Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Rigdon.
Hi Grace, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In college, I interned in New York City for Hearst Magazines, writing for Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Seventeen, and also worked for Meredith Corporation in college and wrote for Traditional Home Magazine, People, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, and more! While I thought the editorial industry was for me, I actually knew that I had a creative, entrepreneurial spirit that I hadn’t tapped into yet. My senior year, I joined an entrepreneurship class where I wrote a business plan, and since that class, my life has changed.
During college, I spent six months abroad in Glasgow, Scotland, and I knew my experience could’ve been made easier with fashionable packing help. So, I created D-RAVEL. I took D-RAVEL to several school pitch competitions, won awards, and then was accepted into an accelerator program, helping me kick-off my company.
D-RAVEL is a dress & travel service looking to help you feel prepared for a trip of a lifetime across the globe, to The Big Apple, or for your next national park adventure… while looking fabulous and enjoying local recommendations, of course.
So, what is D-RAVEL? A travel blog? Fashion blog? Nope! D-RAVEL is the first to capture both by creating a community that brings together the traveler and the local. D-RAVEL is a dress & travel service looking to help travelers like yourself feel more prepared while exploring an unfamiliar city. Provided by our services, we encourage you to utilize D-RAVEL as your packing confidant. With D-RAVEL, you’ll find local resources like the current city trends, how to pack based on climate, the most recommended eatery destinations, local must-see sights, and most importantly, where to shop. We are explorers, go-getters, and jet-setters with an eye for style, looking to arrive in any city dressing our best, dining like a local, and shopping the secret must-stop shops. Traveler, meet local! Travel has now been made accessible by showcasing the city from a local perspective, allowing your next trip to be authentic to that destination.
I decided to create a brand that would be of service to my needs and yours. Traveling to unfamiliar cities can be a daunting task, but with D-RAVEL, I know our brand can be your packing and shopping companion. I want to offer you what I could never find—answers. I promise you will look and feel your best while heading to a new city, and that confidence goes hand-in-hand with preparation. D-RAVEL is the dress & travel service we’ve all been searching for.
After launching, we are now in over 75 cities, 22 countries, and 21 states. D-RAVEL works with local influencers to curate recommended lists to help you pack, shop, eat, drink, and explore. I have had three interns and counting!
After starting D-RAVEL, I have actually jumped onto a new project while still working on D-RAVEL. I am a co-founder and COO of the deetz app (deetzapp.com).
Deetz is a Midwest-based tech startup that launched in Cedar Rapids in September 2020 amidst COVID-19 as a way to generate local spending and support small businesses. The Deetz app is a community engagement app that allows residents and visitors to see everything happening around town right now on a vibrant, interactive map. All information expires within 24 hours, so when you open the app, you only see relevant local happenings. Deetz highlights daily food specials, happy hour, and live events, like live music and timely community info. With over 30+ happy hours available at all times, residents continually are able to try new places and support local businesses. I am working full-time in Des Moines on both of these companies!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Of course not! My biggest struggle has been finding the time to still do things I enjoy like spend quality time with my family and friends, hit a happening happy hour, or go running. It is hard to be present when you are very stressed and under a lot of pressure. I am trying to create a better balance!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am proud of my ability to use my creativity to create solutions that are helping others and the community.
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
Not working in the corporate world is a risk, but working hard and having the work payoff is such a thrill, and I am grateful for my ability to put my head down and let my creativity and hard work take the course so I can continue to work in the entrepreneurial space.
Contact Info:
- Email: gracerigdon@d-ravel.com
- Website: d-ravel.com
- Instagram: the_d_ravel
- Facebook: D-RAVEL
Image Credits:
@zachcaptures
