Petzbe - Interview with the developer of a fantastic app

Did you have any prior development or coding experience?

I did not. :)

What was the most challenging aspect of developing mobile app?

Taking an idea, and building it from scratch, with no prior knowledge about building apps. I seriously had no idea what I was doing in the beginning - a LOT of trial and error, while having to stay motivated and positive - that can be quite challenging! Finding amazing developers & app designers, and communicating my vision to them, and putting together a resilient and loyal team.

_{Andrea Nerep}

The Petzbe App is a 100% pet-focused community launched in April 2018 by Andrea Nerep and her iconic Brussels. Griffon, ANGUS.

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

DuoLingo - It has an easy UX, it's interactive, and I can easily stay updated on my Spanish skills with it.

Slack - Great tool to communicate with my team & share files & track past conversations.

AirBnb - Truly amazing concept. Makes traveling more exciting to stay in a local's home rather than in a hotel. UX is sleek and easy to navigate.

How long have you been working on this app?

I started working on it by the end of 2016, and it launched in April 2018.

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

I saw the need for a fun positive place for passionate pet owners to connect and share their pet's daily lives without pressure or fear of oversharing, and where they also communicate from the pet's perspective. The pet perspective fulfills a special mission to break down barriers between people in a unique way. Because when people speak as their pets, they tend to be really nice and loving to each other. Petzbe provides a positive light-hearted relief from the stress of modern life. It's a place for people to take a little break from the human drama :)

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.

There aren't any similar social pet apps on the market embracing the pet perspective. But there are a few pet apps that have a social aspect - I'd say we're better in the way Petzbe is not only an app, but it's also a community! We call it "the cutest community on the planet."

In terms of design & UX, my mission was to create something sleek, yet very colorful and fun. And I wanted it to be super easy to navigate. I myself am a person who will stop using an app if I cannot navigate it in less than a minute, and I wanted to ensure that didn't happen to my users.

Petzbe is all about providing our Petzbe community with fun experiences - we launch free stickers & frames every week that they love to get creative with. And every third Sunday of the month we host an in-app charity campaign called Lend a Paw to support animals in need. For each photo shared this day with #LendAPaw Petzbe donates $1 to an animal cause. So far we've donated over $120,000 to animal causes, which I am very proud of!

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

After two years of building a community of loyal and dedicated pet lovers, Petzbe is now moving into e-commerce starting off with its own Petzbe snacks - Salmon Breath Mints. Our vision is to be a large ecosystem full of wonderful, unique experiences & products that our community will love, and to continue to grow to become a household name for pet owners worldwide. And we are always adding new features, primarily coming as suggestions from our users.

In addition to our products, we are in early 2021 launching our own mobile app game - PetzbeVille - which allows players to explore a new world from the pet's perspective. Take a visit to the Catnip Garden, explore the Clydesdale Trail, have lunch at the Treehouse, play fun mini-games, and more!

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.)?

I would ask them to ask themselves these questions: Do I love animals? Would it be nice to take a little break from traditional social media, politics, human selfies & drama? Do I want to be a part of a pet-centric community that's loving, supportive, pawsitively silly & fun? Do I know any other person in my life who would love Petzbe?

And if you download Petzbe - please go sniff (follow) my dog Angus @snugglingnugget - Angus can often be found adorned in a stylish jean vest gazing stoically into the distance or, at times, yawning. According to his Petzbe bio, Angus is a “lover of the finer things in life.” Peculiar in looks and personality. Extremely loving but with a healthy understanding of his human’s shortcomings. Angus never fails to forget just how incredibly handsome or iconic he is. And - Angus has been deemed the “Tiniest CEO in the WORLD” by many incredibly notable sources. He'll sniff you right back!

I'd also ask them to reach out to me for anything! I'm always happy to chat - email at [email protected]