For 30 years, Cindy Himmel lived in Chicago, Illinois, where she worked in real estate and later ran her own bakery, Sweet Mandy B’s, from 2002 to 2015. The entrepreneur then moved to the “pet-centric” city of Charlotte in 2021 in order to be closer to her daughter, Amanda Pietrick. Both, notably, are owners of beloved dogs: Lulu and Artie.
A few years ago, Pietrick met a man through a dating app. Himmel recalled meeting with her daughter some weeks after and asked how they were doing. Pietrick told her he wasn’t the one because of a massive dealbreaker—or, if anything, a “fur” pas.
“She [told me], ‘I know, Mom, he wasn’t that into dogs.’ Himmel said. “And [Artie] is a huge part of [Pietrick’s] life.”
The phrase, “he wasn’t that into dogs” lit a bulb inside of Himmel, and the entrepreneur wondered if there was a way to connect dog lovers through dating.
“So I did some research,” Himmel said, “and it has been a long time coming.”
Thus, the concept of Frolly, a dating app for dog owners and enthusiasts (the name being a play on “frolic” and “joy”) was born. From there, through a Chicago friend, Himmel connected with a California-based developer from FYC Labs who helped her understand the ins and outs of developing an app.
“I don’t speak the tech language,” she said. “I needed someone or a team that could understand that and really educate me in many ways through what I needed to learn.”
Before launch, Himmel and FYC Labs tested the beta interface with approximately 75-100 people from August to September 2025, providing participants with questionnaires to share feedback.
As someone new to development, Himmel mentioned how nice it was not tohave any major issues brought to their attention. However, she and her developer still had to overcome a delay in the app’s release. The Apple store was not accepting new applications around that time.
“We had to prove to them that we had a special niche, and that we were different and had something to stand out before they accepted us into their store,” Himmel said.
Releasing the Frolly app
Frolly was officially launched on October 31st, 2025, and the startup held a lively launch party with the Charlotte Beer Festival to drive engagement with their digital dating innovation.
It is designed as a “friend-finder” alongside dating, so people can simply connect with others who own and love dogs. The app’s algorithm determines potential matches for users based on their age preference, location, and desired gender.
When new users open the app, they create an account and fill out questions asking for their qualities and characteristics. If they’re a dog owner, they’ll be asked similar questions about their lifestyle, such as what they do or don’t allow for their pets.
“[Users might specify] if their dog, for example, is allowed on their bed or allowed on the couch,” Himmel said, “or if their dog is social. There are different questions about how you live with your dog to give others who are swiping or on the app.”
Himmel said that as a new platform, Frolly is still undergoing some testing, and she and her team are looking for feedback from new users. Until those processes conclude, the Frolly app is free for first-time users (with a 4-5 profile match restriction). Frolly will then charge $12.99 per month for a basic subscription with no restrictions.
Early enthusiasm and celebrity support
As for outreach, Frolly is doing well with national brands, and people from around the globe have been eager to try the platform. Himmel didn’t initially have reason to believe that people would hear about the platform in other countries, but that demand has materialized—and makes further expansion a distinct possibility.
“I’m hearing from people, newspaper outlets, media outlets throughout the world, asking us, please come to Dubai, please come to Portugal. So I would say that that has been an exciting response.”
The dating app was recently featured in Charlotte Magazine and Axios, and the team received shoutouts from celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Gayle King through their respective Instagram accounts.
Himmel is currently eyeing potential collaborations with influencers.
“In today’s world, a big influencer could be the Willy Wonka ticket to faster success,” she said. “So I’m reaching out to people in all walks of life… especially people who adopt and rescue dogs, because we are in a unique, empathetic world together.”
QUICK BITS
Startup: Frolly
Founder: Cindy Himmel
Founded: 2025
Team size: 2
Location: Charlotte
Website: frolly.com
Funding: Bootstrapped
In the spirit of the love for dogs that exists at the core of Frolly, the team is also focused on animal protection. Twenty-five percent of Frolly’s profits go to the Forgotten Now Family Rescue Center in Charlotte. Himmel also hopes to continue expanding Frolly’s reach outside of Charlotte and partner with other animal organizations.
For those looking for “the one,” or a friend who loves their furry friends as much as they do, Himmel encourages trying the platform.
“If they haven’t had positive experiences in other apps, [they should] give Frolly a shot,” she said.
