Today we’d like to introduce you to Ziarekenya Smith.
Hi Ziarekenya, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Well, my name is Ziarekenya Smith. I am the founder of Inpathy. Inpathy is a tech company where we focus on recreating the human experience on social media. How did I get where I am at today? After graduating in 2014 from Full Sail University, “The Harvard of Creative Schools” as an Advanced Achiever with a bachelor’s degree and Digital Art & Design. I decided to derail from my peers’ path; I wanted to create a tailor-made future for me.
During that journey of finding my way in 2016, I had the opportunity to be a co-founder of Vame, the world’s first social media app that empowers its user’s creativity by turning their content into quick cash.
Before I got into entrepreneurship, I used to freelance for well-established
companies around the world like Nike, Jordan Brand, Tencent 腾讯, Bleacher Report, Team Lebron, Limitless Creative Co, as well as startups, and more. You can check out my work here.
During my journey as a creator, I won 6 Adobe Design Achievement Awards from (2011-2014) in 4 different categories: Web and Application Design, Print Communication, Live-Action, and Illustration. My work has been featured on recognizable media platforms such as
Slam Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Mayweather Promotions, Complex, Nice Kicks,
Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, HYPEBEAST, Finish Line, Full Sail University’s
Publication, Adobe, Marco, Branding Mag, and many more!
At this point, this where I gave my digital arts career up because it was no longer feeding my soul despite the success I’ve obtained. I wanted more from my work; I wanted my work to matter and not just bringing in dollars. That’s how Inpathy came into the picture five years ago. Unfortunately, after I graduated from college in 2014, I experience some hard times in 2015 trying to find my path.
During those dark periods of my life, when I was down on my luck, there was no empathy. I couldn’t understand how you can accomplish so much and when you hit a wall, people want to give up on you and stop believing in you. All because you wanted to go after something that was fulfilling to your soul. I wanted to express this on social media, but I stopped myself because modern social media is usually where you only share the good times.
I quickly ask myself, why? Because life is a series of peaks and valleys, that’s what makes us human.
That’s when I identified a significant problem in the social network ecosystem. I knew things needed to change because we are the most connected generation in history, so why not be immersed on every level on social media? The goal was to connect people on all fronts emotionally on social media and create a more transparent, balanced, enjoyable, and human-centered space representing the real human experience.
That’s when Inpathy was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Far from smooth, lol. I have been working on Inpathy for five years majority alone. The road has been an uphill battle. Did you know the average App costs 100K to develop? Inpathy was quoted to cost around 700K to create by a top app development agency in NYC. I manage to knock off three-fourths of the price with my funds and resources and a lot, a lot, of sweat equity. Still, I need to raise a quarter-million to hire some well-needed help to finish the quarter of development left for Inpathy on iPhone and have it available for free and Ad-free.
I humbly realize my talent, skills, and abilities weren’t enough. I can’t keep doing this alone—the price of admission to get into the tech field and build a social network just not feasible alone. It will take a village to build this vision.
You can help support or donate to Inpathy at www.inpathy.co
https://youtu.be/JP7n8cIAvB0
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Glad you ask! We’re planning to revolutionize how we use social media at Inpathy. Inpathy is a new era of social media that inspires transparency, normalizes moods, and recreates the human experience.
You may be thinking Inpathy sounds like a mental health app. It’s not. It’s so much more. It’s a human app that embodies the human experience.
As a brand, we’re proud we are showing people it’s okay to be okay, and it’s okay not to be okay. It’s all a part of the human experience. So letting people know it’s okay to express yourself and be yourself is what drives the Inpathy culture.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The Bible App, The Bible “The Book of Proverbs.”, Think And Grow Rich Napoleon Hill, The Four Agreements By Don Miguel Ruiz, The Richest Man In Babylon By George Samuel Clason, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change By Stephen R. Covey, Rich Dad, Poor Dad By Robert Kiyosaki
You can help support Inpathy at www.inpathy.co
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.Inpathy.co
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/inpathy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inpathyapp
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/inpathyapp
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJM_U4gv4ak8y3WSddL68g
- Other: https://linktr.ee/inpathy
