Meet Justin Ruffier

We recently connected with Justin Ruffier and have shared our conversation below.

Justin, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

I’ve been working in animal rescue for a few years, and sometimes it’s difficult to be optimistic when working in difficult situations. I really try to focus on who I can save and the good we’re doing, and even though saving one animal doesn’t change the world, it changes the world for that animal. I also realize that I’m part of a movement that started well before me and will continue long after I’m gone. I’m thankful that I’m able to do my part and optimistic that I’m helping to move the mission forward for others to build upon. Small changes can lead to big changes, and when individuals contribute to a group goal, the impact is exponential.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

When I joined the animal rescue community, I wanted to make an impact so I set my mind on solving some of the biggest industry challenges. I began by learning how things are done, asking a lot of questions, and finding out what some of the barriers are preventing us from having a greater impact. I landed on the idea for Whisker Tracker, a mobile app that uses facial recognition to identify and catalog cats. By making a fun, gamified solution to taking pictures of outdoor cats, we can bridge the gap between casual cat lovers and the rescue community to create a useful database of community cats while also expanding the community of cat supporters.

One of the first steps to solving a problem is to understand it. Understanding a problem often starts with counting. We currently have very poor estimates of outdoor cat populations, and the methods used to count and report on community cats are unsatisfactory. The count of outdoor cats in San Diego ranges widely from 300,000 to over 1,000,000. I think if we can know the number and locations of all outdoor cats and colonies, we can deploy resources and secure proper funding to adequately care for them.

I launched Whisker Tracker in September 2024, and the concept is simple. Many cat lovers already take pictures of the outdoor cats they see when they are on a walk or out and about, and we can use this data to create a database of cat sightings. Whisker Tracker uses facial recognition to match cats, has a fun walk-tracking feature, and allows the user to load basic cat profile information (such as a name, spay/neuter, or health status). We also cross reference the cat profiles with missing cats, helping to find lost pets. The cat’s locations will remain private to protect the cats, but in the future, we’ll allow verified animal rescues access to cat profile data to support the colonies or respond to sick or injured cats.

Check out Whisker Tracker and join the community that’s supporting community cats! https://whiskertrackerapp.com/

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I’m astounded at how many opportunities began to arise once I started volunteering and dedicating time to helping others. I started by simply responding to a post on Nextdoor asking for help leaving water for an outdoor cat during the summer. I then began feeding another cat colony nearby, which led me to connect with a shelter that was also supporting the colony. I helped the shelter by volunteering my marketing services and gained valuable experience, while also building my portfolio of animal rescue support. Due to the marketing work I provided to the shelter, I was found and approached by a local cat cafe and began supporting them with marketing for their establishment. I look back on how it all started, and it began with volunteering.

In addition to developing partnerships and networking through volunteering, I’ve also focused my efforts on building hands-on skills. I’ve been learning more about cats and animal rescue methods, but also improving my marketing skills such as website development and content creation. I realized that the more skills I have the more areas I can support and the more problems I can solve. The more problems you can solve, the more valuable you become.

Another area I focus on is personal improvement and growth, specifically for long-term productivity. This could be developing a good morning routine, prioritizing sleep, and tackling the most difficult projects first. As an entrepreneur in the animal rescue space, there is no shortage of reasons to stress out. Maintaining a focus on physical and mental health allows me to compartmentalize and avoid burnout.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I’ve been surrounding myself with mentors online, mainly on YouTube. I’ve found stoicism from Ryan Holiday as a way to cope with the mental health challenges of working in animal rescue and the difficult scenes we are sometimes witness to. I also follow marketing gurus like Alex Hormozi and admire the zero-principle thinking from Bryan Johnson and Blueprint. The ecosystem of online mentors has given me insights into new ways of thinking and approaching problems that I never thought possible. I’ve also developed a new work ethic that I would not have been capable of a few years ago. If you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, find the right five people, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

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Image Credits

All images are by Justin Ruffier

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