That Will Never Work #52: Start-Up Stress Special: Mental Health for Founders
May 31, 2022
Diego Chavez, founder of the Local Contact travel-support app, shares his journey through startup burnout and the intense pressures that led to personal crises. He emphasizes the need for founders to prioritize mental health and the benefits of taking time off and seeking therapy. Therapist Susan Zinn provides evidence-based strategies for managing stress and discusses the stigma of mental health in startup culture. They explore the importance of honest communication with investors and advocate for reassessing growth goals to ensure well-being.
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Founder Burnout During Accelerator Push
- Diego describes Local Contact: a P2P travel support app matching travelers with local contacts via chat.
- He recounts intense accelerator work, legal threats, a co-founder being poached, and hitting deep burnout that made everything feel meaningless.
Pause, Seek Therapy, Then Rebuild
- Take concrete time off and start therapy when overwhelmed; Diego says therapy helped because the therapist knew nothing about him and offered honest space.
- He replaced pressure with exercise and self-care, which enabled stepping back from the project lifecycle.
Failure Is Often Not The Worst Outcome
- Marc emphasizes that company failure isn't the end of your life but personal damage can be long-lasting and sometimes irreversible.
- He argues founders must be willing to walk away to protect health, family, and relationships.
