Talked Spotlight: Interview with founder Ben Southall

Overview

“

I built Talked so that people can have a simple and easy way to look after their mental health, wherever they may be.

”

Name: Ben Southall

Age: 37

Please describe yourself in 20 words or less.

A bit of a nerd with a silly sense of humour, a passion for mental health and all things dogs.

Why Talked?

What motivated you to build Talked?

My partner's sibling passed away suddenly, which was an extremely difficult and sad time for us. We decided to talk to a counsellor and started looking for one online. 

We found the process very cumbersome with emails back and forth, incorrect zoom links, bank transfers and timezone issues. We thought there must be a better and more simple way, which led me to build Talked.

Tell me about the moment when you realised that Talked was making a difference in people’s lives.

When the first few customers who used the platform gave me feedback to say how much their therapist had helped them.  This feedback really showed me the positive impact this platform can have on people and gave me the motivation to continue on this journey with Talked.

Where do you see Talked this time next year?

Loads of new features, therapists and reaching a wider audience of customers.

Personal

If you never became a software developer, what career would you have pursued?

My dream job as a child was to become a marine biologist. That dream, unfortunately, didn’t come true, but I was lucky enough to spend 6 months researching Great White sharks in South Africa.

What is one item in your fridge that would surprise us?

Lots of dog food to keep our little pug, Billie, and big golden retriever, Winnie, happy!

Is there anything about you that you would like the users of Talked to know?

We are continually improving the website, so please reach out to us if you have any suggestions or ideas.