on track. But, at the same time, I realized that many people don’t have these same opportunities.” Born out of a desire to create an organization dedicated to helping and giving hope to those with similar chronic invisible illnesses, Working With Hope was created in 2021.
However, there was one difficulty that soon emerged, and that was managing their technology needs. “It seemed like every day we needed help and had a new question about our technology,” says Hope. “We have a lot of remote workers to support, and that’s not to mention the sensitive client data that needs to stay protected. We had a board member who stepped in to help, but he was more there to assist us with making decisions rather than to fix problems or execute our technological needs. . . . It became apparent that we needed someone full-time.”
Thankfully, Greg and his team at Braintek were there to answer Hope’s call. “I had met Greg previously through some of the other businesses I had worked at,” mentions Hope. “He also has a really good presence in the local community, and you can tell that when you speak to him, he’s sincere and truly cares. Plus, I have some friends of friends who work for him, and they have nothing but great things to say, which is important to me because I believe great companies start from the top down.”
Aligned Expansion
Upon meeting to discuss Working With Hope’s needs, Hope knew she had found the right team for the job. She recalls that “[m]idway through our first meeting, after I had unloaded all our tech problems on Greg, I remember listening to him explain our options, and I just thought, ‘Thank God I found him.’” After this, Greg and his team immediately got to work implementing the software, systems, and protocols that Working With Hope needed to be successful not only for today but for tomorrow. Hope notes, “The first thing we had to do was find the right software. There are so many options out there, but having Greg to help us is probably one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made.” She continues, “He’s always there to answer any questions I may have, and I can always expect a nonbiased answer that will give me the information I need to make the right decision.”
And, like all great partnerships, this relationship has created additional opportunities to engage with the community and support a common cause. For example, Greg will be sponsoring a hands-on computer lab for professionals at Sam Houston University in conjunction with Working With Hope. “Right now, I’m still putting the curriculum together,” Hope says, “but starting in the spring, we’re going to offer a program that runs once a month and provides training on a more professional level so our clients can learn skills they may have otherwise not had access to.” She adds, “This is how I know that Braintek was 100% the right choice—because they’re willing to lend their expertise to the cause, and if that’s not going above and beyond, I don’t know what is.”
Hope’s Holistic Vision
Looking ahead, Hope and her team at Working With Hope plan to continue expanding and helping more and more people who live with chronic invisible illnesses. Hope states, “The goal right now is to build a strong program here in The Woodlands before going to another community and doing the same thing there. We have a lot of amazing resources that we’re constantly exploring as well, including AI surveillance technology, AI virtual reality solutions, healing art therapy, and veteran peer-to-peer support. And Greg and his team at Braintek will continue to play an integral role in all of these services, particularly the AI and virtual reality.”
Ultimately, by Braintek taking the technology piece off of Hope’s plate, she’s able to focus all her resources and efforts on carrying out the company’s mission—giving hope to those who have lost hope for a cure by approaching their health from a holistic standpoint. As the saying goes, “Every journey to healing begins with hope.” And if you find yourself needing an IT firm that will exceed your expectations with their innovative technology solutions, look no further than Greg Brainerd and his team at Braintek.
