Just the other day I recall thinking to myself that we need a new platform for social interaction, something that is unique and vibrant. All too often, people turn on social media to get away from the news only to get fed more news in the forms of links and etc. But, it’s never about empowering people until now. Meet the founder of the People App – Amir Aghaei.
People App – Amir Aghaei
Warlock Asylum: Before we begin, I would like to say thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions and sharing a part of your world with our readers. Please introduce yourself.
Amir Aghaei: It’s my pleasure to do this interview with you and thanks for this opportunity. My name is Amir Aghaei, founder and CEO of People App. My background is in software development and digital marketing, I live in beautiful Orange County, CA and I truly regret wasting 5 years and so much money to get 2 engineering degrees from a well-known university here in the USA.
Warlock Asylum: Why Regret?
Amir Aghaei: Because I wasn’t wise enough to evaluate what I will be getting in exchange for the time and money that I was spending at school and all the opportunities that I lost during those years. I wasn’t wise enough to realize that these huge and outdated universities did not come about to serve people. They came about for money. I was tricked like all other students. Today, I highly recommend that all students learn things by themselves. I also suggest that employers boycott universities by evaluating candidates based on their skills and talents, not their degree.
Warlock Asylum: The Dean of your university will be probably very pissed off reading this interview. Tell us about the creation of the People App. How did it come about?
Amir Aghaei: Throughout the years I have seen all the major angles of the internet. Two years ago, we came to this conclusion that the internet is not currently being fully utilized in favor of “the people”. So, we founded the People App with the number one mission of empowering people. I’m not saying that the internet has not created opportunities for people. I’m saying in the big picture it has changed things in favor of companies rather than individuals. Platforms like Google have made it extremely hard and expensive for ordinary people to get found and seen. You need to have a website, you need to do SEO, you need to create content; None of my friends know how to do this and the ones who knew how to get seen on Google were losing the game to giant companies that are massively investing on their online presence, and that’s why we created People App to empower individuals.
Warlock Asylum: How does the People App work and in what ways is it different from social media?
Amir Aghaei: It’s very simple. You install the app, then create a profile in less than a minute and that’s it you are now on the map. By being on the map, people see you and can instantly chat, video call, or audio call with you. Besides being on the map, you can also post different things on the map and other people will see your posts. So, no more competition.
Our biggest difference with most social media platforms is that we are not limiting you to your friends and followers. Everyone gets to see everyone else. It’s like we are the unleashed or premium version of other social media platforms that allows you to see and get seen more. In addition, you know how difficult it is now to connect with new people and effectively use current social media platforms to do real-life things like working, selling, renting, networking. For example, on Instagram, outside of your network of friends, you are competing with all these famous and popular artists for visibility. That’s not fair! That’s not promoting equal opportunity.
Warlock Asylum: That’s true! Most people think it’s easy, but in reality, gaining visibility on social media is very hard. What are some of the reasons why individuals would use the People App?
Amir Aghaei: We have designed People App as a platform with different tools. Think of it as an operating system like Windows where you can use different things within it based on what you are trying to achieve so there are many reasons but to name a few, I would say the top reasons would be to make money, see what’s going on around you, you would be able to see people and their skills, events, items for sale, rentals, jobs,… all on the map. To inform others about cool things in your area by posting stories, claiming gifts on the app, networking, having fun, finding friends, and so much more.
Warlock Asylum: Interesting. What kind of gifts? Can you elaborate more on the gifts?
Amir Aghaei: In order to join People App you have to give back to the community. Therefore, upon signing up you will be asked to define a gift, deal, coupon, or discount for other People App users to use. In return, you’ll have free access to all the gifts and deals from other users too. This way everyone helps each other out and together we will create a totally unique and thriving community built on the goodwill of one another.
Warlock Asylum: What are some of the security measures put in place to ensure that the safety of those who use the People App?
Amir Aghaei: Good question! At People App, we give you the option to choose when to be shown on the map. You can change your status to invisible at any time. On a technical level, we are practicing most of the industry standards to ensure privacy and safety for all our users. However, it’s important to understand that People App is not like Facebook and Instagram, it’s a public atmosphere similar to walking down the street, and that’s exactly why you have this opportunity to get seen and found publicly by literally anyone.
Warlock Asylum: Where do you see People App 5 years from now? Any final thoughts?
Amir Aghaei: Here is our vision, which we repeat to ourselves every single day. We hope to become a virtual world where every individual in this world has a unique identity and there are no borders. People, regardless of race, color, income level, religion, and etc, have an equal opportunity to be seen and found. A world where within just a few seconds, I can find a tea farmer in India, call him and order a fresh bag of tea from the comfort of my couch in California.
Warlock Asylum: On behalf of Warlock Asylum International News, I would like to wish Amir Aghaei all the best in his endeavors, and if you haven’t tried it, get the People App today!
