Where Are They Now?
Syked is an online virtual private practice that provides counselling sessions to clients in the comfort of their own homes over secure video consultation. Clients have access to a wide database of social workers, counselling psychologists, registered counsellors, and clinical psychologists to choose from. In doing so Syked removes all the stigma associated with counselling and makes it more affordable and accessible. The platform also provides free weekly topical discussions that clients face on a day-to-day basis in order to educate and promote mental health wellbeing.⠀
Syked graduated from our Season 5 Incubation Program in 2020 and recently won the SAB Digital Innovation Award. We took the opportunity to catch up with Wandile Khumalo, the founder of Syked to find out about their milestones and SAB Digital Innovation win. The SAB Foundation focuses on providing funding for enterprises, in order to contribute to the economic and social empowerment of historically disadvantaged persons. This is done primarily by supporting entrepreneurship development and social innovation with a priority focus on providing opportunities within the small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises for women and youth, people in rural areas, as well as persons with disabilities.
Wandile Khumalo - founder of Syked
The SAB Social Innovation Awards has given us a lot of exposure to the public particularly because the awards were streamed on social media platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, which has given us exposure and people can better identify our brand.
The SAB Foundation received hundreds if not thousands of applications and we were one of the lucky ones to be chosen to win alongside 4 other startups. SAB has also given us a platform to connect and build relationships with other founders, and the ability to receive mentorship. This will give Syked the opportunity to expand on its offerings, get the necessary support to grow the platform, and be in a position to get more clients the help they need.
What has been happening with Syked since you completed the Incubation Program?
We had to implement everything that we learned through the program, get to understand our customer segments, and know exactly what our customer’s pain points are to ensure the Syked platform talks directly to those needs.
The global pandemic has played a big role in Syked having to adapt and readjust its approach to ensure that we could assist students with:
The uncertainties of whether or not they would be able to complete their studies,
The changes in the academic calendar year,
And the overall stress, anxiety, and challenges of having to study in environments not always conducive for studying.
Syked is currently working with a few foundations and has an ongoing relationship with Sanofi, through winning the Sanofi Mental Health Challenge at AfricArena in 2019. We have also had the opportunity to work with a lot more therapists and bring them more clients, which falls back on the social responsibility to create sustainable jobs so professionals are able to keep their doors open during these tough times.
How has being part of an incubation program early on helped you to make progress towards this recognition today?
I believe one of the most important things every entrepreneur needs is a strong foundation because that is what will ensure that you are able to weather the storms that will come as you grow your business with set principles.
FSAT Labs was instrumental in the foundation of what Syked is doing, from an administrative point of view to understanding our clients, our service offering, and the market segmentation. If we had received funding without a strong foundation, it would have been easy for us to just blow with the wind or change our core focus. The focus and foundation that we’ve built are very important for us because they allow us to stay strong in our beliefs and what we are trying to achieve to make informed decisions. It has also forced us to research every aspect of the business and actually understand it. I mean, before you can employ someone, who is going to sell on your behalf, what will you be selling if you can’t sell your product yourself?
What advice would you have for startups that are currently in incubation at FSAT Labs?
Looking back on our journey I can’t help but think that if we had paid attention to the finer details it would’ve made life so much easier. We didn’t always have a good grip on our foundation, but we understood that we had to have the basic things in place to get started.
So, my advice would be, firstly ensure that you and your founding team share the vision and you understand the sacrifices that will come with this journey. Secondly, focus on the little things and pay attention to detail. Do not rush the process because you need to make sure your foundation is good and solid for the big things that will come. It is the small things like making sure your data room is in place and understanding who your potential clients are and what are their main issues and how does your platform or service addresses those specific needs then drill down on that, HARD. Forget all the fluffy stuff, solve real problems and the rest will fall into place. As hard as that may be when you’re going through the process. The last point which is by far the most important, Just enjoy the journey, be present in the moment and celebrate all your wins- Big or Small, Just enjoy it...
What is next for Syked?
We are taking Syked to Africa and then the rest of the world. We’re coming for everything they told us we couldn’t get! One day at a time we will help people get Syked on life….
MORE FROM SYKED
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