Get to Know Us!
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Get to Know Us! 〰️
Meet the Handyma'ams
Samantha, Emily, and Arly are the powerhouse trio behind MyHandyma'am and the How To Handyma’am movement. As accomplished builders and engaging co-hosts and educators, their core passion lies in teaching. They share a powerful commitment: to empower women by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to confidently manage and care for their own homes.
What began as one woman’s hands-on home renovation journey has blossomed into a company and a community dedicated to ending the feeling of helplessness that many women experience when facing home repairs or renovations.
Our Mission
We believe that knowledge is freedom. By sharing practical building know-how, design insights, and construction expertise, we are dedicated to helping every woman:
Empower Women: Gain the knowledge and skills to take control of your home maintenance and to tackle projects, big or small.
Build a Community: You were never meant to do it alone, so let's do it together. Connect with other women and professionals for support, advice, and camaraderie.
Access to the Trades: Break down barriers and open pathways for women to explore and enter skilled trade professions.
Contractor Relationships: Learn how to effectively communicate, manage, and understand your relationships with contractors and tradespeople.
Get to know Samantha, Emily, and Arly and see how their unique backgrounds and passions—from non-profit service and business acumen to design expertise and hands-on field experience—fuel their commitment to building a more educated and empowered community of women.
Arly Streed, a co-host of the How To Handyma’am podcast and Field Services Manager/team mentor at MyHandyma’am, brings a unique blend of skills and passion to her work. She holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Olivet College.
Arly's upbringing, surrounded by a family of creators and "hobby-hoarders," laid the foundation for her hands-on abilities. She spent her youth learning various skills, either working in the barn with her father or picking up new hobbies with her mother. This environment instilled in her a high level of creativity and the confidence to figure things out, making her a perfect fit for MyHandyma’am.
Arly quickly became an essential member of the team, enthusiastically joining Emily and Samantha in their constant push to do better, to do more, to help more. She, fortunately, has a healthy tolerance for chaos and a well-developed sense of whimsy and joy.
While Arly arrived with a collection of skills, her knowledge and abilities have continuously grown on the job. Arly possesses a keen eye for both form and function, excelling as a talented painter, tiler, wallpaper installer, and trim carpenter as well as the remarkable ability to think critically and solve problems.
Her experience training new employees and working with a local domestic violence shelter deeply impressed upon her the immense value of sharing knowledge with others. With a lifelong love for learning, research, and teaching, Arly was uniquely qualified to co-lead the How to Handyma’am movement. She firmly believes that knowledge is power and is dedicated to ensuring every woman has the opportunity to access that power.
Arly Streed
Samantha, co-host of the How To HandyMa’am podcast and owner of our construction business, brings a strong educational background to her work, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Olivet College (an amazing little school whose mission is to teach students to do good in the world) and an MBA from Cornerstone University. Before starting MyHandyma'am, she dedicated years to non-profit work, focused on providing medical care to those in need.
In 2020, Samantha left her office job to pursue something new, not knowing at the time what that might be. Samantha and her husband, Jim, bought a 175-year-old house and she and her daughter, Emily, demolished most of the walls in the house. The project stalled when the pandemic made it impossible to hire tradespeople for the rebuild after the initial demolition.
Faced with bare 2x4 walls, an unsafe stair rail, and plaster dust creeping its way into the kitchen, Samantha decided to try her hand at a few renovations. As she began to rebuild, she quickly discovered a passion for construction, loving the hands-on building and problem solving involved.
Following the completion of her own home, Samantha and Emily spent nine months renovating a flip house, learning construction through practical experience and YouTube tutorials. Shortly after selling the flip house, they began doing small jobs for friends and family, and eventually Samantha became a licensed residential builder. Project by project, they started building the company you see today.
Samantha's commitment to helping others remains the core of her mission. She and Emily have cultivated a nurturing environment at My HandyMa’am, prioritizing kindness and fairness for every employee and customer. This passion also led to the creation of the How To HandyMa’am podcast. Samantha recognized a critical need to educate women about their homes, especially those who felt helpless, believing that education provides freedom and choices. In her words, "It’s all about giving them choices," meaning providing women with knowledge and skills eliminates dependency and empowers them.
Handy, crafty, and determined, Samantha is capable of accomplishing anything she sets her mind to. Her desire to surprise, delight, and please others is evident in every aspect of her work.
Samantha Pearl
Emily has always had a love of creating beauty, as well as a unique talent to do so. This, coupled with her "untamed love of creativity and perhaps chaos," made her an eager participant when Samantha needed help demolishing their house. This initial impulsive duo—full of delusional confidence, a willingness to learn, and astonishing capability—laid the groundwork for the business.
As MyHandyma’am grew, Emily became a Licensed Residential Builder. She eventually transitioned from working in the field to the role of Business Development Manager, a position that perfectly blends her interpersonal skills, love for interior design, and interest in social media.
Driven by her nature as a joyful empath, Emily noticed many clients struggled to live comfortably and safely in their homes due to aging, disability, or injury. Always committed to going the extra mile, she earned her certification as an Aging in Place Specialist. She uses this expertise to offer clients essential options, knowledge, and assistance, empowering them to age gracefully in their own homes.
Building How To Handyma’am was a natural calling for Emily, whose light and love for helping others are at the company's core. She is, simply put, the "soul of HTHM," providing endless support, encouragement, and her contagious courage and confidence to everyone around her. Her attitude of encouraging others to "come as they are and be brave" makes the HTHM podcast and community truly special.
Beyond her inspiring leadership, Emily is the digital mastermind. She not only initiated and cultivated all of the company's online presences but also undertook the laborious mission of teaching Arly and Samantha how to use TikTok and act naturally on camera. Emily’s artistic influence is everywhere, from HTHM's compelling branding and marketing materials to the thoughtfully staged projects, ensuring every client's experience is exceptional and beautiful.
In her personal life, Emily is a passionate artist and interior design enthusiast. She cherishes time with her husband, Lucas, and their beloved pets, Patches (cat) and Lemon (dog). She finds joy in tackling home improvement projects and indulging her love for collecting books and vinyl records.