The story of Shinyu begins with a friendship that started in middle school. Co-founders Maggie Brydon and Coleman Russell met in 6th grade at Providence Day School back in 2003. Many years later, they reconnected with a shared vision: to transform the pet care industry.

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Before they reconnected, Maggie had built a successful Charlotte-based pet care company, The Ruff Life, while Coleman was working in commodities and futures trading. Both observed the massive growth of mobile pet care apps but also saw a critical gap. The caregivers on these platforms were not properly vetted, the experience had become impersonal and commoditized, and there was no responsive local support team to ensure a smooth, reliable experience for pet parents. After witnessing the consequences of these shortcomings, they knew discerning pet parents deserved better.

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Recognizing the opportunity to create something special, Maggie and Coleman launched Shinyu in 2022. Shinyu means “best friend” in Japanese, and that’s exactly how we treat everyone in our community—from pet parents to caregivers.

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Since launching, we’ve experienced steady growth and achieved industry-leading customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. We are passionate about connecting exceptional caregivers with loving pet parents and are excited to continue serving the Shinyu community for many years to come.