We are Common Ground, a startup seeking to improve the pet adoption process. Our hypothesis is that the adoption process does not adequately explain pet care needs, people need help matching pets to their personality, and small shelters need help driving more traffic. We interviewed potential customers who discussed challenges affording vet care, wanting in-person interactions to choose pets, and the financial risks of undisclosed medical conditions. We aim to enter the existing $100 million pet adoption market by providing a pet matching service.

1. Exploring Our Market
Creative Founders 2020 | Common Ground
Jiyeon Park, Dewen Zhang, Corey Rossi

2. We are Common Ground
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3. Our Mission
“To provide opportunity by ensuring that people gain the
skills, and knowledge, that will empower companionships. ”
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 3

4. Customer Summary
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5. Our Molecule
People looking to
adopting a pet.
Not sure of the pets
personality and also
not sure if they can
provide the right care
for the pet. Work in ProgressProblem Solution
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 5
People

6. Our Hypothesis
- Hypothesis 1: Adoption process doesn't explain what it takes to take
care of the animals properly
- Hypothesis 2: People need help choosing an animal that fits the
owners personality type
- Hypothesis 3: Smaller adoptions centers need help getting more
foot traffic
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 6

7. Provisional Persona: Parker Jay
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 7
Parker Jay
Located in San Francisco, CA
Facts
- $100k/year as a graphic
designer
- Married
- Living with 1 roommate and
spouse (household of 3 adults)
- 25 year-old
- Lives in a 2-bedroom duplex
apartment

8. Provisional Persona: Parker Jay
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 8
Needs & GoalsBehavior
- often dreams about having
her own pet
- feel sympathy for abandoned
pets
- Unsure when the right time to
get a pet is
- Feels overwhelmed with the
adoption processes
- Never owned a pet before
- A loyal companion
- Wants to provide the right care
in the right environment for the
pet to become a part of the
family
- To fulfill a childhood dream
- Needs a pet good for beginners
- Find out what pets are available

9. Where we found people
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 9
Friends / Family Referrals Friends of friends

10. Interview Data
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11. Interview Data - Stella Harvey
Located in San Francisco, CA
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 11
- Self-taught how to care for cats by
watching youtube videos
- Hands-on pet care was the best
learning experience
- Fear of the financially unknown
- Adoption process wasn’t
complicated
Findings
Stella Harvey

12. Interview Data - Iman Drummond
Located in Napa, CA
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 12
- In person Interaction is important
for choosing a pet
- Financial burden of vet visit
- Petco was a weird experience
Findings
Iman Drummond
“Chemistry Is everything in
any sort of relationship”

13. Interview Data - Saara Lester
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 13
- Process was really easy for
adoption
- Owning cats previously made it
easy to know what to do
- No disclaimed medical conditions
at time of adoption
Findings
Located in San Jose, CA
Saara Lester
“We just walked in and it just
sort of happened.”

14. Interview Data - Jeremiah Burn
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 14
- It’s possible to adopt a pet you’ve
only seen in pictures
- Animals raised from a young age
adopt a personality trait
- Even if you have another family
member, don’t rely on them to
take care of your pet.
Findings
Located in San Francisco, CA
Jeremiah Burn
“A dog is a huge decision”

15. Things that worked
- Wasn’t hard to find people with experience in adoption
- Interviews were hearty
- Receiving unexpected answers that helped us to think more
deeply about our problem
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 15

16. Things to improve
- Following up on contacted businesses
- Expanding our idea of the stakeholders
- Is the problem big enough?
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 16

17. Market Research
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18. Type of Market
Entering an Existing Market:
Entering the Pet Adoption Market
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 18

19. Early SOM / SAM / TAM
TAM - Total Market Size:
- Pet adoption Market (Approximately 100 million)
SAM -Serviceable Available Market:
- The Adoption Market, The pet matching adoption market
SOM - Serviceable (or segmented) Obtainable Market :
- Provide a pet matching adoption service into the Pet Adoption Market
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 19

20. Appendix
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21. Reference Page
1. https://www.animalsheltering.org/page/pets-by-the-numbers
- Statistics provided by ASPCA
2. https://www.royalcanin.com/us/coronavirus-and-pets
- 24/7 Vet Help, Chat service
3. https://www.dailydot.com/debug/pawslikeme-pet-rehoming-algorithm/
- Pet Matching system referenced by dating application
4. https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/study-sheds-light-on-pet-adoption-tre
nds/
- Pet Market number database
Corey Rossi | Jiyeon Park | Dewen Zhang | Creative Founders | Fall 2020 | 21