Whether it's a shared interest in sports, music, or a passion for fashion, most bonds are formed through common interests. But what would you do if you found yourself unable to share your interests with someone else?
That's where Shari-Gaye Parris and Patricia Darlington, the co-founders of CINPals, found themselves not too long ago.
Like most people, they each had a variety of hobbies and interests they enjoyed sharing with others. But for wholly different reasons, Parris and Darlington found themselves unable to connect with friends and family to do the things they love. Rather than give these hobbies up, they came together and devised a solution to connect Miami events and locals wanting to share a similar experience with someone.
CINPals is an acronym that stands for "common interest network" and provides opportunities for locals with common interests to connect. It's a new twist on social networking that differs from popular apps like Tinder and LinkedIn. Parris and Darlington stress that CINPals' purpose isn't making love connections or career building, although it could be used for that. Rather, it's about friendship, companionship, and experiences.
Darlington, whose vision began to fade a few years ago, found herself unable to find people to share her interests in Sci-Fi and horror films. Rather than staying cooped up in the house watching movies alone, she wondered why there wasn't a simple, safe way to meet locals who shared her interest.
"The first thought that came to mind was social networking," Darlington said. "If we can connect with friends online on Facebook and make dates on Tinder, why can't we safely meet someone for a hike or a movie? There are so many activities people love that are social experiences as much as they are interests. I think CINPals could fill that void."
CINPals hopes to begin filling that void with the launch of their website. With Miami and Fort Lauderdale serving as the launch sites, CINPals' co-founders believe they're ideally placed to make their vision a reality. South Florida is a hotbed of parties, arts, sporting events and much more, so there are few places better than South Florida to begin CINPals' great social experiment.
Both 305area and 954area offer information on the local goings-on and the opportunity to connect to other locals. However, CINPals takes this concept in a different, more targeted direction by allowing users to connect for specific events and activities. The possibilities are exciting! It's a great way to connect to Miami events and locals.
"So much of what we do as people has a tremendous social aspect," Parris said. "Even the experience of watching a movie is often enhanced by going with someone else. You can't talk during a movie, but after you can talk about your likes, dislikes, and whatever else. We want to facilitate that for people across the spectrum, not just in Miami. We think CINPals can do this everywhere for everyone."
If you're looking to enjoy your favorite interest or hobby with someone, log on to CINPals and begin connecting! It's a great way to connect Miami events with local sharing similar interests.
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Cover photo from MyArea Network
