It may seem an unlikely path to go from account strategy at Google to a life dedicated to wildlife advocacy, but it is a path that former officemates Jan Otte and Chris Weber seemed destined for. The two have forged a bond over their mutual love of animals that has taken them from the cubicle to the animal kingdom.
Otte and Weber founded Animals Around the Globe while still working for Google and, over time, have built a loyal following of other animal lovers and people interested in conservation efforts. Eventually, the pair bid Google adieu and follow their “wild” dreams.
“We hope to inspire everyone to recognize that our beautiful planet is home to many other species, all of which deserve our respect,” says Otte. Eager to share their passion for wildlife, Otte and Weber have built their Animals Around the Globe Site into a wildlife-centric juggernaut, welcoming 8 million visitors per month.
Launching a dream
While still working as strategists at Google, Otte and Weber began kicking around the idea of a new venture involving their mutual love of animals. “A lot of our friends had their websites and successful blogs; we thought we would give it a shot,” Otte recalls. “I remember Chris and I having a lot of discussions, brainstorming ways we could establish a business focused on wildlife.”
Starting small with the goal of helping people explore the animal kingdom — both globally and within their own backyards — the pair launched their site. As it grew, it became evident that there was interest in the content Otte and Weber were putting out into the world, and they realized it was a venture they had to go “all in” on.
With a well-traveled background, Weber began to attract the engagement of like-minded people who also enjoyed exploring the world and the animals that inhabit it. “We quickly began to build a community around the site,” he explains. “As the worlds of travel enthusiasts and animal lovers merged, our content began to dominate Google.”
A collaborative project
Animals Around the Globe was founded on the basis of collaboration, first between Otte and Weber, but eventually, the project grew to include talented writers, photographers, and videographers who scoured the globe looking for the most engaging animal-related content. These creators and freelancers serve as the backbone of Animals Around the Globe, and their content covering everything from Great White Sharks to elephants in the savannah keeps the readers coming back for more.
“We’re aiming to establish Animals Around the Globe as the most authoritative and trusted resource on wildlife and the broader animal kingdom,” says Otte. To make this lofty dream a reality, the pair have entered into partnerships with a number of experts in various fields, lending credibility to their already winning content and giving the experts an outlet to share their expertise with a captive audience.
Conservation and protection
The information on Animals Around the Globe is interesting, relevant, expert-informed, and leading the way for animal conservation and protection. Otte and Weber recently partnered with the AMES Foundation, an organization focused on protecting various African species.
“Our conversations with wildlife experts have helped us better understand that we all need to make a concerted effort to improve human/animal coexistence and bolster wildlife conservation,” explains Weber.
Along with their partner organizations, Otte and Weber have focused on closing the gap between developed regions with the financial resources to help, but find themselves separated from the animals in need, and underdeveloped areas that live among many endangered species but often exploit animal resources for sustenance and income.
Animals Around the Globe has applied a three-step plan for addressing issues of over-development, lost habitats, threatened species, and animal exploitation. Step one involves drawing the attention and engagement of people through exciting content. Step two involves educating that community, using the insights of their expert partners. Lastly, the pair wants to expand their online community, creating more supportive animal lovers who will implement steps toward advocacy in their own lives.
Both Weber and Otte are aware of the struggles of people who may rely on exploiting animals and endangered habitats to sustain life. “For the populations in developing areas, the key is addressing their economic struggles,” says Otte. “It’s tragic, albeit understandable, that people struggling to survive have to lean on the exploitation of wildlife and nature.”
To address this glaring issue, Otte and Weber have supported the employment of members of these communities in game reserves and other tourist-supported areas, giving the community a way to support itself without exploiting the animals or surrounding habitats.
Weber and Otte are “thinking big” as they move into the New Year and recently had their first in-person company offsite — the first time everyone who works on Animals Around the Globe had been together in one place. “It was a significant event for our team,” says Weber.
As their organization continues to grow, Otte and Weber hope their content creation and advocacy will impact the world around them and help create a world where animals and humans coexist peacefully.
