We had the good fortune of connecting with Krisztina Marosi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Krisztina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
A few years ago my family decided to adopt a dog. We knew we wanted a rescue animal. We spent months surveying multiple rescues and applying for pets that we felt were a good fit. However, our applications either went unanswered or were rejected for reasons like not being home owners or having a large enough yard.

I understand that rescues have justifiable reasons for such restrictions. But it made me wonder whether the adoption process could be simpler while still being socially responsible.

Online, I found a lot of puppy-scams, on the one hand, and websites advertising expensive pets from commercial breeders on the other hand. The middle-ground that I sought was missing.

I recognized a need for a trusted online platform that helps to find new homes for pets in a responsible, safe, and simple manner. So I built the Find Benji app. The idea is to help pet owners find a new, loving home for their pets without having to surrender their animal to a shelter or rescue. On Find Benji, adopters can connect directly with pet owners that need to rehome their pets.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Find Benji is dedicated to making the pet adoption process socially responsible and simple for everyone. Our mobile app is designed to keep pets out of over-crowded shelters by making it easier to adopt pets directly from their original owners. We believe that direct home placement is more humane than any alternatives because it places less stress on the system and, most importantly, on the animals.

The pet adoption/rehoming process on Find Benji is easy and free. The app connects people who need to rehome their pets with potential adopters. Pet owners seeking to rehome their pets simply create a profile for their pet. Potential adopters just fill out a single pet adoption application, which they can use to put their hat in the ring for multiple animals.

Find Benji’s community reviews, detailed user profiles, and comments on potential adopters gives you extra information to find the best home for each pet.

One of the biggest challenges has been balancing being inclusive and keeping out undesired pet listings (e.g., puppy scams) at the same time. In order to ensure that rehoming and adopting pets on our platform is safe for both pets and our users we have implemented extra safety measures.
For example, for potentially suspicious profiles that get flagged by our system, we require verification of the seller’s identity. Additionally, we provide a free draft for a pet adoption agreement that both parties can use. These measures are meant to protect both our users and the welfare of the pets.

Find Benji is the first home-to-home pet adoption app on the market, so there was no recipe to follow. We are constantly listening to user feedback and testing out new methods to ensure responsible rehoming of pets. Our collaborative community spans university researchers and community members who share our passion for pets.

When I started this company I had no platform-building experience, no seed money, and didn’t know anyone that could guide me. I literally started from ground zero. But I believed in the cause, and that has kept me going. Now, the web and mobile app is growing exponentially since I launched last year.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Keep in mind, I’m a Westsider…

Morning grub: Gnarwhal Coffee Co. on Main Street in Santa Monica – cute, local corner cafe. For those closer to West LA, Amandine Patisserie Cafe is an oldie-but-goodie for some delicious pastries.

Day time hangouts: Westwood/UCLA. Abbot Kinney. Venice Beach boardwalk.

Lunch spot: If you’re a foodie, Tartine. If you’re looking for something a little more quaint (family-run) and authentically French, try The Place To Be on Main Street in Santa Monica.

Dinner/Drinks: Wurstkuche for drinks and sausages. But, if sausages are not your thing, look no further than across the street to Simpang Asia (Indonesian) or Camp Pho (Vietnamese). Then head over to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Rose Ave for dessert!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I’d like to give a shout-out to the old Redondo Beach Knob Hill volleyball crew. We all met in a beach volleyball class put on by the city of Redondo Beach five year ago. And we’ve continued to get together to play and celebrate new chapters in each others’ lives from graduations and engagements to epic road trips and new additions to our families. I couldn’t have made it this far without their support.

Website: https://www.findbenji.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findbenji/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-marosi-1a4157215

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/BenjiPetAdoption/

Other: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1541873425 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.benji&hl=en_US&gl=US

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