cjwake

Spotwag launched publicly two weeks ago with v1. It is still very much a minimum viable product - functional, but with lots still on our plate. It is bootstrapped by my cofounder and I with the current design based on Twitter bootstrap, and Kim (my cofounder) handling development.

Coordinate help for your pet from people you already trust, quickly and easily with Spotwag. And never again feel pressure to leave your pet with a stranger. Spotwag makes asking for help, or offering it easy for everyone.

Spotwag was built using Facebook Connect, because we wanted to start with each pet owner's core group of trusted friends, and Facebook seemed a natural place to start. We collect very limited data from users, but use Facebook to make inviting friends easiest. We've already started to receive feedback on integrating signup via email, and it is something we plan to integrate in the near future.

We envision this being a single online source to manage your pet's needs, whether with friends or professionals. We started with this problem of finding help for your pet while you are away, because it's common to every pet owner, and the needs are real. It began as an "Airbnb for dogs," but after talking to a LOT of pet owners, we settled on this as a starting point. We learned that pet owners prefer to entrust their pets to friends, family and those they already know and trust, rather than strangers, whenever possible.

And we heard over and over from non-pet-owners that they really want to watch other's pets - many cannot have a pet of their own for whatever reason, and this gives them a chance to enjoy pet ownership without the same commitment. We exist to make those connections happen, and to remove the 'awkwardness' in asking for help, because as dog owners we know that it is NEVER easy or enjoyable to ask your friends for help with your pet.

We've already had several people make successful requests on Spotwag in preparation for SXSW next week. http://spotwag.com

Interested to know which parks are best for off-leash fun and/or socializing.

I just launched a meetup group for Bay Area Startup & Dog Enthusiasts, and am in need of future meetup locations, preferably a mix of some in San Francisco & others on the Peninsula. Would love to know where people already go.

http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-Startup-Dog-Enthusiasts/

Great advice here from Brendan Baker - love the breakdown on buckets. A very practical way to assess your milestones and craft your story.

http://brendanbaker.tumblr.com/post/16830178199/derisking-buckets-how-to-identify-and-deal-with