Julie Solvang from Find din terapeut

How did the idea of becoming an entrepreneur arise?

The idea for Find din terapeut arose because me and my brother both experienced troubles finding the right therapist to help us deal with different issues. The therapist market is really a jungle to navigate in and we found that many online overviews (e.g. sundhed.dk) and websites were not up to date. So we decided to do something about it and build a platform that could help people find the right therapist for their specific needs based on different search criteria. Me and my brother founded the company together, but we split up along the way because he didn’t have the time for it anymore.

How did you get started with your entrepreneurial journey?

I do not have a tech background, so we found a UX developer to help us build the site, which we launched in the fall 2021. We have also done a lot of user surveys with both therapists and potential users of the platform to get to know their needs and our market.

What has been the biggest challenge in the process?

The biggest challenge has been to start a tech company without having a tech background. I have spent a lot of time looking into the tech market to understand it better, and I have talked to many different people from the industry. Just finding the right developer to build our site has been a challenge – and we have been through four different ones to find the right match. It has been quite an expense, which I have paid mostly out of my own pocket, with some help from an EarlyCash grant from The Kitchen.

What does a typical workweek look like in relation to combining your startup with your study?

It is busy! I did an internship in my own startup in The Kitchen in the fall, but this semester I have to split my time between writing my Master’s thesis, a student job and my startup. On top of that I am part of a network for women (Femværket) about career, entrepreneurship, tech, coding etc.

I work from The Kitchen around 3 days a week, and I guess I spend 30-40 hours per week working on the startup. I have a lot of meetings each week and I often need to go visit clients, so my study hours are often put in the evenings.

How do you use your academic skills as an entrepreneur?

I study cand.ling.merc. at Aarhus University, which has given me a general understanding of businesses to draw on. I also use my knowledge on communication and especially business communication a lot. Another advantage that comes with being a student is the ability and freedom to structure your own time – it would be much harder to find the time for my startup, if I had a full time job.

Where is the startup today, and what are your dreams for the future?

The company is at a point now where we have a stable foundation to build on. We are ready to scale and to start looking into international markets such as Sweden and Norway.

I really hope to be able to go full time in Find din terapeut when I graduate this summer. My plan is to apply for funding, for instance an Innofounder, which can make this possible – and if that plan doesn’t work out, I hope to find a part time job, so I can continue to work on developing the company.

Your best advice for students who are thinking about becoming entrepreneurs?

It is simply to jump into it! Don’t be afraid of potential challenges you might meet in the process. Things don’t just come your way unless you work for them. And make use of the different options and facilities for startups in Aarhus and in The Kitchen to help you along the way.