DENVER — Have you ever had an idea you thought could be the next big thing? Maybe all you need is a little coaching, or "therapy."
Raika Technologies, a Denver technology incubator, is offering a new consulting service to help people take a good idea to the next level. It's called the startup therapy couch.
"The startup therapy couch is a service that we offer that brings people who have new ideas, or small business owners wanting to bring new products to market, or entrepreneurs of any kind," said Raika Technologies CEO Cynthia Delaria.
Delaria has helped launch 85 startups and products through Raika, many of them apps. Denver7 profiled one of Raika's success strories: the PuppTech app, which helps keep track of pets in cars. Delaria says her experience working with dozens of entrepreneurs has taught her what works and what doesn't.
"There’s a mindset piece and without it, it’s very difficult to be successful," Delaria said. "Although we do a lot with business structure and building pitches and that kind of stuff, it’s more about the mindset and the attitude."
Entrepreneurs who come to the startup therapy couch may have a business already, or it could be an idea they need to flesh out. Dani Everson, owner of Clementine's Salon in Denver, had an idea for a skin care app, but didn't know what to do with it.
"I don’t know anything about tech, so I came in at a pretty rookie level, and she (Delaria) held my hand the whole way," Everson said.
It doesn’t necessarily have to involve a couch — the coaching could come in the form of a phone call, or regular meetings. Also, Delaria isn’t so much a therapist as she is a cheerleader. She recently helped Everson with a pitch to potential investors in Los Angeles, and now Everson is closer to launching her app that helps people track their skin routine.
While Everson hopes to help people in pursuit of great skin, Delaria is looking for the next great idea.
"I feel like anybody who is willing to come and pitch to me, there’s always a possibility that that could be the next big thing," she said.
