WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:06.320 Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who 00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:12.000 see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.559 I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.560 I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people. 00:00:21.099 --> 00:00:23.360 So come and join us for today's conversation. 00:00:24.977 --> 00:00:26.757 Anke: hello and welcome Marisa. 00:00:26.777 --> 00:00:28.967 Like, I'm really, really excited. 00:00:28.967 --> 00:00:32.267 I always say it, but it's like, it's always true, but like this topic 00:00:32.657 --> 00:00:34.457 is, uh, really dear to my heart. 00:00:34.457 --> 00:00:38.027 So I've got, I've had my own not so great experiences. 00:00:38.027 --> 00:00:42.617 So if somebody like you, so, and I'm gonna stop teasing now at hand handover. 00:00:43.037 --> 00:00:47.777 Um, Marisa, let people know where in this lovely world, world you are based 00:00:47.807 --> 00:00:49.682 and what's your business with dog books. 00:00:50.477 --> 00:00:51.107 Marisa: Awesome. 00:00:51.137 --> 00:00:51.707 Thank you Anka. 00:00:51.707 --> 00:00:54.287 I really appreciate you having me on the podcast. 00:00:54.377 --> 00:00:58.847 Um, so I have two rescue dogs and we are currently based in Phuket. 00:00:58.907 --> 00:00:59.987 Uh, I'm Canadian. 00:01:00.467 --> 00:01:04.427 And um, so this was our second international move. 00:01:04.427 --> 00:01:06.317 We've been enjoying beach life and we're gonna be having a 00:01:06.317 --> 00:01:08.207 third one back to Canada in June. 00:01:09.077 --> 00:01:12.887 Um, my current business, uh, is pause abroad, which is. 00:01:13.567 --> 00:01:16.867 As a, our starting product, um, at the time of this recording 00:01:16.867 --> 00:01:21.907 is, um, a digital pet travel, um, pet tra pet travel planner. 00:01:22.207 --> 00:01:25.327 Uh, because, you know, in doing multiple international moves 00:01:25.327 --> 00:01:29.827 with my dogs, um, I realize that this industry is so fragmented. 00:01:29.827 --> 00:01:31.957 There is no up to date information. 00:01:32.312 --> 00:01:37.622 Um, and so we, our goal is to provide customized information to pet parents, 00:01:37.622 --> 00:01:39.572 to make pet travel more accessible. 00:01:39.902 --> 00:01:43.802 And our long-term goal is to really become that go-to place for international 00:01:43.802 --> 00:01:47.042 pet travel, for people that, you know, love that sense of freedom 00:01:47.042 --> 00:01:50.702 and lifestyle, but also, you know, not bringing their dogs alongside 00:01:50.762 --> 00:01:52.502 for those adventures, not an option. 00:01:53.522 --> 00:01:57.332 Anke: Oh, that's so needed because it, it literally does feel like. 00:01:58.292 --> 00:02:02.042 Or you travel somewhere or you stay with the dogs, right. 00:02:02.042 --> 00:02:02.222 To, yeah. 00:02:03.392 --> 00:02:07.172 And the thing is, PI think places have become more pet friendly. 00:02:07.712 --> 00:02:07.862 Mm-hmm. 00:02:08.102 --> 00:02:11.432 But the travel part is still, so, you know, I mean, we were just 00:02:11.432 --> 00:02:14.792 chatting before, it's like, I've had several experiences that were, 00:02:14.852 --> 00:02:16.322 well, let's call them suboptimal. 00:02:16.862 --> 00:02:18.842 So, so I'm like, oh my God. 00:02:18.842 --> 00:02:22.592 When I, when I heard that's what, what you are, you are, uh, launching, 00:02:22.592 --> 00:02:24.422 it's like, oh boy, this is so needed. 00:02:24.692 --> 00:02:26.372 So what, what's the. 00:02:27.857 --> 00:02:30.467 Sort of what's the biggest challenge that people face? 00:02:30.527 --> 00:02:34.157 That, that there is no information, that there's wrong information. 00:02:34.367 --> 00:02:38.987 That it's like, not doable for the people or the dogs or, or like 00:02:38.987 --> 00:02:41.747 what's the, the big biggest issue? 00:02:42.077 --> 00:02:43.487 Marisa: Yeah, well there's several. 00:02:43.817 --> 00:02:46.637 I'll give you a little bit of story into how we got started. 00:02:46.667 --> 00:02:50.897 Um, so I have two rescues that are here with me and I adopted them in Hong Kong 00:02:51.407 --> 00:02:53.417 and I moved back to Canada in 2018. 00:02:53.417 --> 00:02:56.117 So this is when I kind of first became aware of this issue. 00:02:56.477 --> 00:02:59.507 Um, and, you know, one of the biggest challenges in this. 00:02:59.517 --> 00:03:02.847 Face is like, especially in expat communities, you know, you see a 00:03:02.847 --> 00:03:04.617 lot of people giving up their dogs. 00:03:04.617 --> 00:03:07.827 It's really sad because the places are transient because they feel 00:03:07.827 --> 00:03:09.897 they can't, um, travel with them. 00:03:09.897 --> 00:03:13.167 And, you know, that long term is one of the problems I really wanna tackle. 00:03:13.167 --> 00:03:15.957 But in doing this international move back to Canada. 00:03:16.352 --> 00:03:17.462 I was so fearful. 00:03:17.462 --> 00:03:20.702 This was my biggest fear about the move, something going wrong with their 00:03:20.702 --> 00:03:22.802 paperwork or their not being able to come. 00:03:23.102 --> 00:03:26.222 I hired a pet transportation company at the time, and it was like 00:03:26.252 --> 00:03:27.782 thousands and thousands of dollars. 00:03:27.782 --> 00:03:29.132 It was so expensive. 00:03:29.492 --> 00:03:33.602 Um, this particular company was not great. 00:03:33.602 --> 00:03:34.652 Like they weren't friendly. 00:03:34.652 --> 00:03:36.122 They didn't really, you know. 00:03:36.152 --> 00:03:38.312 Reassure me with the whole process anyways. 00:03:38.312 --> 00:03:43.052 Like I just was so stressed throughout this whole process and I just didn't 00:03:43.052 --> 00:03:46.802 really feel like I was understood what was going on or what the requirements were. 00:03:47.252 --> 00:03:50.642 And anyways, so I moved back to Canada in 2018 and after that this 00:03:50.642 --> 00:03:52.652 whole thing was like so stressful. 00:03:52.652 --> 00:03:55.292 I thought at the time, oh my gosh, I can never travel 00:03:55.292 --> 00:03:57.032 internationally again with my dogs. 00:03:57.302 --> 00:03:58.742 This was like so stressful. 00:03:59.132 --> 00:04:00.842 And, uh, one of my dogs, so. 00:04:01.417 --> 00:04:03.307 I got really involved in the pet space in Canada. 00:04:03.337 --> 00:04:06.517 So one of my dogs, she was actually a breeder dog at a puppy mill in Hong Kong, 00:04:06.907 --> 00:04:10.807 and she had several different health problems, um, including the fa fact that 00:04:10.807 --> 00:04:14.887 she was so overweight, she could barely walk and, uh, multiple vegetables means 00:04:14.887 --> 00:04:18.427 she needed a $5,000 knee surgery or would never be able to walk long term. 00:04:18.427 --> 00:04:21.697 And anyways, um, just to give you like a bit of background on me and how. 00:04:22.042 --> 00:04:25.912 This comes back around to pet travel is, um, I ended up making this 00:04:25.912 --> 00:04:27.982 mission to really heal her health. 00:04:28.222 --> 00:04:31.162 Started working with a veterinarian, uh, a holistic veterinarian in 00:04:31.162 --> 00:04:32.602 Canada who recommended that. 00:04:32.632 --> 00:04:35.242 Um, I switched my dogs to a Whole Foods diet. 00:04:35.242 --> 00:04:39.082 And anyways, long story short, I ended up, um, you know, really 00:04:39.082 --> 00:04:40.672 getting into the Whole Foods space. 00:04:40.672 --> 00:04:43.102 I'm actually a certified canine nutritionist now. 00:04:43.162 --> 00:04:47.602 And, um, I, uh, my dog completely healed her health through whole food. 00:04:47.602 --> 00:04:50.032 She lost half her body weight, never needed knee surgery. 00:04:50.032 --> 00:04:50.722 And so this was. 00:04:51.202 --> 00:04:53.002 Um, seven years ago now. 00:04:53.032 --> 00:04:53.422 Right. 00:04:53.422 --> 00:04:59.002 And so, you know, still here in, in Thailand and, uh, we won awards of I and 00:04:59.032 --> 00:05:01.222 based on that, um, sorry I didn't mention. 00:05:01.222 --> 00:05:03.442 And then after that I saw the big gap on the market. 00:05:03.772 --> 00:05:06.922 Um, and I ended up founding, uh, my first company, which is 00:05:06.922 --> 00:05:08.362 called Puppy Gang Fresh Foods. 00:05:08.752 --> 00:05:12.022 And it was a direct to consumer, human grade dog food company. 00:05:12.082 --> 00:05:17.182 Um, worked with a holistic veterinarian to develop the recipes and we won awards for 00:05:17.182 --> 00:05:19.102 the most nutritious pet food in Canada. 00:05:19.477 --> 00:05:24.457 And, uh, got to the point of, um, I sold the company and was working for the 00:05:24.457 --> 00:05:29.437 company that acquired us for two years and did a plan to exit out of that. 00:05:29.887 --> 00:05:31.387 And then at this point, so this was, um. 00:05:32.642 --> 00:05:36.272 A little over a year ago, and I was kind of thinking of my next move and I 00:05:36.272 --> 00:05:39.452 realized, so I had been, you know, tied to Canada, uh, because I was growing my 00:05:39.452 --> 00:05:43.682 business and finally, you know, I had this kind of unprecedented freedom and 00:05:43.682 --> 00:05:47.162 I was looking at my next move and I was like, I really just miss living abroad. 00:05:47.192 --> 00:05:47.582 Um. 00:05:48.452 --> 00:05:52.472 But I kept feeling that my dogs were a barrier to this. 00:05:52.862 --> 00:05:54.092 But then I decided, you know what? 00:05:54.092 --> 00:05:56.732 We've done one international move, I can do it again. 00:05:57.062 --> 00:06:00.932 Um, you know, so that's when I decided to like take the plunge and like, yes, you 00:06:00.932 --> 00:06:02.372 know what, we're gonna move to Thailand. 00:06:02.402 --> 00:06:05.972 Like, 'cause I lived in Thailand in 2018, spent a lot of time here over the years 00:06:05.972 --> 00:06:10.172 and just want, it was really craving that kind of beach life and slower pace and. 00:06:10.677 --> 00:06:14.547 I, obviously, because of my own business, knew a lot of people in the pet space 00:06:14.547 --> 00:06:18.507 in Canada, and I reached out to, um, a pet transportation company that I 00:06:18.507 --> 00:06:20.697 knew to get help with the paperwork. 00:06:20.697 --> 00:06:24.417 But I had lived in, uh, Asia for eight years before, you know, I, you 00:06:24.417 --> 00:06:27.567 know, know my way around relatively well, and I did obviously my own 00:06:27.567 --> 00:06:29.547 research before getting on this call. 00:06:30.087 --> 00:06:33.357 And she had got me in touch with her Thailand relocation expert, and the 00:06:33.357 --> 00:06:35.547 woman gave me the wrong information. 00:06:36.352 --> 00:06:40.672 So, uh, she told me that I couldn't fly into, uh, Phuket. 00:06:40.672 --> 00:06:41.782 I could only fly in through Bangkok. 00:06:41.782 --> 00:06:44.332 And the really interesting thing is I've spoken to multiple other 00:06:44.332 --> 00:06:47.872 people in Phuket who've had the same thing happen and they've had to then 00:06:47.872 --> 00:06:51.382 drive all the way for, which is a 12 hour drive, by the way, from bang. 00:06:52.667 --> 00:06:54.047 This misconception. 00:06:54.257 --> 00:06:58.397 And, um, and the other thing, you know, recom, I was, you know, wanted to use 00:06:58.397 --> 00:07:01.907 Korean Air, which is a Sky Pets program and they're an excellent airline. 00:07:01.907 --> 00:07:05.117 She was kind of trying to deter me from using them. 00:07:05.117 --> 00:07:07.667 And so I didn't, didn't have a good feeling about the call. 00:07:08.057 --> 00:07:11.207 And then I got the quotation, 'cause this was just the preliminary call, 00:07:11.567 --> 00:07:13.877 um, for just consulting services. 00:07:13.877 --> 00:07:17.567 So bear in mind, this doesn't include the vaccinations or the flights or anything. 00:07:18.197 --> 00:07:23.147 It was 1300 Canadian dollars after I received the wrong information. 00:07:23.147 --> 00:07:24.707 And I was like, oh my God. 00:07:24.707 --> 00:07:26.207 And this is when I realized, I'm like, you know what? 00:07:26.207 --> 00:07:27.437 I'm gonna do this on my own. 00:07:27.827 --> 00:07:33.947 And then I realized how confusing this industry really is and how. 00:07:34.837 --> 00:07:37.387 It's people gate keep information. 00:07:37.387 --> 00:07:41.947 They charge exorbitant amounts of money just for access to information. 00:07:42.247 --> 00:07:46.327 And that's when, and I happen to have a brother who is a software engineer. 00:07:46.387 --> 00:07:48.127 That's what does, yeah. 00:07:48.187 --> 00:07:54.067 And so we've created as our first product, um, a digital travel platform, 00:07:54.132 --> 00:07:58.657 um, to travel planner where you enter your dog's customized information 00:07:58.927 --> 00:08:01.657 and they give you customized checklists based on, we've started 00:08:01.657 --> 00:08:03.037 with 10 different countries to see. 00:08:03.097 --> 00:08:07.207 Start, um, all of the import export requirements alongside with 00:08:07.207 --> 00:08:11.527 timelines, calendar integrations, and recommended airlines and flights 00:08:11.527 --> 00:08:12.727 for the dates that you're going. 00:08:12.847 --> 00:08:15.397 So this is just our initial product. 00:08:15.457 --> 00:08:18.967 Uh, we're going to, what we're really excited about, we're launching now the. 00:08:19.002 --> 00:08:22.512 Early access, but we really wanna build a community of users. 00:08:22.512 --> 00:08:25.782 So we're getting people in now and we'll be building out features and 00:08:25.782 --> 00:08:28.932 routes based on what um, users need. 00:08:28.932 --> 00:08:32.727 But we really wanna be that, like go-to community and see like the 00:08:32.732 --> 00:08:35.112 Anke: Airbnb for golf travel, right? 00:08:35.127 --> 00:08:35.367 Marisa: Yeah. 00:08:35.367 --> 00:08:36.087 Like, because there's. 00:08:36.562 --> 00:08:40.102 So many people that are craving this international lifestyle and you know, 00:08:40.102 --> 00:08:43.162 like you, you and I connected because my post went viral on LinkedIn. 00:08:43.162 --> 00:08:46.852 It just shows people are really craving this lifestyle of freedom 00:08:46.852 --> 00:08:50.062 and remote work, but then feel like having their dogs as a barrier. 00:08:50.062 --> 00:08:53.812 And I really want to, you know, debunk that whole thing that, you know, 00:08:54.712 --> 00:08:55.972 Anke: I just love this so much. 00:08:55.972 --> 00:09:00.682 I mean, in, in my case, I got the dogs after I'd moved to the nice place, so. 00:09:03.097 --> 00:09:04.357 It's always a concern. 00:09:04.357 --> 00:09:08.077 It's always a concern, and there's all these different, and the, the 00:09:08.077 --> 00:09:11.197 biggest and the nerves that go around it, like that sense of. 00:09:11.882 --> 00:09:14.312 What if they told me something wrong? 00:09:14.582 --> 00:09:16.052 What if I get there? 00:09:16.412 --> 00:09:19.562 And, you know, and the whole travel thing, it's, it's stressful for 00:09:19.562 --> 00:09:21.002 us and it's stressful for the dog. 00:09:21.002 --> 00:09:25.112 So I'm always like, what if I now get to the airport and they go, oh, well yeah, 00:09:25.112 --> 00:09:28.682 well that's, but you'd also need this other thing that nobody told you about. 00:09:28.682 --> 00:09:28.982 Right? 00:09:29.192 --> 00:09:33.452 So, to know you, you are well informed and not coming. 00:09:33.452 --> 00:09:36.002 Like, oh, but this is only valid for 12 hours. 00:09:36.302 --> 00:09:38.942 You know, like that was something that was told. 00:09:39.342 --> 00:09:43.182 To me many years ago that, oh, there's a particular certificate 00:09:43.182 --> 00:09:46.932 from the vet that's only, and so if you, if your flight's delayed, oops. 00:09:46.992 --> 00:09:50.382 You know, and then the dog's gonna be in a, in a, in a 00:09:50.412 --> 00:09:51.912 quarantine or something like that. 00:09:51.912 --> 00:09:54.222 So, I mean, it's, it's so scary. 00:09:54.222 --> 00:09:54.912 It's stressful. 00:09:54.912 --> 00:09:58.092 Anyway, so you definitely don't wanna do anything wrong, right. 00:09:58.092 --> 00:10:02.262 So, and like to have all the information to know that you can. 00:10:02.637 --> 00:10:06.507 You know, for sure you are prepared and well prepared then, then that 00:10:06.507 --> 00:10:10.557 just takes all the, all the, you know, all the pain out of it, out of it. 00:10:10.677 --> 00:10:11.787 So that's incredible. 00:10:12.387 --> 00:10:13.317 Marisa: A hundred percent. 00:10:13.317 --> 00:10:17.607 And the way that we see this is, you know, so we, long term, I think, you know, the, 00:10:17.697 --> 00:10:22.077 as as we know, like the whole, you know, pet people as a whole are recognizing 00:10:22.107 --> 00:10:25.317 pets as more part of the family now, and they're really, you know, you're seeing 00:10:25.317 --> 00:10:27.537 that human humanization of pets now, but. 00:10:27.877 --> 00:10:31.087 For whatever reason, that's still not reflected in this industry. 00:10:31.087 --> 00:10:34.957 So we really wanna change that, and I see what we're doing as not, 00:10:35.017 --> 00:10:38.407 um, you know, necessarily competing with other people in this space. 00:10:38.407 --> 00:10:41.467 I think this is such a big issue that we're trying to solve. 00:10:41.467 --> 00:10:45.967 So for us, we're, you know, really trying to build out, um, a community 00:10:45.967 --> 00:10:50.827 and strategic partnerships around the world to really, um, you know, 00:10:50.827 --> 00:10:53.347 you know, I think it's, I'm, I'm a big believer in collaboration 00:10:53.347 --> 00:10:54.577 over competition, and that's. 00:10:54.842 --> 00:10:58.772 You know, my vision for it long-term is for, you know, us to have this like 00:10:58.832 --> 00:11:02.552 str these strategic partnerships on the ground in these different countries 00:11:02.792 --> 00:11:07.052 to help us as well, and us kind of be that like intermediary platform of 00:11:07.052 --> 00:11:08.582 connecting everyone and everything. 00:11:08.582 --> 00:11:08.642 Yeah. 00:11:09.542 --> 00:11:14.162 Anke: I think, um, like looking at, at uh, sort of initiatives that I've 00:11:14.162 --> 00:11:17.162 had over the years where I was like, oh my God, like, you know, nobody. 00:11:17.422 --> 00:11:18.052 Knows. 00:11:18.052 --> 00:11:21.832 And so the UpToDate information can be quite challenging. 00:11:21.832 --> 00:11:24.652 Like how do you manage to stay up to date with all of it? 00:11:25.282 --> 00:11:25.672 Marisa: Yeah. 00:11:25.672 --> 00:11:29.272 Well, we're Lever, we're leveraging technology where we're pulling in 00:11:29.272 --> 00:11:31.942 monthly UpToDate, uh, information. 00:11:32.302 --> 00:11:34.252 Um, so we are actually, you know. 00:11:34.402 --> 00:11:39.382 Just the, the way we're leveraging technology is that we're actually, um, we 00:11:39.382 --> 00:11:43.912 are, we're actually pulling in information from government websites and, uh, on 00:11:43.912 --> 00:11:48.232 the import export regulation, and we're doing regular, uh, searches on these 00:11:48.532 --> 00:11:53.782 as opposed to the existing solutions on the market, our static information. 00:11:53.782 --> 00:11:56.302 So they're just like relying on someone to update. 00:11:56.572 --> 00:11:58.282 They're not up to date information. 00:11:58.282 --> 00:11:59.092 And then, you know. 00:11:59.397 --> 00:12:02.037 You're seeing the younger generation going to something like CHATT 00:12:02.127 --> 00:12:03.357 PT and entering the answer. 00:12:03.357 --> 00:12:05.877 But like the worry, something is like CHATT can be so 00:12:05.877 --> 00:12:07.527 convincing, but they lied to you. 00:12:07.707 --> 00:12:08.067 So Yeah. 00:12:08.067 --> 00:12:08.337 It just 00:12:08.337 --> 00:12:08.937 Anke: tells you what you 00:12:09.022 --> 00:12:09.382 Marisa: wanna hear. 00:12:10.092 --> 00:12:10.382 Yeah. 00:12:10.827 --> 00:12:13.437 And this is another reason because it's such a big problem. 00:12:13.437 --> 00:12:17.097 We're trying to solve why we've decided to start with only 10 countries and 00:12:17.097 --> 00:12:20.547 just make sure we have all of the up to date information and forms. 00:12:20.547 --> 00:12:24.927 We also have embeddable, uh, PDFs, so if you, the country has forms 00:12:24.927 --> 00:12:28.317 that you need to fill out, we also have that all in there in one state. 00:12:28.332 --> 00:12:28.872 Bought. 00:12:28.872 --> 00:12:30.732 So yeah, we're really excited. 00:12:30.732 --> 00:12:34.062 So there's nothing quite like us on the market right now and we're really 00:12:34.062 --> 00:12:35.472 excited 'cause this is just the beginning. 00:12:36.092 --> 00:12:36.842 Anke: Oh my god. 00:12:36.842 --> 00:12:39.692 Like so, so even like, literally there's a checklist. 00:12:39.692 --> 00:12:41.882 So say you need this and here's the form for it. 00:12:41.912 --> 00:12:42.422 Oh my God. 00:12:42.782 --> 00:12:43.202 Yeah. 00:12:43.532 --> 00:12:46.472 Marisa: So if it's some kids, generally, so we don't have the forms for vet, 00:12:46.472 --> 00:12:49.412 we, part of our rollout plan is to build out a vet portal as well. 00:12:49.412 --> 00:12:51.152 'cause vets are actually having the same problem. 00:12:51.152 --> 00:12:55.142 They rely on Marisa for example, to go in and say, Hey, I'm going to Thailand. 00:12:55.142 --> 00:12:55.952 What do I need? 00:12:56.192 --> 00:12:58.172 So that is in our, um, our plan. 00:12:58.172 --> 00:13:01.292 We are going to, um, like be building in pet passports and 00:13:01.292 --> 00:13:02.912 a vet portal to help kind of. 00:13:03.417 --> 00:13:07.227 Track of the vaccinations and paperwork side of things for the vets, as well 00:13:07.227 --> 00:13:10.347 as one of kind of our initiatives we have planned in the next year. 00:13:10.617 --> 00:13:13.317 But for now, it's certain countries like Thailand for example, there's 00:13:13.317 --> 00:13:14.727 a form you need to fill out. 00:13:14.907 --> 00:13:18.927 So we have that embedded in, uh, directly in there because that 00:13:18.927 --> 00:13:20.007 was one of the problems I had. 00:13:20.007 --> 00:13:23.577 I was like, I knew I had to fill out this form and I was like, literally 00:13:23.577 --> 00:13:25.587 like in forums, like crying like it was. 00:13:25.597 --> 00:13:26.797 So inaccessible. 00:13:26.797 --> 00:13:28.537 So yeah, we, and that's where 00:13:28.537 --> 00:13:31.717 Anke: you, I mean, like, I'm just looking at this like in Spain, it's like, oh yeah, 00:13:31.717 --> 00:13:33.337 where the heck did you find the form? 00:13:33.607 --> 00:13:34.027 Right? 00:13:34.207 --> 00:13:37.327 And then, then, then quite often you have the language barrier on top of 00:13:37.327 --> 00:13:39.067 it because it might be just hidden. 00:13:39.067 --> 00:13:40.387 And I mean like here. 00:13:40.997 --> 00:13:44.117 Government websites are just like, I don't know. 00:13:44.122 --> 00:13:48.467 You know what, like user interface design just wasn't invented 00:13:48.467 --> 00:13:49.667 when they come out with these. 00:13:49.877 --> 00:13:53.177 And so they have like, it's really hard to, sometimes the stuff is 00:13:53.177 --> 00:13:54.887 there, but it's like not intuitive. 00:13:54.887 --> 00:13:56.627 It's not, it's sort of at the bottom. 00:13:56.807 --> 00:13:59.027 It's some weird link that usually doesn't work. 00:13:59.027 --> 00:14:00.557 And if it does, you know, like it's like. 00:14:01.727 --> 00:14:04.907 Even finding the form is, is, is an issue. 00:14:04.907 --> 00:14:08.297 And then on top of it, if you are in a, in a country where you don't 00:14:08.297 --> 00:14:11.117 speak the language that well, you can't even read all this stuff because 00:14:11.117 --> 00:14:13.817 it's that formal kind of language. 00:14:13.817 --> 00:14:15.347 And I know that in French it's the same. 00:14:15.347 --> 00:14:19.337 It's like you might be able to speak, but you know, read a government website, 00:14:19.337 --> 00:14:20.417 that's a whole different language. 00:14:20.477 --> 00:14:20.567 It's 00:14:20.567 --> 00:14:21.617 Marisa: totally different ball game. 00:14:21.617 --> 00:14:21.797 Yeah. 00:14:22.187 --> 00:14:22.877 So to 00:14:22.877 --> 00:14:27.077 Anke: have the like, okay, you need this form, and here it is, like that alone. 00:14:27.227 --> 00:14:29.432 Like, like a game changer. 00:14:30.002 --> 00:14:31.982 And also not missing any steps. 00:14:32.042 --> 00:14:32.342 Right. 00:14:32.372 --> 00:14:33.152 Because that's the thing. 00:14:33.152 --> 00:14:34.712 It's like quite often when there's this different. 00:14:36.332 --> 00:14:38.522 Organizations and different things involved. 00:14:38.522 --> 00:14:40.412 Like one doesn't know about the other. 00:14:40.442 --> 00:14:44.072 They know to do their thing, but they don't like, it's easy for you to kind of 00:14:44.132 --> 00:14:46.052 skip a step if you don't know about it. 00:14:46.592 --> 00:14:48.062 Marisa: Yeah, a hundred percent. 00:14:48.332 --> 00:14:52.052 And yeah, so that's why our first, so we'll, we will be getting into more, 00:14:52.352 --> 00:14:53.882 you know, personalized solutions. 00:14:53.882 --> 00:14:56.582 'cause we know, you know, people that, as of right now, we just wanted an 00:14:56.582 --> 00:15:01.232 affordable, accessible solution, uh, for people to, to get started with 00:15:01.232 --> 00:15:02.732 and be able to travel with their pets. 00:15:02.747 --> 00:15:04.067 Anke: So good, so good. 00:15:04.547 --> 00:15:07.637 Like I'm like, this is, and you know, when one of those, when you see 00:15:07.637 --> 00:15:09.767 it, it's a little bit like Airbnb. 00:15:09.767 --> 00:15:11.867 It's like, why didn't nobody think of this before? 00:15:11.867 --> 00:15:12.227 Right? 00:15:12.227 --> 00:15:12.287 Yeah. 00:15:12.287 --> 00:15:13.667 So it's incredible. 00:15:13.667 --> 00:15:14.057 Yeah. 00:15:14.057 --> 00:15:16.097 It's So where can people go? 00:15:16.097 --> 00:15:19.907 Go to sign to sign up to find out more about it? 00:15:20.597 --> 00:15:20.687 Yeah. 00:15:20.687 --> 00:15:22.937 And one of the 10 countries like to start with. 00:15:22.937 --> 00:15:22.967 Oh 00:15:23.027 --> 00:15:23.297 Marisa: yes. 00:15:24.137 --> 00:15:26.837 So the website is pause abroad.co. 00:15:27.662 --> 00:15:30.152 And also always happy if any of your readers have any direct 00:15:30.152 --> 00:15:33.752 questions, you can, um, reach out to me at my email, which is 00:15:33.752 --> 00:15:37.772 Marisa, MAR ia, at pause abroad.co. 00:15:38.162 --> 00:15:40.352 Um, and the starting 10 countries. 00:15:40.352 --> 00:15:42.872 Don't worry, we will add Spain and Italy in there as well. 00:15:42.872 --> 00:15:43.832 Those are in part of the book. 00:15:43.862 --> 00:15:49.202 As of right now, it's, uh, Canada and the US Costa Rica, Mexico, uk, 00:15:49.262 --> 00:15:53.762 uh, France and Germany and, uh, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong. 00:15:54.992 --> 00:15:56.147 Anke: Or Yeah. 00:15:56.237 --> 00:15:57.077 I mean, that's the thing. 00:15:57.077 --> 00:16:00.197 There's so many countries, it's like, Jesus, it's, it's, it's 00:16:00.197 --> 00:16:01.667 gonna be, it's gonna be big, right? 00:16:03.467 --> 00:16:03.737 Ah, exactly. 00:16:03.742 --> 00:16:03.772 Yeah. 00:16:03.777 --> 00:16:04.187 Yeah. 00:16:04.187 --> 00:16:05.597 That's, and it makes sense. 00:16:05.597 --> 00:16:08.387 You know, like I've, a, my background software development is sort of like, 00:16:08.387 --> 00:16:12.797 okay, let's just start with, you know, and then HOA to, to amplify rather than 00:16:12.827 --> 00:16:14.417 to create a giant mess from the start. 00:16:14.627 --> 00:16:17.172 Like, makes all the sense, all the sense to me. 00:16:18.212 --> 00:16:21.782 Marisa: And that's what I'm most excited about because I don't see this as like 00:16:21.782 --> 00:16:24.362 us building, just building for people. 00:16:24.362 --> 00:16:27.182 We also, you know, and that's why we're getting our early A, we've opened up 00:16:27.182 --> 00:16:32.252 early access and we're leaving, you know, a lot of, for me, um, my big specialty 00:16:32.252 --> 00:16:33.572 is, you know, customer retention. 00:16:33.572 --> 00:16:36.392 I also have a consulting business, so I work with brands on like 00:16:36.632 --> 00:16:38.912 messaging and positioning and, um. 00:16:39.327 --> 00:16:43.587 And, uh, and, um, loyalty and retention as well. 00:16:44.037 --> 00:16:48.717 And so my big thing is really thinking about like, building with 00:16:48.717 --> 00:16:51.927 the user in mind and building that community and giving people a voice. 00:16:51.927 --> 00:16:55.257 So we're built in that, um, that user feedback loop. 00:16:55.377 --> 00:16:57.717 So we'll be building out like features and that's where 00:16:57.717 --> 00:16:58.947 we're opening up early access. 00:16:58.947 --> 00:16:59.877 So it's not, you know. 00:17:00.497 --> 00:17:03.857 A, you know, it's, it's an, you know, it's an ever-growing thing that we're trying 00:17:03.857 --> 00:17:07.787 to build and we're gonna keep, you know, building in different routes and different 00:17:07.787 --> 00:17:10.097 features based on that user feedback. 00:17:10.097 --> 00:17:12.347 So that's also really what I'm excited about. 00:17:12.347 --> 00:17:16.127 'cause that really makes people feel like they're part of something too, and it's 00:17:16.127 --> 00:17:19.367 not just us building for them, you know? 00:17:19.517 --> 00:17:19.967 Anke: For sure, for sure. 00:17:20.687 --> 00:17:22.067 I've, I've joined several. 00:17:22.522 --> 00:17:26.362 You know, platforms like in those, like wasn't even beta or 00:17:26.362 --> 00:17:27.682 alpha, it was like, yeah, no. 00:17:27.682 --> 00:17:29.392 We'll, like the code is still wet, right? 00:17:29.902 --> 00:17:31.017 So, and it. 00:17:31.532 --> 00:17:34.682 It does create that community because you'll have questions and 00:17:34.682 --> 00:17:36.932 they go, oh yeah, well actually how we gonna make this work? 00:17:36.932 --> 00:17:40.802 So it's, it's, um, it's just that mean, that process needs to be managed well 00:17:40.802 --> 00:17:44.642 because it gets great, it gets messy quite quickly if everybody, you know, 00:17:44.642 --> 00:17:48.897 like those different things that users want and uh, you know, but it's like. 00:17:49.682 --> 00:17:50.732 It's so needed. 00:17:50.762 --> 00:17:54.722 I'm so, I'm, I mean, I'm so glad I found I stumbled across this 00:17:54.722 --> 00:17:55.772 post because you, I'm so glad 00:17:55.772 --> 00:17:57.392 Marisa: we that as well, you know, because 00:17:57.392 --> 00:18:01.232 Anke: it's so, it's such a, it's such a game changer because I live abroad, so I'm 00:18:01.232 --> 00:18:05.192 like, you know, I've not lived in my home country in like 30 years, so it's like. 00:18:06.137 --> 00:18:07.007 It's so needed. 00:18:07.007 --> 00:18:07.247 Right. 00:18:07.247 --> 00:18:10.307 Because the experience that I've had with like, yeah, I wish 00:18:10.307 --> 00:18:11.657 something like this existed. 00:18:11.657 --> 00:18:14.207 So I'm very like, I'm very glad it now does. 00:18:15.737 --> 00:18:16.157 Marisa: Me too. 00:18:16.157 --> 00:18:16.997 I'm so excited. 00:18:16.997 --> 00:18:20.507 And I'll probably be in Spain in the fall, so we'll have to meet in person if I am Oh 00:18:20.507 --> 00:18:21.557 Anke: be, that would be amazing. 00:18:21.617 --> 00:18:22.787 I, that's always. 00:18:22.952 --> 00:18:23.012 Yeah. 00:18:23.012 --> 00:18:25.292 The, the, the, the real fun thing. 00:18:25.292 --> 00:18:25.682 Awesome. 00:18:25.682 --> 00:18:26.102 Awesome. 00:18:26.282 --> 00:18:27.452 Well, thank you so much. 00:18:27.452 --> 00:18:29.252 I'm gonna, obviously, we're gonna pop the link right below, 00:18:29.252 --> 00:18:30.422 so it'll make it really easy. 00:18:30.782 --> 00:18:35.822 And, um, yeah, I, I can't wait to see where, you know, where this takes you. 00:18:35.822 --> 00:18:38.732 And, uh, thank you traveling, the traveling dogs. 00:18:40.922 --> 00:18:42.032 Marisa: I really appreciate it. 00:18:42.032 --> 00:18:44.042 And thank you for having me on your podcast. 00:18:44.432 --> 00:18:45.092 Well, my, my 00:18:45.092 --> 00:18:45.422 Anke: pleasure. 00:18:45.422 --> 00:18:46.562 Thank you so much for coming. 00:18:47.912 --> 00:18:49.472 Marisa: And we'll be in touch soon for sure. 00:18:50.492 --> 00:18:50.822 Anke: Absolutely. 00:18:50.822 --> 00:18:51.152 Absolutely. 00:18:52.112 --> 00:18:52.862 Marisa: Thank you. 00:18:53.687 --> 00:18:54.917 Thanks so much for listening. 00:18:55.437 --> 00:18:59.737 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe, and leave a review so 00:18:59.837 --> 00:19:01.617 other dog lovers can find the show. 00:19:02.407 --> 00:19:05.897 If you haven't already, head over to soul touched by dogs. 00:19:06.327 --> 00:19:11.897 com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness tips, recommendations, and personal 00:19:11.997 --> 00:19:14.367 stories to warm your dog loving heart. 00:19:14.367 --> 00:19:18.097 And if you know a pawsome human you think I should interview, 00:19:18.517 --> 00:19:19.657 I'd love an introduction. 00:19:20.137 --> 00:19:21.967 Email me at Anke. 00:19:22.237 --> 00:19:26.472 That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.