With stories of brands closing, making employees redundant, or postponing launches, it can seem like we are living in an impossible time for businesses. However, in this Q&A we talk to Ariela Safira, founder of digital therapy business Real, who have moved forward their launch to offer support during the pandemic, to  find out about how their launch has gone, and the challenges of moving it to address the global situation. 

Can you explain how Real works, and why you decided to launch the business? 

When I was a student at Stanford University, a close friend of mine attempted suicide. It was from this experience that sparked something in me that propelled my passion to redesign mental healthcare. Enter Real. 

At Real, we are on a mission to make mental healthcare more accessible, digestible, user-centred, data-driven and synonymous with ongoing wellbeing. Through a one-of-a-kind therapy structure called Pathways, as well as Group Salons, Member Events, and the Annual Mental Check-up, Real is weaving mental healthcare into our daily wellness routines, and making mental health a part of our full-picture health.

Why have you decided to bring forward your launch, and what was your experience launching a business amid the coronavirus pandemic? 

Three weeks ago, we were preparing for our studio doors to open in early April. When we realized what a profound impact COVID would soon have on New Yorkers and people across the country -- feeling isolated, anxious and unsure of where the economy was headed -- we knew we had to help. It was at that point that I knew we needed to shift our strategy to digital to help people when they need it most - now. Within eight days, we built a virtual program from scratch that focuses on the issues that people are beginning to experience including topical conversations like “Juggling a Career and Kids While in Quarantine” to “The Wedding Is Canceled, the Graduation Isn't Happening: Adjusting Expectations Amidst Coronavirus.” 

On March 27th, we launched Real to the People, a free month-long digital mental healthcare platform conceptualised to support our wellbeing during this global health crisis. It was a lot of hard work, and a few sleepless nights, but I couldn’t be more proud of the work we accomplished and the support we are able to offer people across the state. 

What were the challenges of shifting your launch forwards, and how did you deal with these? 

The main challenges were shifting our plan from physical to digital, and also understanding the new challenges that people are feeling today… likely very different from a few weeks or a month ago. I worked alongside our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nina Vasan, to create programs that apply specifically to what people are experiencing during this epidemic. 

To shift our plan from physical to digital, we had to create an entirely new website, develop new safety protocols, ideate new programming, design new materials, and also answer the question: how do we provide the vulnerability and warmth of an in-person therapy experience through video chat? We devoted months to designing an in-person experience that helps people express vulnerabilities, share secrets we may have kept for years, confide in one another...and we were suddenly tasked to recreate this in 8 days.

Do you have a 'target audience', or does that sort of thing go out the window in a crisis like we are in at the moment? 

Our therapists specialise in women’s health, but our target audience for our virtual offering - Real to the People - is anyone who needs support. Our current programming focuses on a variety of topics, so there is something for everyone who needs care right now. Our Group Sessions include ways to cope with a cancelled wedding to caring for ageing parents, expecting parents who have concerns about giving birth in hospitals at this time, and much more. 

Our first physical studio, which will open this spring, will provide programming geared towards female-identifying individuals who are looking for both group and 1:1 therapy. Our goal is to create community and care that spans beyond 1:1 therapy. 

What does the future hold for Real? 

We’re just getting started! We feel very humbled and honoured that so many have already signed up for Real to the People, inviting us (virtually) into their homes and lives to provide care where we can. We’re looking forward to continuing to provide mental health support in this pandemic, and to open our doors this spring to provide a physical community of members, driving our mission forward.