About Us

Our Story: The Birth of Lisnen

A Moment of Realization

It was a quiet evening, just after 9 PM, when I slipped into my usual routine. I took off my hearing aids, brushed my teeth, and settled into bed, blissfully unaware that an important event was unfolding as I slept. Days later, I returned home to find a letter waiting for me in the mailbox. It came from property management, informing residents about a fire drill that had taken place a few nights earlier. Their disappointment in our lack of response hit me hard: I had missed hearing the fire alarm.

A Wake-Up Call

In that moment, I realized I had failed a critical test of my own safety. But rather than feeling defeated, a fire ignited within me. The existing alerting devices simply didn’t fit my ever-changing lifestyle, where I moved between condos, apartments, and small rural trailers. Each new space brought its own challenges that left me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

I couldn’t shake the thought that traditional solutions weren’t cutting it. Then I started noticing the potential of speech-to-text applications in everyday life. If these advancements could change the way people communicate, why couldn’t they also transform alerting devices?

Taking Charge

After contemplating my situation and waiting for change to come, I knew I had to take the lead myself. This realization led to the birth of Lisnen in 2017—a personal response to the urgent need for a more effective way to stay aware and connected.

Embracing Authenticity

For far too long, I had concealed my hearing loss from friends, family, and the world. But starting Lisnen marked my turning point. It became my platform to challenge the stigma around hearing loss, to confront the inequalities that often overshadow our lives, and to create a community where we could be heard, understood, and appreciated.

Lisnen is not merely about providing alerting solutions for the deaf and hard of hearing community; it represents a journey toward a more inclusive experience. Our challenges should not define us or hold us back; instead, they should drive us forward and inspire growth.

Join the Journey

Lisnen is not just my story; it’s a collective journey that we can embark on together. I invite you to share your experiences, thoughts, and aspirations. It’s time for us to reclaim our narratives and work in unison to build a world where everyone can thrive. Together, we can turn our dreams into reality and create a future that honors and respects all voices. Let’s make this happen!

Vision Statement

Our vision is to destigmatize hearing loss, design opportunities where limitations exist, and expand more ways to live our lives to the fullest.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide access to information using technologies. We support people who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have any auditory impairment by removing systematic and safety challenges every day in a world predicated on hearing.  

Core Values

Enable – We believe in providing our community with the tools to confidently achieve the things they want to do. Everyone deserves to be the CEO of their life.

Acceptance – We value the underdogs, the people overlooked for authentically showing up as who they are. We like to change the narrative and give them a platform to be outstanding. 

Awareness – Information is power. We want to empower you with information to give you choices at any moment of the time.

Mobility – We want to take you where you want to go and get you to enjoy the ride along the way.

Transparent – We say what we do and do what we say, all while creating a trusting environment for others to engage with us and feel safe. We admit when we make mistakes to help us become better versions of ourselves.

Empathy – We pause to take time to understand one another, despite our differences and life experiences.