Backstory

The idea of Snake Snap came about three years ago when I had a snake in my pool. Being from Florida, snakes were actually my biggest fear and I didn't know how to identify a single one. I have two young children and I thought to myself, "What if I could take a picture of this snake and know immediately what it is?". I wanted to be able to educate my children as I was ignorant to the topic. I started researching what the snake was, and found that it was a harmless Ringneck snake commonly found in swimming pools drinking water but is then too tiny to get out. I thought, “How sad?”. In that moment Snake Snap was born. As I studied I quickly learned that identifying snakes was not that difficult. Through the process of learning my fear wall started to come down and I began to appreciate snakes, their beauty, and their purpose in our ecosystem. I started learning how to identify snakes, what they eat, and where they hide. I became enamored with it.

My Story

I was a financial advisor for 17 years and it was great. But, I felt as though I had stumbled upon my passion in life with educating people and helping to make a difference in the world. I never fathomed what would come from the animal I was deathly afraid of. I saw an opportunity to create change by educating and building a business on a global level. Snakes are on almost every piece of land on the planet and are also one of the most feared and misunderstood creatures in the wild. I do not have a technology background but was able to find a development company, and also meet some very key people in the herpetology industry. I launched the app in June of 2019 and since that time we've had over 200,000 downloads and submissions from every state in the US and over 180 different countries. We currently get 500-600 submissions a day, and are growing rapidly. This company has grown organically. We have changed the view of thousands of people by explaining the importance of snakes, while also saving just as many snakes from being killed. We thank all those who have become part of our “family”.

       A very special thanks to Jack & Sally Facente and Dick & Patricia Bartlett! Without these four individuals this app would not be where it is today. I was fortunate enough to meet Jack early on and he believed in what I was trying to accomplish. Most importantly, Jack believed in me. He introduced me to Dick and Patricia who live in Gainesville, Fl, ironically where I was born and graduated from college. They welcomed me into their home and listened to my ideas. Not only did they also believe in me, they trusted me with their life’s work which is what is showcased in our list of Snakes of the U.S. on this website. Thank you all again for your belief and support. We still have a lot to do, but I hope I’ve made you proud so far.

Cheers!

Jason