As a society, we’re having much more productive conversations about mental health. We’ve begun to normalize the struggles we all face, seek help, and encourage others to do the same. Yet some days,and in some circles, it feels like we still have a long way to go. I believe entrepreneur circles and startup communities have some work to do in this regard.
I’ve been in entrepreneur circles for many years and I wouldn’t change that for anything. But there is a problem, and it’s high time we shine the light on it so that we can begin to talk about it with the openness and honesty it deserves.
Businesses Creates Change
Business, and entrepreneurship in particular, are powerful change agents. For thousands of years, business has transformed communities, cities, nations, and the globe.
Sadly, business has also had its share of greed-fueled disasters that have negatively impacted thousands of people, or even whole populations. Thankfully, these instances only represent a small portion of the history of business. The global story of business is filled with examples of positive impact. It drives development, education, and innovation.
I see the “best” of business in the world of entrepreneurship. The vast majority of the entrepreneurs I know are deeply committed to making a difference. Are they looking to make a profit and be their own boss? Absolutely! But they also believe their product or service is making the world a better place, or at least a better place for their customers.
Many seek to impact the lives of their employees. Others believe the freedom created by entrepreneurship will enable them to transform their family or community. It may take on many forms, but entrepreneurs are changemakers.
The Trouble with Entrepreneurship
I love entrepreneurship. I have been an entrepreneur, and continue to run a small business in addition to my full-time work. I facilitate programs that teach people how to successfully start a business. I consult, coach, and mentor other entrepreneurs. I love entrepreneurship.
However, there is a dark side to entrepreneurship, one that is destructive to the mental health of entrepreneurs. We’ve created a culture where “hustle” is king and taking time away to rest and recharge is judged as a lack of commitment. Entrepreneurs work desperately hard to personify the confidence and strength demanded by entrepreneurship culture, often sacrificing their own wellbeing to fit the mold.
And that is just to fit in. We also have to take into account the stress founders face when attracting investors, becoming and staying profitable, deciding when and how to scale, finding the right people for their team, and creating their organizational culture. The list goes on, and on, and on.
I’ve personally faced many of these stressors and I’ve seen them time and again with the entrepreneurs I’ve worked with over the past six years. Thankfully, others have started to notice the high-cost entrepreneurship often has on the wellbeing of entrepreneurs.
Several excellent articles have begun to shed light on the problem. In her award winning article from 2013, Jessica Bruder took a bold step to bring to light the struggles that lead entrepreneurs to experience anxiety and depression. She started an important conversation and provided a few practical steps, yet little has been done to move the needle forward and equip entrepreneurs to deal with depression, anxiety, and burnout.
In his December 2018 article, Jake Chapman points out many factors that lead to depression, anxiety, and burnout among entrepreneurs. He points to research conducted by Michael Freeman that highlights the extent of the problem.
Chapman addresses the devastating impact unaddressed mental health concerns can have, “Depression, anxiety and mood disorders all actively work to undermine founder performance. They often contribute to burnout, co-founder conflict, toxic company culture, increased employee turnover, an inability to hire top talent, an inability to “show up” for important meetings and pitches and poor decision making in general.”
These widely circulated articles are an excellent start and have sparked a healthy conversation in entrepreneurship circles. Unfortunately, I’ve found a lack of resources available to help entrepreneurs address these needs. Even more, I’ve found that the few resources that do exist were created with a distinct focus on female entrepreneurs. Sadly, neither men nor women are immune to the threats posed by these challenges and all entrepreneurs need access to tools and resources to help them to promote mental wellbeing.
At The Unleashed Startup, I want to continue this conversation. Together, we must work to destigmatize the struggles we face and equip our community to better care for our collective wellbeing.
Where do we Start?
We know it is a problem and we’re starting to talk about it. Where do we go from here? I believe we need to begin by equipping entrepreneurs in three key areas:
- Time Management - Let’s move beyond the outdated belief that we must push ourselves beyond the point of exhaustion to accomplish our mission.
- Address Fear and Anxiety - When left unchecked, these emotions affect us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Let’s improve our health and well-being by learning to transform fear and anxiety into creative power, new possibilities, and clear decision-making
- Burnout Prevention - We need to build self-awareness to learn to quickly catch burnout patterns and gain access to the tools that will help us to transform exhaustion into sustained passion, inspired motivation, and better performance
I strongly believe that the right tools and resources can promote mental health and wellbeing, and often prevent a crisis situation. However, it is vitally important that we learn to recognize the warning signs, both in our own lives and in others in our community. We must be willing to seek professional help and encourage others to do the same. (If you are in a time of crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255).
Let’s get started!
During this season of my life, I feel I have an opportunity to serve this community by continuing the conversation. I’ve noticed a lack of available resources, and I believe I can play a role in helping our community begin to take actionable steps to promote mental health and wellbeing.
Can you help me by joining the conversation? What are struggles from your entrepreneurial journey would you be willing to share? What has been the most helpful tool you have found to help you address these challenges? What tools would you like to see that you haven’t been able to find? I would love to hear your thoughts!