South Africa - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

The Nomalanga Tribe helps leaders, changemakers, and pioneers in high stress environments manage stress and improve their well-being with personalized coaching, online courses, and Afrocentric digital therapies for mental health, productivity, and sleep.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

We offer leaders, changemakers, and pioneers: Personalized Coaching: We provide "The Tribe of Healers", which is a diverse global multidisciplinary expert team of coaches and therapists providing online and in-person coaching and therapy, addressing psychological, environmental, physical, and spiritual factors to help achieve specific goals. We have developed our own in-house well-being assessment, "The HumanFuel Intelligence Test" which provides insights to guide personalized coaching and therapy journeys. Online Courses: We provide an e-learning platform called "Thrive Academy", which facilitates holistic leadership skills with concise, impactful online courses and digital accreditation for our leader clients, delivered by a globally acclaimed faculty. Afrocentric Digital Therapies: Our"HumanFuel" App offers digitally enabled resources for mental health and better sleep, integrating ancient African influences with modern science to support mental well-being and personal growth.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Neglect in Leader Mental Healthcare: Leaders often ignore mental health, leading to severe stress and burnout, negatively impacting decision making and behavior. There is a 94% treatment gap, with only 1 in 10 people in South Africa receiving needed mental health care. Fragmented Healthcare Providers: The complex healthcare system results in incomplete treatments, with 54% dropping out within a year. A multidisciplinary, whole-person approach can address this fragmentation Lack of Holistic Education: Few leadership programs focus on holistic health, often prioritizing success and high performance at the cost of well-being, leading to burnout and ill-health. Well-being is crucial for redefining success. Culturally Sensitive Care: Many mental health challenges are not well understood in culturally diverse contexts like South Africa. Effective treatment requires culturally appropriate approaches, essential in South Africa's diverse context to destigmatize mental health.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Our “HumanFuel Intelligence Test” offers leaders a holistic assessment to make informed mental health decisions, mitigate health risks, and optimize performance. Our “Tribe of Healers” multidisciplinary team combines certified indigenous healers with western-trained psychologists to provide leaders with holistic, globally accessible mental health support and personalized coaching, offering CBT and holistic approaches like sound, energy, and traditional healing. Accessible globally and available 24/7, at South African local rates. Thrive Academy’s online courses enhance essential leadership skills with guidance from a globally acclaimed faculty and offer valuable digital accreditation. The HumanFuel App integrates scientific insights with African cultural heritage to offer transformative well-being and behavior change for leaders. It offers a behavior change platform, a personalized wellness portal, and promotes incremental success and innovative habit formation.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our Ideal Customer Profile is segmented in 3 personas. For example: Profile 1 - CEO: Thiru Pillay, CEO of a transnational company, navigates a divorce and manages 2300 staff. With leaders impacting employee mental health as significantly as spouses (69%), Thiru seeks a therapist and executive coach for stress management and workplace well-being. Profile 2 - Pioneering Founder/Entrepreneur: Allon Raiz, founder of Raizcorp, faces burnout and weight gain. Given R96,500 annual presenteeism costs per employee, Allon seeks a mindfulness coach to enhance his routine and reduce costs. Profile 3 - Creative Artists and Activists: Nduduzo Makhathini, a global musician, battles depression amid a demanding European tour. With suicide claims up 13% in 2022 compared to previous periods, Nduduzo seeks holistic online coaching to sustain mental health and creativity.

01.05 When was your company established?

2021-08-22

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

0

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

Dr Joy Ntetha is on a mission to humanise business through sustainable leadership. She is a a globally trained award winning Organisational Psychologist with a doctorate in Organisational Leadership. She has 15 years as a Management Consultant working with leaders and managers across the globe on education, development, and well-being. She advises boards and the C-suite on human sustainability using a practitioner-scholar approach. Dr Joy is a Fulbright Scholar who studies ubuntu, holistic well-being, and organisational effectiveness. She is a sought out speaker, coach, and facilitator.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https//www.thenomalangatribe.africa

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

f) Healthcare (healthcare equipment and services)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

3

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

As a primary mental health business, our work contributes to the following targets: 3.4 - reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being Our products and services aim to reduce stress, burnout, and other mental health challenges for leaders. 3.5 - Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol Studies show that good mental health resources reduce dependency and abuse of substances. Our digital products strengthen and promote healthier coping mechanisms 3c the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States We work primarily with a team of local wellness providers including those in traditional medicine which are often excluded in the mental health space, but still relied on by South Africans.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Our work aligns with Target 4. 7 which states that by 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. Our courses on inner development focus on the sustainable performance of leaders, DEI issues, and living a holistically well life. We apply a culture of ubuntu to sustainable living and bring that into the approaches that inform our course development process.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Target 8.9 includes creating jobs and promotes local culture and products. One of our mental health solutions includes building Afrocentric wellbeing digital products. This will create opportunity to showcase to promote our culture

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

3

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

SDG Goal 15 is about humanity changing its relationship with nature. Our CoachingOutside hike intervention aims to improve leader's relationship with nature. It is based on a new form of therapy called ecotherapy that uses nature for its healing qualities. We use nature as a classroom to learn key leadership and wellness lessons. This is aligned to target

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

5

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

Human sustainability is at the core of our business. This includes our focus on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion matters at work. One of our signature leadership courses is on Inclusive Leadership which aims to build leadership capacity for inclusive decision making, addressing social justice issues, and building policies that support sustainable and responsible businesses. This aligns to target 16.6 and 16.7

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

Capacity building is a big element of partnerships for the goal. We are bringing in a global team of wellness and education providers to work together in addressing mental health challenges for leaders in South Africa. This links to target 17. Technology is another big part of Goal 17. Our business relies heavily on technology to implement telehealth and education solutions. This aligns to target 17.6

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

2

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

3

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

4

06.08 Justification for my startup

In our Personalized Coaching services, we offer "The HumanFuel Intelligence Test" assessment to gain deep insights into the leader's well-being, enhancing their personalized coaching and therapy journey. We also promote collaboration among a specialized multidisciplinary team tailored for comprehensive leader effectiveness, through our "Tribe of Healers", Unlike traditional wellness providers who operate independently, we integrate diverse expertise to address all aspects of well-being seamlessly. Online leadership courses are not unique, but what is innovative is the niche focus on holistic health of sustainable performance. Our courses are focused on helping leaders achieve inner development goals, a new initiative of SDGs, and unpopular aspects of leadership development. Telehealth and digital products for mindfulness are on the rise, however most are either Western or Eastern centric. We are innovating the space by offering digital mental health products that are Afrocentric.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

1. Employee Assistant Programs within organisations - remain underused only 7% usage, inflexible, and reactive 2. Big Medical Insurance Companies - expensive, not specialized in mental health, limited mental health consultations offered 3. Mental Health Centers - limited to clinical providers, lack of leader's contextual high stress environment 4. Executive Wellness providers - expensive, limited to clinical approach to reduce/treat illness rather than a holistic wellness approach 5. Mindfulness Apps - not tailored to leader's work environment, culturally insensitive The Nomalanga Tribe stands out because it offers; 1. A proactive, informed, and self-led healing journey approach to getting ahead of sever mental health conditions 2. A dynamic global team of holistic wellness providers from SA offering both traditional clinical psychology background, business coaching and holistic medicine 3. A culturally appropriate mental health solution for South Africans that is accessible online

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

I offer 15% discount on life-work coaching consultations 1-1 to black female entrepreneurs; I run a quarterly free group leader wellness coaching session of which female entrepreneurs form up to 50% attendance.