FROM IDEA TO LAUNCH: FOUR QUESTIONS WITH TALA THRIVE CEO & FOUNDER SONIA KAURAH

If you can’t find a readily available solution to a problem you’re currently facing, you may just have to develop that solution yourself.  

Such is the story of Tala Thrive’s founder Sonia Kaurah. A second generation Australian with Malaysian-Indian heritage, Sonia has lived in seven countries including six years in the Nordics, holds a degree in psychology and has worked in venture capital and startup mentoring - helping more than 200 companies raise their first investment rounds or grow and expand.

Finding a therapist who could competently speak to her various intersections across her personal and professional lives, and provide the support she needed was challenging.

“It’s exhausting to educate your therapist,” became Tala Thrive’s slogan, because Sonia believes that there should be a more equal and culturally competent approach to therapy. 

So we sat down with Sonia to learn about her founder’s journey and the impact Tala Thrive is going to make in the world through culturally competent mental health support.

Do you remember the exact moment when the idea for Tala Thrive came to you? Why did you decide to build it now?

Emotions and mental health aren’t always talked about growing up in an ethnic household. So I got a degree in Psychology from Monash University because I wanted to learn more about psychology and heal my own pains. 

I thought of the idea for Tala Thrive for about three years before actually starting it after having to pay to educate my therapist in Sweden about racism. I was working in venture capital (VC) at the time and had my visa tied in Sweden to a company so then wasn’t the right time. When I moved to London in early 2023 after quitting my job and dealing with new visa issues I decided it was the right time to launch a startup of my own. 

That was when I revisited the idea of Tala Thrive and started researching if it could be a viable business. After lots of research, there was a resounding need for this type of platform and I felt (and still feel) the need to build products to support POC who are often overlooked. 

What were some of the challenges you faced within your industry/work domain?

There were (and are) so many challenges but mostly fundraising. We know that women only receive 2-3% of all capital invested into startups. However, for women of colour (WOC) founders, that number drops to 0.3%. 

It took many months of pitching and explaining the problem and need for our product to many investors who clearly didn’t understand the need as they didn’t fit our target demographic or, to be honest, didn’t care to try and understand.

What has been the most fulfilling part of the journey so far? And the most challenging as a founder?

By far the most fulfilling part is knowing that we are going to be able to help so many people with their mental health and help them thrive in their daily life. 

As a solo founder, it’s been tough trying to balance building a scalable company and supporting my mental health (ironic I know). It’s hard to get around midnight/weekend working sessions, dealing with rejection emails from investors, and then trying to balance having a personal life and supporting your personal relationships too.

However, I constantly get messages from people (most who I’ve never met before) telling me their story and why they need Tala Thrive or investing without seeing a deck because they understand the need and the massive potential. 

That is definitely the driver that gets me through the harder days. 

What are your dreams for Tala Thrive?

My dream for Tala Thrive is that we are improving the lives of millions of people around the globe and that anyone - no matter their skin colour, culture, religion - feels like they have a product that is built for them so they can receive the culturally-competent mental health support they need to thrive.

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At Tala Thrive, we support you by matching and connecting you with culturally competent therapists and coaches who understand your culture, language and/or religion. Sign up at Tala Thrive to join our community and get the support you need.