This week’s 1 Million Cups at the Kauffman Foundation featured pitches by two online startups, one offering psychological services and the other providing acting lessons.

Talk2Me at 1 Million Cups

First up was Mark Nolte, a veteran medical sales professional and founder of Talk2Me. Nolte discussed the new Talk2me website and how it offers online psychological counseling services 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a secure messaging system and Health-E-Me virtual videoconferencing with licensed therapists.

“We don’t see this as a replacement, but as a supplement” to traditional in-office psychological counseling, Nolte said, adding that a disclaimer on the Talk2Me website states that services are not for people who have suicidal thoughts.

Regarding his business’s online competition, Nolte said, “There are no other big players. The market’s wide open.”

Currently, Talk2Me isn’t collecting any fees from its participating counselors, who directly bill Talk2Me clients for their services. However, a monthly $200 to $300 subscription fee will be instituted for participating counselors in the future, Nolte said. The company’s goal is get 30 to 40 counselors on board.

iActing Studios at 1 Million Cups

Next up was actor Robert Stewart, whose iActing Studios startup teaches acting online, as well as at its Kansas City studio through videoconferencing, prerecorded classes and one-on-one coaching.

About 50 online teachers contribute to iActing Studios. They are “the best of the best” with thousands of professional credentials in the TV and movie industry, Stewart said, including actor Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame.

Stewart compared the experience of learning acting from teachers at iActing Studios to being taught how to play golf by Tiger Woods or how to play baseball by George Brett.

However, he also didn’t want to overpromise.

“We’re not about getting kids (acting) work,” Stewart said. “We’re about training kids so they can get work … If they move to L.A., we’ll increase their chances a hundredfold.”