Our story
Two classmates who wanted more for pet parents.
Maggie Brydon and Coleman Russell met in 6th grade at Providence Day School in 2003. Years later they built Shinyu because the big apps had a habit of failing pet parents — and they were the right two people to do something about it.
Before they reconnected, Maggie had built The Ruff Life, a Charlotte pet-care company — the work, on the ground. Coleman was living in New York, watching the same problems play out on other pet-care platforms: perfect-looking profiles, stays that went wrong, parents cutting a trip short because of a sitter. He wanted to build a higher standard of care, not another open directory.
They made the perfect team. Maggie knew what discerning pet parents actually needed. Coleman knew what the big apps kept getting wrong. They launched Shinyu in 2022. The name means “best friend” in Japanese — 親友 — and that’s the standard for how people in this network treat each other, pet parents and caregivers alike.
The product is simple on purpose. Vet people before they appear. Match them to your needs. Let the parent choose. Keep a local team in Albuquerque for the days that need a human. Not a myth. Just the professional pet-care operation discerning pet parents already wanted.
The people
A small team, close to the work.
Maggie Brydon
Co-founder
Built The Ruff Life in Charlotte before Shinyu.
Coleman Russell
Co-founder
Lived in New York. Came home to build a higher standard of pet care.
Kim May
Head of Client Support