Biography of Richa Singh: Co-Founder of YourDOST -Indian Entrepreneur
Biography of Richa Singh:
Richa Singh is an inspiring figure dedicated to improving
emotional well-being. She co-founded YourDOST, a platform that offers anonymous
support from psychologists and trained professionals. Her mission is to create
a supportive community for those struggling with depression and loneliness,
aiming for a stress-free society.
Educational Background and Early Achievements
Singh’s academic journey began at the Indian Institute of
Technology, Guwahati, where she earned a Bachelor of Design in Usability
Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, and Interaction Design. Her education
provided a solid foundation in designing user-centric solutions, which she
later applied to her mental health platform.
Richa Singh’s Early Life and Inspirations
Richa Singh was born and raised in Bhopal, where she enjoyed
a variety of activities like dancing, painting, swimming, and table tennis.
Known for her cheerful nature, she was a trusted friend to many who confided in
her. After finishing school, Richa pursued a Bachelor’s in Design at IIT
Guwahati. Her perspective on mental health shifted dramatically in 2009 when a
fellow hostel mate committed suicide due to fears about poor job placement.
This event made her realize the urgent need for accessible mental health
support.
Professional Experience and Contributions
Beyond her studies, Singh gained valuable experience through
an internship in Human-Computer Interaction at Universität Siegen. She also
completed her pre-university education in PCM at St. Mary’s Convent. Based in
Bengaluru, Karnataka, Singh combines her expertise in design with her passion
for mental health to drive meaningful change through YourDOST.
Early Beginnings and Learning
Richa's career began with internships that set the
foundation for her future success. At the University of Siegen, she worked on a
project to enhance business process design using Service Oriented Architecture
(SOA). Her early experience as a product designer at Altair Engineering further
developed her design skills and introduced her to the intricacies of product
development.
Financial Products and Design Expertise
Richa’s work at D.E. Shaw & Co. involved designing
financial products. She was deeply involved in product planning, workflow
design, and creating interactive HTML mockups. Her ability to handle projects
independently from requirement gathering to final testing was a testament to
her skills and dedication.
Shaping User Experience
In her early career, Richa was a UX Consultant at
Investopresto, where she designed the user experience from scratch. Her
responsibilities included creating interaction workflows, wireframing, and
usability testing. This role showcased her talent for crafting user-centered
designs in agile environments.
A Journey Through the Tech World
Richa’s career includes notable roles in the tech industry.
Before YourDOST, she was a Senior Product Manager at o9 Solutions, Inc., where
she focused on product development and strategic planning. Her previous
position at Mu Sigma involved overseeing product management after the
acquisition of Webfluenz, a company she had worked with for nearly three years.
At Webfluenz, she played a key role in managing the product lifecycle,
analyzing user metrics, and enhancing product features.
Biography of Richa Singh: Co-Founder of YourDOST -Indian Entrepreneur/ Investor/startup/success story of Richa Singh and YourDOST/mental support
Facing a Widespread Problem
As Richa began her professional life, she noticed that many
people around her were struggling with job stress and relationship issues but
were hesitant to discuss their problems. The fear of social stigma and being
labeled as mentally ill discouraged them from seeking help. This recurring
issue sparked Richa's quest to understand and address these barriers.
The Birth of YourDOST
Determined to find a solution, Richa delved into research,
speaking with individuals, counselors, and psychologists. She discovered that
the primary obstacle was the need for anonymity—people wanted support but were
afraid of others discovering their struggles. This insight led her to
conceptualize YourDOST, an online platform where people could seek help
confidentially.
The realization that many people, despite having access to
counselors and psychologists, were not seeking help led Richa to consider
solutions for this gap. During her work life, she observed how job pressures
and relationship issues often went unaddressed due to the stigma surrounding
mental health. Teaming up with her co-founder Puneet Manuja, who had faced
similar challenges despite being a gold medallist, Richa brainstormed and
launched YourDOST in 2014. Their goal was to provide a platform where people
could freely seek help without fear of judgment.
Richa Singh’s Mission
Richa Singh, a co-founder of YourDOST, embarked on her
mission to support mental health after a heartbreaking incident during her time
at the Indian Institute of Technology. The suicide of a fellow student, who was
overwhelmed by academic pressures, inspired her to create a platform where
people could access affordable and vetted counseling services for free.
Expanding Access to Emotional Support
YourDOST is an online platform designed to enhance emotional
well-being by connecting users with a diverse range of experts, including
psychologists, counselors, career coaches, and relationship advisors. Available
through a web platform and mobile app, it offers confidential and anonymous
support through various modes, such as one-on-one messaging, live chats, voice,
and video calls. Some services are free, while others are available for a fee.
As of now, YourDOST has impacted over 1.2 million lives and handles around
2,000 one-to-one conversations daily.
Making a Difference Through YourDOST
Singh's initiative, YourDOST, is transforming how people
seek mental health support. The platform offers users the ability to share
their problems and seek help anonymously. While the counseling itself is free,
there are charges for voice and video calls, priced at Rs 400 and Rs 600 for a
45-minute session, respectively. Since its launch in 2014, YourDOST has reached
over 70,000 users and is supported by angel investors, with funding from SAIF
Partners in a pre-Series A round. Their platform allows users to get support
from psychologists and other experts while remaining completely anonymous. By
November 2015, they successfully secured Rs. 2.5 Crore in angel funding, which
they planned to use for marketing and expanding their services.
Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health
Richa Singh faced significant challenges when launching
YourDOST, particularly the societal stigma surrounding mental health in India.
Many people need counseling, but the fear of judgment prevents them from
seeking help. To tackle this, YourDOST made its services private, anonymous,
and confidential, which they promoted through social media. They also focused
on raising awareness and educating the public about the importance of mental
health through their blog and online platforms.
Navigating a New Field
Entering the emotional wellness sector was a challenge for
Richa, as she didn’t have a background in this field. Initially, her lack of
expertise made it difficult to navigate the industry. Through years of research
and learning, she gradually built her knowledge, which was crucial for the
development of YourDOST and its services.
Setting Standards for Expertise
Another hurdle was the absence of established benchmarks for
hiring mental health experts in India. To address this, Richa and her team
created their own benchmarks, standards, and guidelines to evaluate and ensure
the quality of the experts they brought on board.
Ensuring Quality Counseling
Maintaining high-quality counseling services was essential
for YourDOST. Richa and her team implemented a supervision system to regularly
review and ensure the effectiveness of their counseling sessions, striving to
provide the best possible support for their users.
Learning from Mistakes
In the beginning, YourDOST used negative messaging in their
communications, which inadvertently pushed people away. For example, phrases
like “Are you stressed?” or “Going through a bad breakup?” had a deterrent
effect. Recognizing this, they shifted to a more positive and encouraging
approach, which improved engagement and was validated by positive user
feedback.
A Vision for a Happier India
Richa’s vision is to transform mental health in India,
making it as important as physical health. She aims to break down the stigma
and create a supportive environment where individuals can easily seek
professional help for emotional and psychological challenges. Her advice to
aspiring women entrepreneurs is to “dream big and believe in your dream,”
emphasizing that such belief can help overcome barriers and achieve success.
Richa Singh: A Visionary in Mental Health
Richa Singh is the co-founder of YourDOST, dedicated to
creating a happier society through accessible mental health support. Her
efforts have earned her spots in Forbes' 30 Under 30 lists for India and Asia,
and she has been recognized as an INK Fellow and in BW Wellbeing World’s 40
Under 40. Singh's work highlights her commitment to improving mental health and
well-being.
Timeline of Richa Singh's Journey
1980s-1990s: Richa Singh is born and raised in Bhopal,
India. She engages in activities like dancing, painting, swimming, and table
tennis.
2004-2009: Richa attends the Indian Institute of Technology,
Guwahati, where she earns a Bachelor of Design in Usability Engineering,
Human-Computer Interaction, and Interaction Design.
2007: She completes her pre-university education in PCM at
St. Mary’s Convent.
2009: Richa’s perspective on mental health is deeply
impacted by a fellow hostel mate's suicide due to job placement fears.
2009-2010: She undertakes an internship in Human-Computer
Interaction at Universität Siegen, working on business process design with
Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).
2010-2011: Richa works as a product designer at Altair
Engineering, where she hones her design skills.
2011-2012: At D.E. Shaw & Co., she designs financial
products, engages in product planning, workflow design, and creates interactive
HTML mockups.
2012-2013: Richa is a UX Consultant at Investopresto,
responsible for designing user experiences, creating interaction workflows,
wireframing, and usability testing.
2013-2014: She takes on a Senior Product Manager role at o9 Solutions, Inc., focusing on product development and strategic planning.
2013-2016: Richa works at Mu Sigma and then Webfluenz,
managing the product lifecycle, analyzing user metrics, and enhancing product
features.
2014: Richa, inspired by her earlier experiences and
observations of mental health challenges, co-founds YourDOST with Puneet
Manuja. The platform is designed to offer anonymous mental health support.
2015: YourDOST secures Rs. 2.5 Crore in angel funding for
marketing and service expansion. The platform begins to make a significant
impact with over 70,000 users and handles around 2,000 one-to-one conversations
daily.
2014-2015: Richa faces and overcomes societal stigma around
mental health, addresses the lack of benchmarks for hiring experts, and adapts
communication strategies to be more positive and encouraging.
2016: YourDOST becomes widely recognized, and Richa Singh
earns accolades such as Forbes' 30 Under 30 lists for India and Asia, and an
INK Fellow recognition.
2017-Present: YourDOST continues to grow, impacting over 1.2
million lives with anonymous support and counseling services. Richa’s vision
remains focused on making mental health support as integral and accepted as
physical health in India.
This timeline captures the significant milestones in Richa
Singh’s career and the development of YourDOST.
