Founders chase success at all costs. But what happens when the cost is too high?

ForAdrian Locher, that cost was everything. As a serial entrepreneur, he built multiple startups, scaled across continents, and took 120+ flights in a year. At the peak of his career, his personal life collapsed. He missed the birth of his son. His marriage ended. He lost himself in the relentless pursuit of success.

This conversation isn’t just about burnout. It’s about what happens next⁠– and how to build a life that works.

Key insights Adrian shares:

The hidden warning signs of burnout founders ignore ⁠–until it’s too late
How to spot when your biggest strength is becoming your greatest weakness
Why every founder should rethink “work-life balance” (and what to do instead)
The three-bucket rule that helped him rebuild his life and company
How to be ruthlessly ambitious⁠–without destroying yourself in the process

This episode is for every founder who’s felt the pressure to sacrificeeverything for success.

Before you go:
We created this podcast to help founders navigate the chaos of startup life. If you found this valuable,subscribe to our free newsletter atfollowthegradient.io⁠–this week, we’re sharing exclusive insights from Adrian that didn’t make it into the episode.

Leaks Suggest OpenAI Running at a Massive Loss Due to Microsoft GPUs

Perplexity AI

Reported Inference Spend and Rising Compute Costs

The AI-powered Podcast Player