Who is WayForth?

Stories are powerful tools. They connect and inspire us, explain motivations and answer questions. That’s why we want to share the backstory of how WayForth was formed by our co-founders, Pete Shrock, CPO and Craig Shealy, CEO.

Read on to discover some of the stories of the “what” and “why” behind our company.

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What does the WayForth name and logo mean?

Our name started out in a different direction and clients weren’t always clear about the services we offered. Some wondered if they were even a candidate for what we were offering.

Because we are headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, we were able to take advantage of the VCU Brandcenter to help us develop a better name. This graduate program, part of Virginia Commonwealth University, specializes in brand work, marketing and advertising. The team took a scientific approach and interviewed our associates, clients and investors.

What the Brandcenter team learned is that our purpose was to help people move forward with their lives. The name WayForth was born. The logo came next.

WayForth’s logo derived from our three guiding principles: do what’s best and right for the client; do what’s best and right for the team; and then the third comes naturally: which is to do what’s right for the company.

In our logo icon, there is a suggestion of an arrow, which shows forward movement. If you look closely at the arrow shaped icon, there is also an “F” in the negative space that subtly reinforces our goal of moving forward.

Why did we start this business?

There are personal and business reasons behind the origin of WayForth.

“I have had personal experiences with my mother, my grandfather and my father who had Alzheimer’s disease. I am also a serial entrepreneur,” said Craig. “I wanted a way to help my mother in a better way. We wanted better options, more efficiency (and) more value both financially and emotionally.”

“My background is a bit different. My background is social work,” said Pete.

Pete’s career was a people-helping-people business, just like WayForth is today. He was assisting people during huge transitions in their lives, from difficult times such as divorce to military deployment to tragedies like sudden death. When Craig and he came together to form the company, their experiences and knowledge were a good fit.

“We all have family. This is not something that is not unique to us. What was unique is that we found ourselves at the right place and the right time to start to address that (aging trend),” said Pete. “We saw fundamental principles that still show up at our company today: How do you solve a problem in a meaningful way for a person who is at a pain point in their life? And how do you show up in a great way in that moment?”

This background is the foundation of the physical and emotional assistance WayForth gives our clients and their families. We have successfully combined the business of helping with life’s transitions while keeping the co-founders’ passion of caring for people.

What is the long-term vision for WayForth?

Growing the business is in the future. According to Craig, WayForth wants to create a “nation-wide platform of people helping people, taking care of clients who are transitioning from one point in life to another.”

“Typically, that involves a move or downsizing. Our vision is to build a truly coast-to-coast platform,” said Craig. “And we’re on our way to doing that.”

“Our vision is really being determined by the number of people out there who need help moving later in their life,” said Pete. “The long-term vision is to continue to help other people across this country and grow the number of employees who serve these people.”

For more information about WayForth’s services, read our blog here.

If you or a family member would like information on all of our comprehensive move management and moving solutions, please contact our professions today at 1.844.WAYFORTH.