Katharina Waeschenbach, Dearest: How an App Improves Relationships

About this episode

Katharina Waeschenbach is CEO and founder of Dearest, an app designed to improve relationships. As part of #FemaleFebruary, she shares her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges of building a remote-only team on the Unicorn Bakery podcast.

The Problem: Relationships Need Support

Dearest addresses an everyday but often overlooked problem: How can we actively improve our relationships – whether romantic, platonic, or familial? The app provides both immediate help in difficult situations and the opportunity to learn new knowledge about relationships long-term. Katharina aims to sustainably strengthen the quality of interpersonal connections.

The Path to Founding

In the conversation, Katharina discusses her interest in entrepreneurship and finding the right moment to take the leap into self-employment. Like many founders, she had to identify when idea, market, and personal circumstances aligned perfectly.

Principles and User Experience at Dearest

Dearest's system is based on clear principles that Katharina explains in detail. The user process is designed to provide both immediate support and enable long-term learning. This raises the crucial question: Do users actually embrace the offering?

Corona as a Turning Point

The pandemic significantly impacted Dearest. While many startups struggled under the restrictions, an app focused on relationships also found new opportunities. People were suddenly spending more time at home, relationships faced new strains – and demand for support increased.

Challenges in Remote Team Building

One of Katharina's biggest hurdles was building and productively managing a remote-only team. Creating a functional team without physical office spaces requires special strategies and communication skills. She shares these experiences openly, providing practical insights into the reality of remote work.

Startup Programs and Networking

Katharina discusses her experiences with programs like the Google Startup Accelerator. Such programs can be valuable, but the question remains: Do they really help build successful companies?

Particularly interesting are her thoughts on the role of networking as a female founder. Networking is often a decisive factor for success – but how do you build the right connections as a founder?

Pride and Learning Experiences

When asked what she's particularly proud of, Katharina gives honest insights into her successes and the moments that have especially moved her. She also shares valuable advice with other founders – based on her own experiences with Dearest.

Conclusion: Relationships as a Business Model

Katharina's story shows that even seemingly "soft" topics like relationships can form the foundation for successful startups. With Dearest, she addresses a universal human need and proves that remote teams and difficult market conditions are surmountable – when the vision is right and execution is strong.