Startup life is messy. Calendars? Even messier.

As a biochemist working full-time while completing my PhD, I had made a personal commitment to myself: to live and experience life in a way that felt fulfilling and aligned with who I wanted to become. That meant more than professional progress.

Nobody launches a startup for an easier life. We forge it from passion, craft it from sleepless optimism, and power it with triple-shot caffeine.

Even the most accomplished business leaders can secretly wrestle with crippling self-doubt. This is particularly true of SME leaders lacking significant peer networks with which to share concerns and challenges with. The consequences of this can be significant, hindering the bold decision-making and inspirational leadership an SME needs to grow and innovate.

For the second year in a row, employers’ biggest concern for their staff is stress and anxiety related to work, according to research conducted by GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector.

Research by Towergate Employee Benefits among UK companies with overseas employees shows that only 36% of companies offer different health and wellbeing support depending upon the country in which their employees are based.

My moment of clarity in knowing that I wanted to build businesses for a living came in an unusual place: a US Open qualifier.

Founder anxiety isn't just real – it's inevitable. When you're building a business from the ground up, carrying the weight of responsibility for your team's livelihoods and your company's future, anxiety comes with the territory. The flexibility, autonomy, and ability to build something aligned with your values are incredible perks of being a founder, but they come at a psychological cost that many underestimate.

Did you know that 70% of Organisational Change Projects fail? This comes from Harvard Business Review, and is a stark reminder that Leaders need to get ahead of the game and be prepared and ready for change, and to have the kind of reputation that instils trust.

“I was fidgeting through life in outfits – and identities – that didn’t quite fit.”

I want to be honest straight off the bat, resilience isn’t just some fluffy buzzword we throw around to sound inspirational. For women running businesses, especially those doing it while juggling kids, self doubt, the dreaded imposter syndrome, deadlines, caring responsibilities and the pressure to show up looking polished for Instagram, resilience is often the quiet force that gets us through the day. We never think much about it until after the fact, only when looking back on what we have waded through, that Resilience in it's true form is appreciated!

It was during my second startup that I burnt out. After my first company took off quickly – creating and delivering DSLR camera equipment to customers worldwide within a year – I assumed my next venture would be just as smooth. I was wrong.

Let’s stop pretending that your weekly corporate Zoom yoga is fixing burnout. Your company rolls out meditation apps, hosts mental health webinars, and maybe even throws in a mindfulness day once a quarter. All under the banner of ‘employee wellness’. Meanwhile, the calendar is still packed with back-to-back meetings, Slack never sleeps, and your team’s average workday just bled into their evening…again.

When was the last time you asked for directions? Perhaps you’re too proud. And now we have Google Maps, the need to plead with another human to show us the way is reassuringly rare. But I asked for directions last week and came completely unstuck. 

Last year, the advanced electronic sensor manufacturer GSS undertook a trial to investigate the potential benefits (or drawbacks) of switching to a 4-day week in terms of staff moral and the effect on production.

In a world obsessed with opinions, expectations, and playing it safe, a new breed of entrepreneurs and startup founders is emerging. These bold individuals are rejecting the status quo, cranking up their confidence, and embracing a mindset that I like to call the “Flying Flooberry” philosophy. It’s all about not giving a single fluffy, sparkly, cheese-filled care about other people’s judgments. And trust me, this attitude is a total game-changer.

Every founder has heard it: “You’re taking on too much.” Yet, in the rush of launching multiple ventures, it’s easy to brush off warnings until the consequences hit. 

For many the idea of planning and running a large scale event might automatically get your heart rate pumping, and it certainly did for me earlier in my career. I’d worry about the slightest details with lots of anxious thoughts and sleepless nights in the run up to anything I was working on.

Working in tech often comes with its own set of challenges, leading to high levels of stress. Driven by tight deadlines, imposter syndrome, and the constant need to prove oneself in a male-dominated field, emotional wellbeing can take a hit.

You’ve hired sharp Gen Z talent, handed them ownership, stacked your roadmap … and then, six weeks later, they’re burned out, disengaged, or thinking about leaving. Sound familiar?