Raven Smith Tool Supply does both delivery and pickup. Photos courtesy Greg Vendetti
When Greg Vendetti and his wife bought their first house in Church Hill in 2021, he saw how many Richmond homes do not have basements or garages, and set to work on building a deck for some extra space.
While embarking on a deck-building project, the first-time homeowner relied heavily on borrowing neighbors’ tools, which gave him an idea for a new business.
Vendetti recently launched Raven Smith Tool Supply, a tool rental startup.
Customers can go to the Raven Smith’s website and pick out from a range of tools that are available for pickup from Church Hill or delivery. Delivery is available within Richmond city limits.
Greg Vendetti.
The site currently offers 17 types of tools available to rent, ranging from $7 per day for eye and ear protection to $25 per day for a circular saw or reciprocating saw, up to $50 per day for a chainsaw. Though brands vary, his current brands of choice are DeWalt and Craftsman.
Vendetti said Raven Smith is focused on making the experience of renting tools easier than it is through big box stores like Home Depot, whether it’s for the customer who’s too busy to make the trip to the store or someone who doesn’t want to rent a truck just to transport larger tools like a ladder or a wheelbarrow.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to create a hassle-free experience for our customers. We think we can compete in that space, and we want a crack at it,” Vendetti said.
With a few of each type of tool on hand, Vendetti said he plans to expand his number of tool offerings as the startup gets off the ground and he sees customer needs.
Customers can choose their rental period, which is typically one or a few days, Vendetti said. Delivery is an extra $25 fee, with return pickup included in the price.
Customers can also purchase add-ons like drill bit sets, replacement trimmer line and other small accessories through the website.
Raven Smith can also aid customers who either don’t want to shell out money on contractors for a project, or who want to test out certain tools for themselves before purchasing, he added.
“It’s about doing away with the economic barriers that exist between folks with the determination to do the work themselves, and the means to actually do it,” he said. “We’re a community resource for people who want to explore their skills, keep money in their pocket and build meaningful connections around them.”
Since launching, Vendetti said he’s seen a mix of both renters and homeowners utilizing the service, noting that many customers thus far have been both men and women between the ages of 25 and 40, an age range where many don’t have money to throw at the wall for expensive home tools.
Vendetti declined to comment on how much startup capital has been put into the company thus far, but noted that it is currently completely self-funded.
The Raven Smith name is a take on both the “smith” title typically given to artisans and makers and the raven bird, known both for its independence and its connection to Richmond through Edgar Allan Poe and his famous poem.
Raven Smith is still a part-time gig for Vendetti, who hails originally from Connecticut and has spent much of his life in the startup world. He previously held positions at Austin-based Main Street Hub (now part of GoDaddy) and now serves as a senior strategist at Chicago-based software platform RiseKit.
Vendetti said that while Raven Smith is currently focused on targeting and understanding the Richmond market, he could look to eventually expand to other markets in the future.
Vendetti said after a career working in the “intangibles” of digital products and services, he’s excited to bring something to Richmonders that they can hold in their hands.
“Raven Smith allows me the opportunity and the outlet to switch gears a bit and deal with the tangibles, where I can fulfill a need by physically handing something to you, and you seeing value almost immediately,” he said. “Plus the connection and impact now is in my own community, with my own neighbors.”
Raven Smith Tool Supply does both delivery and pickup. Photos courtesy Greg Vendetti
When Greg Vendetti and his wife bought their first house in Church Hill in 2021, he saw how many Richmond homes do not have basements or garages, and set to work on building a deck for some extra space.
While embarking on a deck-building project, the first-time homeowner relied heavily on borrowing neighbors’ tools, which gave him an idea for a new business.
Vendetti recently launched Raven Smith Tool Supply, a tool rental startup.
Customers can go to the Raven Smith’s website and pick out from a range of tools that are available for pickup from Church Hill or delivery. Delivery is available within Richmond city limits.
Greg Vendetti.
The site currently offers 17 types of tools available to rent, ranging from $7 per day for eye and ear protection to $25 per day for a circular saw or reciprocating saw, up to $50 per day for a chainsaw. Though brands vary, his current brands of choice are DeWalt and Craftsman.
Vendetti said Raven Smith is focused on making the experience of renting tools easier than it is through big box stores like Home Depot, whether it’s for the customer who’s too busy to make the trip to the store or someone who doesn’t want to rent a truck just to transport larger tools like a ladder or a wheelbarrow.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to create a hassle-free experience for our customers. We think we can compete in that space, and we want a crack at it,” Vendetti said.
With a few of each type of tool on hand, Vendetti said he plans to expand his number of tool offerings as the startup gets off the ground and he sees customer needs.
Customers can choose their rental period, which is typically one or a few days, Vendetti said. Delivery is an extra $25 fee, with return pickup included in the price.
Customers can also purchase add-ons like drill bit sets, replacement trimmer line and other small accessories through the website.
Raven Smith can also aid customers who either don’t want to shell out money on contractors for a project, or who want to test out certain tools for themselves before purchasing, he added.
“It’s about doing away with the economic barriers that exist between folks with the determination to do the work themselves, and the means to actually do it,” he said. “We’re a community resource for people who want to explore their skills, keep money in their pocket and build meaningful connections around them.”
Since launching, Vendetti said he’s seen a mix of both renters and homeowners utilizing the service, noting that many customers thus far have been both men and women between the ages of 25 and 40, an age range where many don’t have money to throw at the wall for expensive home tools.
Vendetti declined to comment on how much startup capital has been put into the company thus far, but noted that it is currently completely self-funded.
The Raven Smith name is a take on both the “smith” title typically given to artisans and makers and the raven bird, known both for its independence and its connection to Richmond through Edgar Allan Poe and his famous poem.
Raven Smith is still a part-time gig for Vendetti, who hails originally from Connecticut and has spent much of his life in the startup world. He previously held positions at Austin-based Main Street Hub (now part of GoDaddy) and now serves as a senior strategist at Chicago-based software platform RiseKit.
Vendetti said that while Raven Smith is currently focused on targeting and understanding the Richmond market, he could look to eventually expand to other markets in the future.
Vendetti said after a career working in the “intangibles” of digital products and services, he’s excited to bring something to Richmonders that they can hold in their hands.
“Raven Smith allows me the opportunity and the outlet to switch gears a bit and deal with the tangibles, where I can fulfill a need by physically handing something to you, and you seeing value almost immediately,” he said. “Plus the connection and impact now is in my own community, with my own neighbors.”
Imagine renting tools from a millennial in an extra-medium branded tee and joggers,
Imagine waking up at 6 am and starting your day crapping on someones business in 2025.
I wake up at 4:00.
Imagine having to read needless and irrelevant jabs about a man executing one of the greatest opportunities in this country, starting a small business, from a Boomer concerned with…you guessed it…what the business owner wears. What a fantastic example to set for future generations!
what a great idea. Good luck!