Jake Vygnan
Good job on creating a new app for the queer community. What motivated this choice to create a new dating app specifically for this demographic of the population?
Thanks! We really worked and continue to work hard on Taimi. To be honest, we saw the need for a different product. Taimi is a unique product, it is the only LGBTQ+ platform that features a social network, dating app, and live streaming. The products on the market were quite frankly sub-par with a bad reputation, we wanted to change that. Taimi offers a safe space, a community of like-minded people, an opportunity to communicate, chat, stream, and date. The idea to go from a gay dating app to a full-fledged LGBTQ+ platform that features different aspects came after we’ve had a lot of input from our users. Taimi is open to user feedback, in fact, we welcome new ideas for features and platform changes, so making the product available to everyone who is LGBTQ+ and even straight allies only makes sense.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the team behind the app?
We have an amazing team of people working at Taimi. First and foremost, it is truly a global crew, who all have incredible talents. Our staff come from different backgrounds and speak many languages which certainly only adds to Taimi’s worldwide accessibility. We pride ourselves on the fact that many of our staff are LGBTQ+. Taimi’s founder Alex Pasykov is a very outspoken ally, he was recently recognized by Gay Times for his community entrepreneurship. With the onset of the pandemic, we certainly had to focus more on team communication as well as the mental wellness of our staff. So, we made sure that everyone who works remotely is constantly connected, people communicate frequently, and are always on the same page. It is important for us to have equality and diversity in our team and encourage personal development and growth.
Co-founders Jake Vygnan and Alex Pasykov
Would you say that Taimi is a fully-inclusive app?
Absolutely, to us, it is important to welcome all LGBTQ+ people as well as allies. We strive to be fully inclusive for everyone who has a positive outlook and wants to be a part of Taimi’s family.
We love the category options for describing oneself as ‘sarcastic’ or ‘introvert’ and the I’m into list to offer ‘cat person’ and ‘sports fan’ as opposed to using physical characteristics. Can you speak about this and are there plans for expanding these lists?
The options were created for a better user experience. It is important for us to provide the best possible environment for our community, so the options were there in order to help find common interests, topics, content, etc. As you know, Taimi is not just a dating app, so there are ways to connect and communicate in groups, streams, news feeds so the options are definitely a part of the algorithm. Yes, we are constantly updating and adding to the list thanks to the help of our users, who are very actively involved in suggesting updates.
What advantages does the paid version / upgraded profile offer?
More views, likes, matches, follows, etc. Essentially, the paid version offers more options. However, it is not necessary, users can have an amazing experience on Taimi completely free of charge.
What do you hope people get out of Taimi?
I think it’s important to highlight that we want the experience on Taimi to be very positive. It’s about fun, freedom, acceptance, love. Taimi is the place to find support from friends, but also find a partner or just a friend. Taimi is the place to be heard and seen. We want our users to have the best associations and emotions when it comes to using our product.
How has the response been so far by the users?
We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from our users, who are very vocal when it comes to sharing their thoughts on Taimi. Our userbase is growing constantly, we have almost 10 million users. The people on Taimi are extremely involved in its social networking and streaming aspects. The product is constantly improving thanks to user feedback which is always welcomed by our team.
So finally why should people get the Taimi app?
Taimi is a unique, interesting, welcoming, fun place to be for all LGBTQ+ people. It is no longer just a dating app, but a platform that features a social network, dating as well as live streams. Taimi continues to evolve constantly and our team listens to what the users have to say. Also, Taimi has a strong social mission to help improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people around the world. It is crucial for us to continue to fight homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia, so the more people join Taimi the more achievable that mission will be.
