Preventing Founder Burnout
It’s easy for entrepreneurs to find themselves spending more time working in their business than on their business. From the local café owner to the tech-fueled founder, passion for what they do can often make it hard to pull themselves out of the work and start performing like a CEO. Not to mention, it can be lonely at the top. These constant pressures of working for the business can lead to burnout and serious health issues if left unsupported.
Michael A Freeman, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, conducted a study that found that 49% of startup founders suffer from one or more mental health conditions during their lifetimes. This includes being twice as likely to suffer from depression (Entrepreneur.com).
A medical professional should address any mental health issues, but there are steps that communities and founders can take to keep burnout at bay.
- Create support systems – Networking groups are not only a place to exchange business cards but to find your tribe. Finding spaces where entrepreneurs can exchange ideas and discuss the challenges of running a business are critical for founders’ wellbeing.
- Get comfortable with failure – Rarely does anyone hit a home run the first time they go to bat. Utilizing events as an opportunity to have authentic conversations about the challenges of starting and growing a business help founders learn solutions from their peers. The Kauffman Foundation’s 1 Million Cups (1MC) is a great example of an event that encourages the question, “How can we help you?”. 1MC chapters across the globe meet regularly and allow small business owners to take the stage (or coffee shop floor!) and share what they’re working on and where they are stuck. Crowdsourcing solutions let entrepreneurs know that they are not alone in building their business, while fostering a community of support for the startups in your backyard.
- Delegate – Easier said than done, but finding tools through emerging technology or enlisting local business students to take on projects and tasks can free up a founder’s mental capacity to grow their business. Whether that’s a chamber-sponsored AI class or the work-based-learning programs at local colleges and trade shows – stop paddling in place and delegate!
At GrowGeorgia.com, we compiled a list of networking groups for small business and diverse founders. From minority-focused chambers to entrepreneurial programs.