HearMe | Empathy Not Therapy - Interview with the developer of a fantastic app

Did you have any prior development or coding experience?

I had worked for a few small companies building internal web applications, but I had never built a mobile app before, much less an entire production system! This was a learning experience, to say the least.

What was the most challenging aspect of developing mobile app?

Setting up all of our real-time systems, including chats, proved to be the most challenging aspect of building HearMe. Although it was easy to get a prototype up, ensuring it’s all running smoothly without errors is an ongoing task. This was made harder for us since we’re using some cutting-edge technology that hadn’t worked out all the edge cases on mobile (notably GraphQL Subscriptions).

_{Zak Singh}

Zak Singh, the interviewee, is the technical co-founder of HearMe.app. He enjoys functional programming, reading obscure sci-fi novels, and playing new age piano music. Email him at [email protected] to talk about GraphQL, React, Clojure, or life in general.

Name a few of your favorite apps and reason you love them.

I’m a big fan of Signal, an encrypted messaging app. I have a lot of respect for companies that value user privacy and make their tech open source. Open-sourcing our platform is something I would like to do in the future with HearMe, but it's a monumental task.

How long have you been working on this app?

We’ve been working on various iterations of the app for almost two years now, but only landed on the current model in the beginning of March. It's been a journey to find what works and doesn't work in this new space of peer-to-peer mental health.

What need of the user did you have in mind when developing this app?

Loneliness is one of the greatest health epidemics globally and is made worse by our current crisis. Therapy is unaffordable, inaccessible, and stigmatized. We’re democratizing mental wellness in a way that's never been done before.

In what way do you think your app is better than similar apps on the market? Please describe in detail what innovation you think you bring and what you are proud of in your app.

Our service is free and has a smooth and easy to understand user experience. We don’t make you tell us everything about yourself or deal with chatbots in order to experience authentic human connection. Our simplicity, combined with the excellent training programs offered to our Listeners, makes HearMe enormously helpful when you’re feeling down - I use it myself.

What are your future plans and expected features of the coming new versions of this app?

We’re looking to develop tools for our Listeners to enable them to make deeper connections and have lasting relationships with our members that can last for years. There's a lot of exciting tech behind this, but nothing that can be discussed just yet.

Assuming new users of your app are reading this page. What do you want to ask them to do (contact you about X, Share the app, etc.)?

The next time you’re feeling down, give us a try - it takes less than a minute to sign up, and the average wait time to be chatting with a Listener is 30 seconds. We’re all just people - no white lab coats - and there’s nothing to be afraid of. After you talk to a Listener, shoot me an email at [email protected] to tell me about your experience - I'd love to hear about it.