Phoebe is the Founder of DoggyDay, an online platform that connects dogs with dog-loving neighbours in New York City. You can find DoggyDay on https://doggyday.co or on Instagram @doggyday.co
Phoebe Yung, MPA, with her dog (and DoggyDay's brand ambassador).
Like many, I came to LSE in 2013 as an aspiring economist. Perhaps also like many, my career path after LSE has taken a few left turns. I have since worked in data consulting in financial services and in media, and most recently, I started a small business in the pet tech space. My start-up, DoggyDay, is a platform that connects dogs with dog-loving neighbours. Our mission is to build hyperlocal communities by creating genuine, non-transactional relationships between neighbours around our dogs.
The idea first came to me when I moved back to New York. I would hear my neighbour’s new puppy cry for hours when he was gone. As a dog lover, I was rather concerned about its mental well-being than the noise. I thought to myself, “I am home alone and the puppy is home alone. I wish I can keep the puppy company until my neighbour is home.” I looked for a solution that connects me with neighbours with dogs, but no such thing existed. So instead of waiting for someone to make it happen, I decided to create a solution for myself, and surely many others.
Thinking back to my time at LSE - while it might not have felt like it then - one of the most valuable things I have taken from it was the mandatory econometrics module. It was not only a module that taught us how to be a data-driven policy analyst, but it also gave me a framework to critically test and evaluate the efficacy of my business decisions.
Sure: I do not run STATA models to find p-values, or test instrumental variables, or conduct randomized controlled trials (who could forget the few months where every other word that came out of every other MPA-er’s mouth was “RCT”!). However, I do review user engagement data before and after product updates, create different social media marketing campaigns to test their effectiveness, and experiment with various brand messaging. Having a basic understanding of statistical experimental designs has made performing these tasks more efficient, and instinctive.
LSE SPP is an excellent institution to receive world-class policy education in preparation for a successful career in policy. However, even for those whose career like mine follows an unexpected path, LSE SPP is also a great place to acquire skills and knowledge useful in business - and in my case, in dog-sitting!