Hdw

Honest Day's Work (HDW) is a technology company focused on helping residential service providers — including housekeepers, dog walkers and drivers — operate more efficiently and profitably by integrating technology into their day-to-day operations. The company was built by Jamie Siminoff, founder of Ring, and operated in stealth mode prior to its 2023 sale, during which period Siminoff was also investing in residential and multifamily real estate. At the time of the transaction the HDW team numbered roughly 30 people.

In May 2023, Latch, Inc. — the New York-based proptech company behind smart locks and the full-building LatchOS software platform — announced it was acquiring 100% of HDW's capital stock. The stated rationale was to combine HDW's service-provider network with Latch's access control and building-management platform to form a residential ecosystem spanning building owners, operators, service providers and residents. As part of the deal, Siminoff was to become Latch's CEO later in 2023, succeeding interim chief executive Jason Keyes.

The combined business now operates under the Latch/DOOR brand, which markets access control, intercom, smart-home automation, smart thermostat and leak prevention, smart readers, door hardware and portfolio management software (DOOR OS) to multifamily property owners and operators, with continued support for existing Latch hardware.

Founding story

HDW was started by Jamie Siminoff, the founder of Ring, after Amazon acquired Ring in 2018 for $1.2 billion; Siminoff invested in residential and multifamily real estate and built HDW in stealth mode. His earlier ventures included PhoneTag (founded 2003, formerly SimulScribe), Unsubscribe.com (2010) and the invention lab Edison Junior, where the original Ring concept was developed.

Business model

HDW provided technology to residential service providers such as housekeepers, dog walkers and drivers to make their operations more efficient and profitable. Following the acquisition, the offering sits within Latch/DOOR, which sells hardware and subscription software to multifamily building owners and operators, including through a channel partner network of installers, integrators, contractors, distributors and low-voltage professionals.

Traction

HDW had a team of approximately 30 employees at the time of its acquisition. The acquiring platform reports customer-facing outcomes including up to 20% higher operating efficiency, up to $150 per unit saved on rekeying at turnover, approximately $80,000 in annual savings per building, and up to 20 hours per week saved through process automation.

Latest developments

Latch has rebranded as DOOR, positioning its access control, automation and IoT hardware suite as a Building Intelligence operating system for multifamily properties, while continuing to support existing Latch hardware with updates and access to the DOOR App and DOOR OS. Named customers and references include AvalonBay Communities and JDL Development.