Psikologu Online is the startup that won first place at the Women Startup Competition Albania this year. This platform stands out for its ease of use in obtaining psychological and psychotherapeutic consultations from qualified professionals through online video sessions. Jonarda Kërkuti explains that users are offered the necessary confidentiality and professional service. The service is currently mostly utilized by the Albanian diaspora. The founder of the startup tells us more in the interview we conducted, about the initial steps and future plans.
“Ease your mind. Regain Strength. Return to Being Yourself,” this is your motto on the online platform. Let’s start this interview with your beginnings; when did you decide to establish your startup and what motivates you in this venture?
I decided to establish Psikologu Online four years ago when I noticed the lack of easily accessible psychological support for many people. In 2019, we conceptualized this service to help immigrants, mothers with young children, and people in rural areas who could not access professional services due to distance and inability to travel. The pandemic further fueled the demand for this service. What motivated me the most was the desire to help people face their emotional and psychological challenges by providing them with the opportunity to get professional help without having to leave their homes.
What is your company’s mission and vision?
Our mission is to provide high-quality psychological support to anyone in need, anytime and anywhere. Our vision is to become the leading platform in Albania for mental health services by creating a healthier and more emotionally aware community through continuous mental health education and psycho-education.
What phase is your startup currently in, and what are you currently doing? What have been the key steps in this journey?
We reached the break-even point in the first year, showing that our initial investment was in line with the revenue we achieved as a company. Currently, we are in the growth phase and expanding our services. Key steps include further development of the platform’s functionalities, recruiting other qualified professionals, introducing new services, and marketing to increase awareness and use of our services.
What are the values and beliefs that guide you in your venture?
Our core values are integrity, empathy, and commitment to quality. We believe that every person deserves professional support and care, and that by helping people improve their mental health, we contribute to a better society.
What solution do you offer in the market for your clients?
We offer an easy-to-access platform where individuals can receive psychological consultations and psychotherapy from qualified professionals through online video sessions. This solution allows clients to get help in a convenient and confidential manner.
How is the change in technology and the market affecting your venture?
Technology has played a major role in enabling our services. Advances in communication and security technology have made it possible to offer secure and effective services. Market changes, especially the increased awareness of mental health, have created a high demand for our services.
What are your plans for future growth and strategies to achieve them?
Our growth plans include expanding our services throughout Albania, the Balkans, and globally, growing our team of professionals, and expanding our service offerings to include more specializations and treatment programs. Strategies to achieve these include partnerships, effective marketing, and continuous improvement of our platform. We are planning to open a section for online psychological tests, expand the e-commerce area with virtual therapy aid products, and mental health products.
What makes you happiest in the venture you have started?
What makes me happiest is the fact that I am helping people improve their lives and face their mental and emotional challenges. When I hear success stories and improvements in the lives of our clients, I feel that our work has a real and significant impact.
What do you aim to achieve concretely in the next three years?
In the next three years, we aim to significantly increase the number of users and expand the range of our services to include specialized therapy and community support programs. We also want to strengthen our market position and become a leader in providing online mental health services in the region. Specifically, we plan to offer services not only for individual clients but also for companies, to help them manage burnout and reduce turnover. We are quickly programming the release of new services, such as monthly subscriptions for cost-effective exclusive materials, recorded video and audio products with permanent access, specific mental health products, and developing a web application with the help of Rubik Technologies for psychological tests and other functions.
0 comments