Jodie Cariss is the co-founder of Self Space, the world’s first on-demand mental health service, which she established with Chance Marshall in 2017.
Following an early career as a children’s television presenter, Jodie trained as a dramatherapist and executive coach, and has worked with global organisations to develop models that promote social and cultural change. Her book with Chance, How to Grow Through What You Go Through, is published by Penguin.
We caught up with Jodie as part of our interview series with inspirational female founders to hear her advice for entrepreneurs on the importance of trusting others, making time for rest – and saying sorry.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting Self Space, and how did you overcome it?
I have a deep-seated and very old wound around trust and trusting others. I’ve been working on it for a long time in therapy and think I’m getting better at it. Ultimately, if we trust ourselves and our own judgement and can accept our fallibility as messy humans – but create the space and time to connect with our deeper selves – we will find the place of deep, deep trust.
In the early days of Self Space I had to work really hard on what it meant for me to bring people along on the journey with me, knowing I couldn’t do it all myself but struggling hugely with what it meant to let go a little and allow others to walk alongside and sometimes in front – and accept that both I and they might not always get it right. I had to trust others if I wanted the business to succeed. I had to trust that those people cared about the business, the work, the clients and me enough to help make it thrive, making the journey less lonely and more creative.
I feel lucky to work alongside Chance, my co-founder, which is a relationship we’ve worked hard on together and trust plays a massive part in that. March, and Peter in particular, are also people I trust and they’ve been alongside guiding us since the very beginning. I’m grateful for all the hands that help us. I know I still have a way to go in this area, but am learning and growing every day.
What key decisions or strategies helped you scale Self Space successfully?
In the early phases I gathered a group of people I respected and trusted, and who I thought had good taste, to share the idea and problem-solve. This felt like a very big step in terms of moving an idea from my head into the world and opening it up to other people’s opinions. I found this incredibly rewarding. Coming back to this often when I’m facing a big decision always supports me for the better.
It’s not a strategy, but I try to lead the business from a place of authenticity and humanness, being proud of my vulnerability and limitations as well as my skill and owning my mistakes fully when I make them (which I do, often). This tends to bring people closer and we need good people close to succeed.
"Busy-ness can be a defence against feeling, and we need our feelings in order to lead with intuition and grace, so make space for that. Not everything needs to be productive or purposeful."
What advice would you give to a female entrepreneur starting out in your industry?
Surround yourself with people who can support you, challenge you, and hold you accountable, but also give you a shoulder when you need it. It can be very lonely being the decision-maker and having people with you in it is critical.
Busy-ness is worn as a badge of honour in our culture and I encourage you to make space for good and proper rest. Know busy-ness can be a defence against feeling, and we need our feelings in order to lead with intuition and grace, so make space for that. Not everything needs to be productive or purposeful. It’s optimum to make time to just be.
Say sorry meaningfully and often. In both your private and professional life. There will be many ruptures along the way, but it’s the repair that counts the most. It’s how you say “I’m sorry, I wish I’d done this differently” to your team, your partner, your kids and most importantly yourself. Meet them all with compassion and love.
How would you like to see the world of work change for women in the future?
I’d like us to stop having to say ‘women in business’ and other reductive phrases like this. It’s people in business – some will be good and some less so, and it doesn’t matter how you identify. I’d like to see care, attention, and celebration in the workplace for what makes all of us special, brilliant and unique, and less focus on how we gender.
I’d like us to stop having to fight for equality and it just be a given. I’d like room and space to be made for the parent that holds the biggest load in that role, regardless of sex, and for them to receive support from the workplace. I’d still like to see old-school values shine through. By that I mean let’s hold the door open for everyone, both actually and metaphorically.
What professional achievement are you most proud of?
I’m very proud that we’ve delivered over 100,000 sessions. That’s 100,000 stories told in a safe place – 100,000 conversations had in a space where being seen and heard is a given. That’s 100,000 moments shared and lighter loads. All those brave souls crossing the threshold into the unknown are amazing and I’m proud of being a small part of that.
