PetPals: One Stop Platform for all your Pet Needs

Pet Pals is a Bangalore based startup founded with the vision to provide one-stop solution for all pet needs.

Services and products include, pet boarding, spa, pet walkers, trainers, gift box for dogs named, ‘Paw’s Wonder’, home-made pet food, Pet Diet Fix nutrition mix, pet cabs, reminders, news related to pets, Snap Deal has joined hands with us and we will be introducing GPS trackers, pet insurance, pet friendly resorts and more.

We got an opportunity to talk with Varsha about her journey and see what she has to say. I am sure her interview with us will inspire you.

 

Give a brief info about your startup?

Pet Pals is a one-stop solution for all pet requirements. It is an application available on Android and IOS platforms. We are present on the web, Android and IOS platforms. We are making technology work for pets and coming up with our own products in that space. PetPals caters to pets, pet parents and pet foster parents, one being products and services and the other can be categorized as social services.

Services and products include, pet boarding, spa, pet walkers, trainers, gift box for dogs named, ‘Paw’s Wonder’, home-made pet food, Pet Diet Fix nutrition mix, pet cabs, reminders, news related to pets, Snap Deal has joined hands with us and we will be introducing GPS trackers, pet insurance, pet friendly resorts and more.

We are against the sale of pets, instead, we encourage people to adopt pets. We are part of social services for pets, including adoptions and pet rescues. We are associated with organizations like Fluffy Nut, Domlur Dog’s Park and We Save Lives. We are diligently working towards more partnerships in this space.

 

What made you start your startup and what problem does it solve?

We started PetPals on understanding that pets play a vital role in the lives of people who have them. Pets are considered family. We are a part of this journey. Our application and website is a one-stop solution for all pet requirements and is designed to enhance Pet Parents’ joy. Using our app is as convenient as like walking into a mall/store, where you have everything you need, be it shopping, eating or entertainment. Our vendors deliver good services and products, therefore, it saves time and makes it easy for people who are looking for any products or services for their pets.

 

Tell us about yourself, your previous jobs/ventures? What were you doing before this startup?

I was a part of procurement and banking in the past, while I am investing all my time for PetPals, I have a small team that supports me whenever I need help. The love and concern I have always had for animals, is helping me understand what families who have pets need and it is also helping me in terms of finding homes for stray or abandoned dogs.

Where is your startup based out of? Why do you think that is the best place for you?

We are based out of Bangalore but our application is launched accessible and available all over India and we are expanding to US and UK as well. Bangalore being a metropolitan city, has embraced people from various parts of the country with their language and culture, which motivated us to set up our foundation in Bangalore.

 

As a startup founder, what are you paranoid about? What keeps you awake at night?

I have never really known what it means to be paranoid. What keeps me awake at night is the passion to do more for animals and fuel ourselves in order to enhance our products and services.

 

Who are your competitions and how are you better than them?

I have seen a few teams who are working towards being aggregators in the same field but what makes us different is the technology like GPS trackers that we are bringing in which ensures safety, apart from just meeting the needs and comforts which families, having pets look for. Our efforts to enhance the quality of services and products without being contented with what we are offering as of today also sets us apart from the rest.

 

How hard is it to have a work life balance as a startup founder and how do you manage it?

It is undoubtedly a little hard as I need to ensure that it does not disturb my personal life, however, I manage to manage time, which allows me to do the best I can for Pet Pals.

 

Have you raised funding? If yes, then we would like to know the details. If no then please tell us if you are looking to raise.

We are bootstrapped currently. We are looking to raise seed fund. We are ready for 3-year runway and we are scouting actively for investor’s attention.

 

What’s the biggest misconception people have about you? Why do they have that? What’s the reality?

People feel we are just a listing app, they feel so as, the current version of our app provides them with a list of boarding houses, grooming places, walkers and so on. In reality, we never started with a vision to be just a listing app, we are bringing in features that will help the people see the pictures and video’s of boarding agencies, grooming places and so on. Our GPS trackers will ensure the safety of pets, the gift box we have come up with, for dogs will keep the little doggie’s waiting for it every month and it does not end here, with time a lot of other new features will become a part of our app.

 

What gets you excited about this company?

It is not one thing, be it the opportunity we get to meet other people who carry so much of affection for animals and their pets, be it the fact that technology can also be used to make this world a better place for animals, be it coming up with new products and services for pets, just like one would like every part of the dream house he or she builds, for us, as a team, everything about Pet Pals is exciting.

 

Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.

My day starts at 7:30 AM with a hot cup of coffee, followed by the newspaper that tells me what is going on in the world. I manage to make it to the gym for 30 mins and very soon after my breakfast, I begin with taking one aspect of PetPals that needs maximum care and start working on it. I speak to my vendors, my team members, I reach out to our users who are looking for products and services and within no time, it’s evening and I find myself with a cup of tea, talking to my family. I am always available for Pet Pals when something urgent or very important comes up, just like the way is available for my family. Therefore Pet Pals has become an integral part of my life.

Tell us about your team and how did you meet each other?

This has not been a challenge as most of my team members are not new to me, we have been friends, like-minded people who have joined hands to make this world a better place for ourselves, animal lovers and animals.

 

 

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