Plant-based Entrepreneurship: Veggly Founder interviewed by Plant CEO

Join us in watching Alex Felipelli, our Founder and CEO, in a great interview to Plant CEO youtube channel and podcast. If you are interested in plant-based entrepreneurship you should definitely check it out!

Special thanks to Anant Joshi 🌱 for hosting us!

PLANT CEO #37 – Veggly the No.1 vegan and vegetarian dating app:

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Plant-based Entrepreneurship – Interview transcript:</h2> 00:02:11.100 –> 00:02:21.780 Anant Joshi: Hello and welcome to plant CEO in today’s episode I like to welcome Alex Felipelli, the CEO and founder of Veggly Hi Alex, how are you doing 21 00:02:23.310 –> 00:02:25.500 alex: I’m good, how are you. Thanks for having me. 22 00:02:25.740 –> 00:02:29.700 Anant Joshi: Great to have you on the show and US Sao Paolo at the moment. 23 00:02:30.450 –> 00:02:31.140 alex: That’s correct. 24 00:02:32.220 –> 00:02:33.630 alex: I’m from here and 25 00:02:35.160 –> 00:02:38.190 alex: busier the call, but he’s based here where 26 00:02:39.270 –> 00:02:40.680 alex: The whole team is here for now. 27 00:02:41.970 –> 00:02:57.990 Anant Joshi: Yeah, sure. So yeah, really excited to know more about your, your dating app. So can we start by just if you can describe what it is for everyone, but also maybe explain a little bit on how it’s different from normal dating apps. 28 00:02:58.320 –> 00:02:59.190 alex: Sure, sure. 29 00:03:00.240 –> 00:03:13.380 alex: I guess I mean so so gradually is basically a a vegan and vegetarian dating app, right. So some people simplify it explained. He explains the Tinder for vegans or vegetarians. 30 00:03:15.330 –> 00:03:27.540 alex: We think it’s a lot more, but I’ll go into the differences in a minute. So I think the you know this, the simple explanation is is that we we 31 00:03:28.050 –> 00:03:38.970 alex: Then the main difference is is obviously the focus right so we we already have, like most people who use virtually ISA ISA is if you have an image up there in those statistics as well. We have 32 00:03:39.930 –> 00:03:53.790 alex: 60% of the users are vegans and another 30% roughly is vegetarian. So we have only thing that we find themselves as being transition right and 33 00:03:55.200 –> 00:04:01.170 alex: You know, so people. That’s where you go to find vegan singles basically right so 34 00:04:02.250 –> 00:04:15.120 alex: Vision is the number one thing and for vegans and vegetarians and and that that focus and of course all of our communication, all of our marketing, all of that is is targeted and it’s for vegans and 35 00:04:15.630 –> 00:04:24.240 alex: Vegetarians right. So, um, that’s the main difference for sure that’s the number one reason why people choose veggie 36 00:04:25.440 –> 00:04:36.270 alex: We also have a few other differences in terms of like we we tried not to make the app too much like a binary like liking or not, like, you know, like some of these other ones. 37 00:04:36.960 –> 00:04:50.130 alex: Because we wanted to build this kind of a community and like you could you can, for example, not like someone for dating, but maybe you want to maybe just to 38 00:04:50.520 –> 00:05:02.310 alex: Be friends. A lot of people use the app also to find friends. In fact, we’re going to make it more formal soon but it’s already other people ready to use. Right. They 39 00:05:02.820 –> 00:05:09.870 alex: Set up a profile and they say they’re just looking for friends because we know, and I think we’ll get there like this part of the reason 40 00:05:10.980 –> 00:05:12.270 alex: Why we created it. 41 00:05:13.290 –> 00:05:24.120 alex: It’s mostly to help people, especially when you’re just making the transition. It’s hard. Normally, you have just friends and people, you know, where are 42 00:05:24.750 –> 00:05:38.370 alex: Meat eaters and you want to meet new people, especially for dating, but even also for for for, you know, friends, and so on. So I think that’s the main difference we tried to make it a little more 43 00:05:39.510 –> 00:05:55.710 alex: More of a community and we want to even improve on that, like, make it more as a community of almost like a social network, not, not that the first know they’re not going to get that far, but at least a little more on that direction. 44 00:05:57.600 –> 00:06:10.620 alex: But in and not so much like you know Swipe right, swipe left as in some other apps that is very frustrating sometimes right becomes like a manual that we wanted to avoid that one. 45 00:06:12.030 –> 00:06:18.720 Anant Joshi: Yeah. And so, obviously, you still have that ability today and you know Swipe right, swipe left 46 00:06:19.200 –> 00:06:20.010 alex: And right 47 00:06:20.700 –> 00:06:29.940 Anant Joshi: With the with the connection as part of the friendship part is that area, something that you could search on or something that you’re planning to do or 48 00:06:30.000 –> 00:06:31.710 Anant Joshi: Would it same way 49 00:06:32.070 –> 00:06:50.250 alex: Yeah, yeah. So, and cheaply. Right. So the way it works. Right now, it’s still like you would as you you, that part is very similar. You go in and use. So the profiles you like and then if you get a veg match. That’s a, you know, our match the match. 50 00:06:51.150 –> 00:06:52.080 alex: You can chat. 51 00:06:52.170 –> 00:06:59.220 alex: And, you know, then. So that’s how the how it operates right that the difference is that it’s not going to automatically 52 00:06:59.640 –> 00:07:09.150 alex: You know, remove the person. If you don’t like right you can still do that. Like, you can exclude the roadblocks and one, of course, right, maybe you don’t want to see that person. 53 00:07:10.740 –> 00:07:17.310 alex: But, but it’s not. It’s not like you just swipe left and it’s gone. Right. Like, just like in those situations. 54 00:07:18.810 –> 00:07:29.820 alex: In the for the for the friendship right now. It’s really, I mean it’s let’s say more, something that the users created because like you 55 00:07:30.600 –> 00:07:43.530 alex: A lot of, like I said, a lot of people have that difficulty of finding friends and so on. So they they go in and see, I just want to find friends and they put that in the profile. They just write it down and then you know someone who have a match. 56 00:07:44.880 –> 00:07:50.940 alex: Would know that so they wouldn’t you know if they’re interested in more than that. They maybe they wouldn’t 57 00:07:51.480 –> 00:07:52.260 alex: Function right 58 00:07:52.410 –> 00:07:55.470 alex: But, but then the the 59 00:07:56.490 –> 00:08:07.470 alex: So that’s the way it’s it’s already working a lot of people is using for that. And some people use for both, of course, like they they they use for to find friends. But then if you know something more happens 60 00:08:08.880 –> 00:08:25.110 alex: The better it is for the better. But then the we want to also make it more formal. In a sense, where you you actually create a profile where you say, like in the profile, you’re only looking for friendship and then those profiles would only show to people. 61 00:08:25.530 –> 00:08:28.140 alex: Running for friendship right so you wouldn’t 62 00:08:29.160 –> 00:08:35.400 alex: Just because, of course, even though you’re, you may write down you’re looking for friendship means sometimes get a little 63 00:08:36.540 –> 00:08:51.480 alex: Awkward. If you are in a relationship, right. So that’s why we want to make it more formal. But, but, yeah, I mean, that’s really kind of more future thinking, right, like, though the right now. It’s really just for more for dating. 64 00:08:51.810 –> 00:08:57.390 alex: And it’s just a just to say that it’s it’s got these community. 65 00:08:58.650 –> 00:08:59.910 alex: Idea behind right it’s 66 00:08:59.910 –> 00:09:00.150 Yeah. 67 00:09:01.200 –> 00:09:01.980 alex: So right there. 68 00:09:02.430 –> 00:09:10.410 Anant Joshi: Is there a trend or growing trend that vegans will not date a meat eater and vice versa. 69 00:09:11.610 –> 00:09:24.330 alex: Yes, I mean the we just released the E. The survey results. We did a survey with seven 7000 or 7400 people 70 00:09:25.350 –> 00:09:32.580 alex: On on the app and and they responded. One of the questions in this survey that we already published 71 00:09:34.170 –> 00:09:42.060 alex: In its he went out on plant based news and in the independence, we can maybe add the links to the 72 00:09:42.570 –> 00:09:42.930 Show. 73 00:09:43.980 –> 00:09:44.340 alex: And 74 00:09:45.510 –> 00:09:52.470 alex: It’s the results. Was that 52% of the vegans would not data a meat eater. Right. 75 00:09:53.490 –> 00:10:03.120 alex: I think that’s, you know, if we asked how many would prefer to date a, you know, an a vegan or vegetarian. 76 00:10:04.740 –> 00:10:07.920 alex: Definitely, he would be close to 100% in terms of 77 00:10:08.430 –> 00:10:10.050 alex: They would prefer. Yeah. 78 00:10:11.070 –> 00:10:26.160 alex: But then these 52% said they wouldn’t date, like the apparently. Look, it’s just like they would not consider at a meat eater. Right. Or some people, you know, they would date and try to convert 79 00:10:27.480 –> 00:10:30.300 alex: But that’s, of course, very hard. And so, you know, 80 00:10:31.830 –> 00:10:49.680 alex: Some people prefer to separate the activism from their love life. And so that’s where we help right so so it’s a, it’s a, it is a trends and we see more and more. In fact, the same survey for the same serving for even the vegetarians in the app responded that 81 00:10:50.730 –> 00:10:59.880 alex: Turned out 39% of the budget there and said they wouldn’t date a meat eater, but it’s not. It’s a little less strict, but it’s still like a, you know, 82 00:11:00.210 –> 00:11:06.000 Anant Joshi: Yeah. What about what about a vegan dating a vegetarian, for example. 83 00:11:06.660 –> 00:11:07.680 alex: Well, yeah, so 84 00:11:09.000 –> 00:11:14.220 alex: That was so the percentage. There was smaller, much more. I think he was wanting to think 85 00:11:15.630 –> 00:11:16.710 alex: 20% 86 00:11:17.100 –> 00:11:19.500 alex: Said that they would not data vegetarian. 87 00:11:19.770 –> 00:11:36.420 alex: Right. So yeah, so that’s a, you know, still like if if you have, you know, I mean 50% out of the so basically 20% of those of those with with not data a vegetarian even right so it’s 88 00:11:36.930 –> 00:11:43.230 alex: Yeah, the surveys quite it’s quite quite nice. We should probably add the link because it has a few of these. 89 00:11:44.190 –> 00:11:47.640 Anant Joshi: We can show some of the graph soon in the in the video for sure and 90 00:11:47.790 –> 00:11:48.660 Anant Joshi: We can add the layer. 91 00:11:49.050 –> 00:11:55.830 Anant Joshi: The notes. Great. So yeah, I mean that’s that’s interesting, and I think it’ll be interesting to see. 92 00:11:56.340 –> 00:12:11.910 Anant Joshi: How that survey changes over time the results right if you were to run it again and in like a year’s time and see what happens. And so in terms of the, you know, you must have had a lot of success with I guess people finding love 93 00:12:12.990 –> 00:12:18.810 Anant Joshi: To do. Do you have some indication on that and do. Do people actually end up marrying and 94 00:12:18.840 –> 00:12:20.970 Anant Joshi: You know, obviously making a commitment commitment. 95 00:12:21.930 –> 00:12:42.570 alex: Yes. I mean, we have a I mean, first of all, we’ve had 830,000 veg matches so far in in the in the platform, right. So that’s, again, when two people like each other and then they get a big match and they can share the first, you know, after that’s it’s up to them. 96 00:12:42.630 –> 00:12:48.270 alex: And, you know, a lot of those word through 2020 with me. 97 00:12:48.330 –> 00:12:49.260 Anant Joshi: Going and so 98 00:12:49.500 –> 00:12:51.240 alex: Makes it a little harder to meet the 99 00:12:51.240 –> 00:12:55.890 alex: Person, but it’s still like a we still have a lot of 100 00:12:57.600 –> 00:13:01.680 alex: Testimonials, right, we can again do the link to 101 00:13:01.680 –> 00:13:06.120 alex: Our testimonials page. We have several, several people who 102 00:13:08.160 –> 00:13:25.170 alex: You know, send them send us their stories. Some send even features of them have them together and they explain how the you know how they use the app all these started and now they had the big mansion in in there. Now there now dating rights. 103 00:13:26.760 –> 00:13:33.390 alex: I don’t, we don’t, I don’t know if anyone who got married yet we have some people who are in very serious relationships. 104 00:13:34.410 –> 00:13:37.830 alex: The app is quite near like it really started to to to grow. 105 00:13:39.720 –> 00:13:53.280 alex: Faster in the middle of 2019. And so we had the pain of, like, a year and a half of like more accelerated growth right to Danny was kind of slow kind of improving a few things. 106 00:13:53.730 –> 00:13:56.310 Anant Joshi: What led to that growth in in 2019 107 00:13:57.090 –> 00:13:57.690 alex: So it was that 108 00:13:57.900 –> 00:13:59.520 Anant Joshi: What do you think led to that growth. 109 00:14:00.330 –> 00:14:06.690 alex: Well, so in 2019 so I started I launched it in the end of 2018 110 00:14:07.140 –> 00:14:12.450 alex: Ryan, you know I launched it was really like an MVP, right. So, so he had a few 111 00:14:13.050 –> 00:14:21.900 alex: Few bugs and a few things that needed to be improved and at the same time I was doing a little bit of marketing more to kind of get some people to 112 00:14:22.320 –> 00:14:34.470 alex: To test and so on. But in 2019 was when also kind of I launched the subscription service. And so that’s that helped in getting some of getting more revenue. 113 00:14:34.890 –> 00:14:51.480 alex: And to reinvest any marketing. So, because then the brother was already better. Right. It was kind of ready to to for that. So then we started to shrink that that in marketing and you know I then now we got. I got more people helping me 114 00:14:52.620 –> 00:15:00.420 alex: So that’s kind of when when it started, of course. Then he went to the media went through the breasts, we got out. We got noticed by 115 00:15:01.140 –> 00:15:15.510 alex: Some important ones like like the, you know, plant based like important one, especially in the in the in the vegan news world like a veggie news and plant based news. We also 116 00:15:16.920 –> 00:15:24.390 alex: Were also featured at the Sunday Times. So there were a few media coverage that helped a lot. 117 00:15:25.470 –> 00:15:41.880 alex: But, but it’s also like the media, especially the digital digital marketing where it’s kind of constant like we can we can keep reinvesting and growing. And then when we grow invest more and so on. So that generates a nice a nice mobile 118 00:15:42.180 –> 00:15:47.940 Anant Joshi: How are you, marketing at the moment where What channels are you using to to market. 119 00:15:49.050 –> 00:16:07.590 alex: I mean we do, we do pretty much all of it through digital the digital channels. Right. And I’ll give you a little bit, but it’s pretty much all online. We don’t do, just because we don’t have enough resources. We don’t have anything else, basically. But yeah, so we do have a PR agency. 120 00:16:08.730 –> 00:16:15.150 alex: That helps a lot with, you know, getting getting, for example, the survey to the to the media and 121 00:16:15.960 –> 00:16:30.120 alex: In, you know, published about virtually we have several stories, but, you know, we still need the PR to it’s very there. They do a great job in helping us any of the stories and also in getting them publish 122 00:16:31.770 –> 00:16:36.210 alex: That that’s one. But then the in terms of marketing direct marketing. 123 00:16:37.230 –> 00:16:41.550 alex: We do the. We do a lot of Facebook ads. 124 00:16:42.960 –> 00:16:55.200 alex: Google ads and the apple search ads. Right. Those are the main tree in terms of paid marketing and then we have some other ones, some smaller ones that we we were trying for now it’s only 125 00:16:56.640 –> 00:16:57.900 alex: Whereas more like Peter 126 00:16:59.220 –> 00:17:01.290 alex: Microsoft yeah being 127 00:17:01.920 –> 00:17:04.650 Anant Joshi: Overseen driving all these app installs. 128 00:17:05.310 –> 00:17:15.030 alex: That you. I mean, we also do have presence in the, in the, you know the the media and all of the social networks with profiles and supposedly 129 00:17:15.390 –> 00:17:30.780 alex: We have some, some, let’s say organic marketing as well for for for those social social networks, but it’s a way that the majority of the installs are from the bait marketing from the mostly those three 130 00:17:31.230 –> 00:17:32.070 alex: Yes, three channel. 131 00:17:32.640 –> 00:17:40.980 Anant Joshi: And if you were to think about the countries that you’re operating where the biggest markets for you. Now that you’ve grown 132 00:17:41.190 –> 00:17:42.510 Anant Joshi: To quite a lot of countries, right. 133 00:17:43.470 –> 00:18:00.900 alex: Right. Well, I think when we look at the the countries in terms of number of users. The, the largest markets for us or disorder at least before largest ones right are United States, Brazil. 134 00:18:02.460 –> 00:18:03.540 alex: UK and Germany. 135 00:18:03.810 –> 00:18:16.800 alex: Those, those for those are the four main markets for for users and and even for revenue right but then the order changes a little bit. So for revenue we have we have us 136 00:18:18.090 –> 00:18:22.620 alex: UK, Germany and actually UK, Germany are very close 137 00:18:23.670 –> 00:18:33.900 alex: UK, Germany and Brazil and Germany is even more is it is very impressive because the, the amount of effort, just because of the language barrier, the amount of 138 00:18:35.220 –> 00:18:39.180 alex: Focus, we put on it is smaller, right. And there’s two really 139 00:18:40.890 –> 00:18:43.500 Anant Joshi: Have localized language as well within the app and 140 00:18:43.500 –> 00:18:48.420 alex: Yes, yes. Well, so the app. The app is available in eight languages. 141 00:18:49.230 –> 00:18:49.770 alex: We have 142 00:18:51.750 –> 00:18:53.370 alex: English Portuguese, Spanish 143 00:18:54.990 –> 00:18:57.060 alex: German, French, Italian, 144 00:18:59.310 –> 00:19:00.630 alex: Polish and then ish 145 00:19:01.050 –> 00:19:01.440 Anant Joshi: Okay. 146 00:19:01.620 –> 00:19:02.010 alex: You know, 147 00:19:02.670 –> 00:19:11.850 alex: A lot of those were translated by volunteers, they, you know, they just like they love the app. And they say, oh, I want these to grow in my country, so I’ll translate it for you and 148 00:19:12.120 –> 00:19:21.810 alex: So then, and then, of course, but now you know for example with the app is available, but then the website is not available in German, for sure. That’s where we know we 149 00:19:21.900 –> 00:19:41.490 alex: Can prove and that’s that’s what I meant about German right so you know we don’t invest as much it’s it’s really strong. But yeah, so those four countries are are the biggest in in, you know, the metrics, but of course you know in for for for number of users. It’s us in Brazil. 150 00:19:43.110 –> 00:19:53.400 Anant Joshi: And. And now, sort of, I guess, globally, how many active users. Do you have and you know which which new countries, would you like to to see grow. 151 00:19:54.180 –> 00:19:57.090 alex: Well, and by the way, I mentioned just a thought the top 152 00:19:57.810 –> 00:20:03.270 alex: Yeah, we still have a several important ones like a like Spain. 153 00:20:04.290 –> 00:20:21.030 alex: Canada and Australia. And then we have in Europe, I mean pretty much of the, of the, the Eastern Europe is very strong in even in the Nordic countries as well. We have quite a good presence but way and then in terms of, I mean we’ve reached 154 00:20:22.290 –> 00:20:24.510 alex: 200 270,000 155 00:20:26.460 –> 00:20:30.000 alex: Accounts in the app, we have that that number we 156 00:20:31.200 –> 00:20:36.060 alex: That’s the current number and you know we have in the last 157 00:20:37.500 –> 00:20:54.810 alex: 60 days. Sorry. In the last 30 days which we consider to be the the active users and I’ll check right now here in database that’s we’ve I think it’s around 60,000 users 60,000 active users, right, so that’s 158 00:20:57.900 –> 00:21:09.690 alex: The number of course you know some people even like in those 270. Some people may may still come back, we often do some Marketing. Marketing remarketing 159 00:21:10.500 –> 00:21:28.110 alex: And we you know we promote some new future that they may like or maybe like a new thing. And so they may come back, you know, out of those turning 70 but but yeah we have a even inactive users 60 60,000 160 00:21:30.330 –> 00:21:30.900 alex: In the last 161 00:21:30.960 –> 00:21:35.430 Anant Joshi: 30 days. But yeah, I guess, if you’ve got, you know, big country. 162 00:21:35.550 –> 00:21:37.260 Anant Joshi: You know, vast area. 163 00:21:38.340 –> 00:21:47.970 Anant Joshi: Versus a concentrated area, you know, then you’re more likely, I guess, to find more matches. Does, does that change the dynamics of, like, I guess. 164 00:21:48.240 –> 00:21:50.850 Anant Joshi: The number of matches that are happening or yes 165 00:21:51.120 –> 00:22:04.020 Anant Joshi: People insane a smaller country where there’s limited also numbers do they go through everybody and then say, okay, well I’ve gone through one. And maybe that’s why they leave, and they want to see new people coming in, I guess. 166 00:22:04.680 –> 00:22:11.220 alex: Correct. Correct. Yeah, so I mean we have you know in some countries, especially 167 00:22:13.380 –> 00:22:24.360 alex: Brazilian in even more in the West, because we’re so even though it’s pretty large in in in area. The, there are several. There are a few 168 00:22:24.930 –> 00:22:36.060 alex: You know, important CDs. Right. I mean, and the last night. It’s a little less like that you have several really a lot of cities that were, you know, with big markets. So it’s more spread 169 00:22:36.750 –> 00:22:45.990 alex: Out there than here but but like in the West, it’s, it’s, we can see like the number of matches per, per user. 170 00:22:46.440 –> 00:22:54.720 alex: Uses smaller than India in Europe, for example, in, in, in, especially in UK and Germany, right. So that’s the main reason right normally you go in 171 00:22:55.230 –> 00:23:07.080 alex: And you look for someone in your own CD that’s you want you want one a day, you look for someone in your CD and and that’s it right, you’re not going to, you know, go a little too much for 172 00:23:08.100 –> 00:23:21.330 alex: Actually on on virtually, we see that that’s a little less, right, like so. I think in in a regular app. People would be really strict about that, like I want people within, I don’t know, five miles right from me. 173 00:23:22.560 –> 00:23:34.170 alex: On visually, it’s a little less just because I think people. I mean, recognize there’s less vegans and vegetarians. But they are waiting to, you know, to, to go a little further. 174 00:23:34.830 –> 00:23:36.720 Anant Joshi: A little harder. Yeah. 175 00:23:37.290 –> 00:23:47.910 alex: Why, for me, if that’s what they need to meet a vegan or vegetarian that’s, you know, so there are a little less strict, but it’s still like you. You want to find someone 176 00:23:48.420 –> 00:23:56.130 alex: You know, like in the West, you don’t want to. You’re not going to find that the we’re going to want to date with someone that isn’t if you’re in the east coast with someone, the West Coast and 177 00:23:56.160 –> 00:23:57.330 Anant Joshi: Vice versa answer. Yeah. 178 00:23:57.630 –> 00:24:00.900 alex: Normally, most people at least wouldn’t, wouldn’t be bad. 179 00:24:01.380 –> 00:24:11.400 Anant Joshi: So I think you taught me about a featured and if you’ve developed it now, but before where you’ve managed to create an actual physical physical teleportation 180 00:24:12.720 –> 00:24:15.150 Anant Joshi: What you say you’re already ahead of Star Trek, I guess, but 181 00:24:17.190 –> 00:24:19.710 alex: Yeah, no, it’s it’s live now it’s 182 00:24:21.930 –> 00:24:24.120 alex: Was launched launched in the end of 183 00:24:24.930 –> 00:24:25.890 alex: plenty, plenty 184 00:24:27.000 –> 00:24:34.590 alex: End. So, so that’s something that effect. A lot of a lot of users asked for and 185 00:24:35.700 –> 00:24:42.000 alex: It’s a i mean the the naming the the Star Trek naming was a little, a little twist, but 186 00:24:43.830 –> 00:24:57.390 alex: The, the feature I mean of course you know a lot of people said that they would like to use that for when they are either either moving somewhere like I’m going to move 187 00:24:58.140 –> 00:25:08.220 alex: To another city or another at some things even another country and I wanted to kind of start, you know, start before it of course when you, when they go there, the app would 188 00:25:08.880 –> 00:25:15.630 alex: Put them there. Right. They would automatically be moved there but but they want to kind of start searching ahead right 189 00:25:16.770 –> 00:25:25.950 alex: But even like people traveling like some, some people say they just oh I’m traveling. I’m going to spend one month or two weeks or whatever, none other CD. 190 00:25:27.030 –> 00:25:35.100 alex: And I like to check how, how is virtually on that plays maybe make some make maybe a new some people that gets you know some people and 191 00:25:35.640 –> 00:25:46.620 alex: You know, maybe first for maybe it’s for dating, but maybe even friends just to, you know, get some tips on you know where the vegan restaurants. The good ones, and so on. So, it is something that 192 00:25:47.400 –> 00:26:05.550 alex: It was kind of a inhale highly high demand. I mean, of course, most people don’t, you know, most people use it for again for finding people locally, but it is something that that you can you can do now, look for people in other other locations. 193 00:26:05.640 –> 00:26:06.900 Anant Joshi: Yeah, that’s cool. 194 00:26:08.130 –> 00:26:23.010 Anant Joshi: And so you spoke about the subscription part. So can you tell me a bit about how that works. And you know, I think you have these tokens straight coins that you can also get so you know be good to know yeah out how you make revenue. 195 00:26:23.760 –> 00:26:28.710 alex: Sure, sure. Yeah. So, you know, the app has a freemium model. 196 00:26:31.140 –> 00:26:46.080 alex: So it is free to download create a profile you can you can you she wants to use it for free. Just like you like everyone that interests you and if they like you back like they will know that you like them. 197 00:26:46.440 –> 00:26:59.430 alex: But if they like your back, you get a big match and check that’s, you know, that’s all free right now the way we make money is basically in two ways. Right. So one, you can 198 00:27:00.780 –> 00:27:11.550 alex: Like I said, bite coins, the vegetative coins to send super likes. So in a regular light like you, the person wouldn’t know that you like them normally 199 00:27:13.590 –> 00:27:18.360 alex: And, but, but, you know, if they like you back, you get a big mess with the super like 200 00:27:20.460 –> 00:27:28.050 alex: You get you can. I mean, first of all people. So, the person will receive a notification in an email. 201 00:27:29.370 –> 00:27:34.620 alex: If they authorize the person you’re the author has all those they will receive an email notification. 202 00:27:34.980 –> 00:27:43.140 alex: And then when they go into the app, they will also see a you know a number there oh you receive one super like and you click and see who it is. Right. 203 00:27:43.590 –> 00:27:51.570 alex: So, it improves and also in the in in our super like and I think it’s different from other, at least the ones I know the other apps. 204 00:27:51.990 –> 00:28:01.230 alex: You can also include a message, right. So if, let’s say you liked something specifically about their profile or there or some features. Specifically, or whatever you can. 205 00:28:02.160 –> 00:28:20.190 alex: Type A message fan of, you know, or in like that. Or, you know, that’s all. Whatever you can add whatever message you want. So it’s a it’s a way to improve your chances of your life right instead of a leg. It’s a super like better chances. So that’s one way and then you buy coins to send that 206 00:28:22.080 –> 00:28:26.310 alex: And then the other one is also easy. So the subscription, right. So with the subscription. 207 00:28:27.480 –> 00:28:36.810 alex: Version of premium you get on top of you get three points. So you can send to super likes per month right the subject subscription means that monthly 208 00:28:39.360 –> 00:28:53.340 alex: Subscription and you get three coins and you also use the app with without ads. We also have that’s, that’s another part of the our monetization is not, it’s not a big one. But, but it’s there. 209 00:28:54.690 –> 00:29:00.960 alex: But then, yeah, for subscribers, they don’t think they use it. They don’t have ads and also they. I mean, they won’t have 210 00:29:01.530 –> 00:29:10.800 alex: And then they can see who liked their profile right before the baggage. So if, again you go in there is a place where you see who liked me 211 00:29:11.220 –> 00:29:18.390 alex: You just go there and see how these people lights are so far as if you like one of those, you get a nice then they match because they’re a lecture. Right. 212 00:29:18.810 –> 00:29:35.970 alex: So that’s one I guess maybe maybe the the most looked for feature for the subscription and in the stuff that I put the teleportation. So that’s part of the the veggies premium as well. So if you want to use that feature. 213 00:29:36.990 –> 00:29:40.680 alex: It’s part of the paid subscription, but 214 00:29:41.100 –> 00:29:49.830 Anant Joshi: Yeah, great. So yeah, tell tell me the story of your background that she and how you created this app in the first place. And what you were doing before. 215 00:29:50.280 –> 00:29:53.820 alex: Sure. Um, I mean, I’m a computer engineer. 216 00:29:55.020 –> 00:30:02.160 alex: That’s what I studied I started working with software development and when to 217 00:30:03.240 –> 00:30:14.550 alex: You know software project management and at the end I was even working with with sales right in like a large IT companies. Let’s see. 218 00:30:15.240 –> 00:30:27.570 alex: Um, and then I you know I mean, first of all, I was for for a while. I wanted to kind of try to to to to leave the corporate world and create something for myself. 219 00:30:28.020 –> 00:30:37.020 alex: And especially if you could be something you know that I was passionate about, you know, something that would help the vegan community and 220 00:30:37.860 –> 00:30:50.910 alex: And then at the same time I was divorced. So I was single, I was looking, I could feel how hard it was to to find like a me unless you know if you want to 221 00:30:51.750 –> 00:31:06.060 alex: Like I said in the beginning, I think if you just have even if they would prefer to they’d have another vegan almost 100% would say yes. Right. So, and that’s that was my keys and of course I also talked to other some other people that 222 00:31:07.290 –> 00:31:15.420 alex: What they thought about the idea, like other vegans and vegetarians and they they liked writing so they thought it was a good idea. 223 00:31:16.980 –> 00:31:25.650 alex: And so I decided to go for it. Right, so I it was also like a good timing for me. He had kids, and so I could 224 00:31:27.120 –> 00:31:35.070 alex: I could quit my job and work for on these for for a while and you know and i mean worked out so 225 00:31:36.510 –> 00:31:38.280 alex: Now the app is kind of 226 00:31:39.450 –> 00:31:49.890 alex: Walking with with its own its own feet like it’s it’s got and you know we got some revenue we we reinvest into marketing, we can pay the bills and so that’s great and 227 00:31:51.750 –> 00:31:58.230 alex: So yeah, so that’s kind of the how of how I started came up with the idea and decided to go for it. 228 00:31:58.500 –> 00:32:03.180 Anant Joshi: Yeah. And if you’re looking at the, the overall 229 00:32:04.320 –> 00:32:08.790 Anant Joshi: You know dating market, how much do you think that is worth at the moment. 230 00:32:10.320 –> 00:32:17.670 alex: Well, so there is a study from from Alive. Alive research, let me let me open 231 00:32:19.170 –> 00:32:21.720 alex: Here it’s from a light market research. 232 00:32:23.610 –> 00:32:28.380 alex: Their estimate for. I mean, there are number 420 18 233 00:32:33.150 –> 00:32:34.830 Anant Joshi: Okay, your sound is gone. 234 00:32:35.670 –> 00:32:38.520 alex: Oh, sorry I froze, probably. Can you hear me now. 235 00:32:39.150 –> 00:32:45.240 Anant Joshi: Yeah, so this. Yeah. Do you want to just stop and not answer that question again. I’m sorry. 236 00:32:46.230 –> 00:32:48.600 alex: Sure, yeah. So, so there is a 237 00:32:49.200 –> 00:32:52.710 Anant Joshi: You know what, let me ask you the question in case it gets cut out so 238 00:32:53.070 –> 00:32:53.370 Okay. 239 00:32:54.960 –> 00:32:57.210 Anant Joshi: So yeah, so what 240 00:32:59.880 –> 00:33:03.720 Anant Joshi: What is the overall dating market worth at the moment. 241 00:33:04.980 –> 00:33:11.100 alex: Oh, yeah. So, so there is a very say study from the like market research. 242 00:33:12.120 –> 00:33:42.210 alex: Where they the number that for 2018 so it’s been two years already was six $6.8 billion right and the forecast for 2022 which is next year is $9.2 billion, right. So, though, you know, I mean it’s 50% growth in in in in four years there for marketing that is already $6 billion. 243 00:33:42.480 –> 00:33:47.430 alex: Yeah, you know, it’s a it’s a big trend and we see. I mean, we see several 244 00:33:48.810 –> 00:33:54.600 alex: several articles and things like that where you know people explain how 245 00:33:55.290 –> 00:34:03.240 alex: Like a lot of people, especially the newer generation kind of only rely on that. Like they go, while for having fun with friends. 246 00:34:03.600 –> 00:34:18.300 alex: But they really rely more on the dating apps for for for meeting, you know, a partner and things like that. That’s a, it’s a, it’s a huge. It’s a huge trend. And I think with the new generations that were to do everything online. 247 00:34:19.470 –> 00:34:28.260 alex: That’s it’s not gonna, it’s not going to change. That’s the direction it’s going for a while. It’s not gonna it’s only going to grow. 248 00:34:28.740 –> 00:34:43.890 Anant Joshi: Yeah, and then how out of that sort of online market. And where do you see the addressable market and, you know, where, where do you see or, you know, where would you be able to obtain that what sort of level out 249 00:34:44.520 –> 00:34:58.110 alex: Right. Right. I mean, the numbers we work with. So we have some some estimates of just the number of vegans and vegetarians. Of course, it varies. First of all, it varies a lot from different countries. 250 00:34:58.260 –> 00:35:18.990 alex: Yeah, but also it varies a lot. Like, I mean not not very, very, like, the numbers are not, you know, there’s not a census or anything like it’s normally, a lot of them were estimated but but we have a, you know, we work with anything between five and 10% of the population are now. 251 00:35:20.250 –> 00:35:21.900 alex: vegetarian, vegan or vegetarian. 252 00:35:23.280 –> 00:35:32.100 alex: And so we normally using the lower one like 5% to kind of estimate the, the, the, the market size. 253 00:35:32.250 –> 00:35:32.880 alex: Yeah, that 254 00:35:33.360 –> 00:35:37.350 alex: That gives us the a market of, you know, 460 255 00:35:38.850 –> 00:35:41.850 alex: Million dollars right next year. 256 00:35:43.980 –> 00:35:50.640 alex: Know, so that would be lets say the dating for for vegans and vegetarians, you know, of course. 257 00:35:51.600 –> 00:36:05.580 alex: You know a lot of people will use more than one app. Most people like the they would use veggie but it will show us the India or something like that but but but they would normally prefer to meet someone and vision right so 258 00:36:05.640 –> 00:36:13.200 alex: Yeah, if the app is is is is working for them. There’s no reason why they wouldn’t, you know, 259 00:36:14.340 –> 00:36:28.500 alex: spend their money in vegetable versus dinner and things like that. So, so that’s the market, the size of the markets. We know we already tried to another, like, just to kind of get to the serviceable 260 00:36:29.340 –> 00:36:36.270 alex: Market, we estimate like 20% of that, then that’s still you know 80 $80 million dollars. 261 00:36:36.330 –> 00:36:37.140 alex: Yeah for you. 262 00:36:37.410 –> 00:36:38.280 alex: So that’s, that’s 263 00:36:38.430 –> 00:36:52.350 Anant Joshi: My guess yeah 18 million. Yeah, I guess, I guess the you know the traditional apps might have options or filters, but like you say, they, they may prefer prefer to use a dedicated very share and be an app for it. 264 00:36:52.890 –> 00:36:57.180 alex: Right. Right. And actually, not all of them have. I don’t know. I don’t know. 265 00:36:58.170 –> 00:37:04.320 alex: Why yeah I mean some. Some do. Some do and you know they it’s a diet for them. 266 00:37:04.830 –> 00:37:05.220 Right. 267 00:37:06.810 –> 00:37:07.170 alex: But 268 00:37:08.370 –> 00:37:22.170 alex: It’s uh yeah i mean you helps and some of them. I hear some people say, yeah, they were able to find. I don’t think Tinder, has it as far as I know, but some other ones do have and 269 00:37:23.130 –> 00:37:39.870 alex: But again, it’s, it’s just a I mean it’s not the focus. And then, of course, like if like most people that are vegans looking for vegans, they would go to a dedicated one I think because that’s, that’s where they will find more and 270 00:37:41.550 –> 00:37:50.100 alex: You know, we want to also, you know, right now, where the number one, but we also. We also want to to grow faster because of that right 271 00:37:50.400 –> 00:37:50.880 Anant Joshi: Yeah yeah 272 00:37:51.300 –> 00:37:59.820 alex: You place where if you guys are in singles are and and then, you know, new ones would go there because 273 00:37:59.970 –> 00:38:00.540 alex: Yeah yeah 274 00:38:00.930 –> 00:38:07.440 Anant Joshi: And is that any other you’re leading at the moment is that other competitors who are only sort of vegan. 275 00:38:07.470 –> 00:38:16.050 alex: dating app. So yeah, there are there are a few. I think they’re more mostly local like local to one specific country. 276 00:38:16.200 –> 00:38:21.210 alex: Right. Like, like there’s there’s one in the gay one in Brazil one 277 00:38:22.230 –> 00:38:24.900 alex: I think in the in the Luke’s 278 00:38:26.130 –> 00:38:31.920 alex: But there’s, I mean, yeah, there’s not. They’re mostly much smaller. 279 00:38:33.450 –> 00:38:37.560 alex: And and and also like in one specific country right there’s not 280 00:38:38.670 –> 00:38:42.840 alex: There’s not a there’s not one that compete with us, like, in the main, you know, the men are 281 00:38:44.010 –> 00:38:47.610 Anant Joshi: Right. And if there’s anybody watching who 282 00:38:47.640 –> 00:38:49.170 Anant Joshi: Already has a profile. 283 00:38:49.230 –> 00:38:53.400 Anant Joshi: For example, on virtually, do you have any top tips for them. 284 00:38:54.510 –> 00:38:55.920 Anant Joshi: Well, yeah. 285 00:38:55.980 –> 00:38:59.250 alex: Yeah, um, I mean we have, for example, 286 00:39:00.540 –> 00:39:03.600 alex: I mean, there are some that are kind of obvious, right, like 287 00:39:04.950 –> 00:39:16.560 alex: Obvious. It’s, it’s kind of obvious, but sometimes overlooked like just to fill out the whole the whole profile with the, you know, information about about yourself about your 288 00:39:16.980 –> 00:39:27.720 alex: Your hobbies. What you want to do if you do activism and things like that. Right. And then it’s the pictures right you can set up, up to nine pictures in the app. 289 00:39:28.620 –> 00:39:39.000 alex: We recommend to all nine and preferably with some features also showing kind of your interests, not just the, you know, pictures of you, of course, but also 290 00:39:39.330 –> 00:39:44.190 alex: Pictures that show your interests, maybe or bad or, you know, things that you like to do 291 00:39:44.880 –> 00:39:55.140 alex: Um, and then I mean, then, one that is very specific to regulate is the the way that. So the way that the the order ordering in the app works is 292 00:39:55.440 –> 00:40:06.510 alex: By by default, at least, is by lasts less than line right so if you go in, you’ll see people in your within your filters. So your area you are each filter and so on. 293 00:40:06.900 –> 00:40:14.400 alex: But those there were less online first. Right. So there will be on the top of your, of your page, and then you scroll down, so 294 00:40:15.000 –> 00:40:27.450 alex: So basically, what, what that means is if you when you open the app and you use it, your profile rose to the top right for it for other people so that that improves your chances of 295 00:40:28.650 –> 00:40:29.250 alex: Getting of it. 296 00:40:29.460 –> 00:40:32.220 Anant Joshi: Yeah, so they need to log in. Right. 297 00:40:32.310 –> 00:40:32.760 Anant Joshi: Is 298 00:40:33.090 –> 00:40:48.150 alex: Yeah, they need to basically use more login and use more and then they will they will go to the top more often and more people will see their profile and more people, you know, have the potential to like them. Um, I mean there’s we also 299 00:40:49.380 –> 00:40:57.390 alex: Kind of asked the question, right. That’s not a recommendation. When we asked a question for people who is that like a, you know, what about would you 300 00:40:58.260 –> 00:41:03.540 alex: What about checking our filters, right, maybe, maybe for to meet a vegan and vegetarian, you could 301 00:41:04.350 –> 00:41:13.200 alex: Be a little less strict on on age or on on distance or, you know, it seems like that they could check. But, but, of course, that’s just a question like, 302 00:41:13.500 –> 00:41:25.830 alex: If the person is is strict it’s their choice. Right. But that’s the just something they could consider in the case for for finding a vegan vegan match or vegetarian lunch. 303 00:41:26.190 –> 00:41:45.090 Anant Joshi: Yeah. Cool. Yeah. So yeah, you’ve had a lot of success over the last couple of years. So yeah, congrats with the growth and so yeah really happy to see more and more, you know, vegetarians and vegans getting together. I think it’s I think it’s really important. So, yes. 304 00:41:45.540 –> 00:41:45.840 Yeah. 305 00:41:47.250 –> 00:42:02.490 Anant Joshi: Yeah, yeah. So I was going to ask you want to see more vegan baby’s coming up next. So yeah, I guess we could to to to if anyone has these cases obviously of people getting together and creating them and that that’s the ultimate aim as well. Right. 306 00:42:03.720 –> 00:42:18.810 alex: Right. Right. Yeah. No. Absolutely. And I think the part that you know the the the mission and what we look for with with the with the app and even with some of the things we want to create the future. 307 00:42:20.190 –> 00:42:30.540 alex: Is. Is that right, like you to kind of make the, the, the, the life for for for a vegan user right so they can be 308 00:42:31.410 –> 00:42:40.650 alex: You know if they want to before, if they want it to go vegan. There’s, I mean, there’s a whole lot of barriers and just difficulties right like family and 309 00:42:41.250 –> 00:42:52.830 alex: Friends and all that that kind of not you know sometimes doesn’t don’t don’t support and then also a it becomes hard for for, you know, to, to have a 310 00:42:53.730 –> 00:43:02.700 alex: boyfriend or a girlfriend right so you, you just, that’s one of the things we want to help with like the at least one less worried. Let’s see. 311 00:43:03.630 –> 00:43:14.430 alex: And and then of course with the friendship as well. Like some people go vegan. Even they have zero vegan friends, right. So we want to help with that as well. So just to kind of make it 312 00:43:14.790 –> 00:43:26.850 alex: easier for people to make that transition and know that there’s a big community that can help them and and and be their friends and or maybe their partner. 313 00:43:27.780 –> 00:43:37.950 Anant Joshi: Yeah, great. So yeah. Wish you wish you the best of luck for the continued. Great. And yeah, hope to speak to you again soon. Thanks for coming on the show. 314 00:43:38.670 –> 00:43:48.330 alex: Perfect, thanks a lot that were available great stopped talking to you into your viewers and we’re available anytime you want. 315 00:43:48.840 –> 00:43:51.090 Anant Joshi: Cool. Alright, thanks. See, bye. 316 00:43:51.510 –> 00:43:52.770 alex: Thank you. 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Plant-based Entrepreneurship: Veggly Founder interviewed by Plant CEO

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