How start-up entrepreneurs manage mental health
We speak to Antler, a venture capital firm enabling start-ups, on how some of their early-stage entrepreneurs proactively manage their mental well-being
Text: Maddie Gupta, Hui Yi Phua
credit: Cup of Couple
Entrepreneurship can be an exhilarating yet sometimes lonely journey - full of ups and downs with often little emotional support or financial stability. On top of that, in today’s world, “hustle culture” promotes an unhealthy expectation for founders to sacrifice everything - sleep, exercise and mental wellbeing - in the pursuit of success.
It’s no surprise that this often-touted “success above all else” approach can lead to immense pressure, stress and burnout. Ultimately, this can have a severe impact on the physical and mental health of an entrepreneur. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 72% of entrepreneurs are affected by mental health issues compared to just 48% of non-entrepreneurs.
We checked in with Antler, a global early-stage venture capital firm investing in the world’s most exceptional people, on how the founders of their start-ups prioritise and manage their mental well-being while scaling their businesses.
1. Plan ahead with your mental and physical health in mind
According to Jeffrey Duyvesteijn, founder of For Youth, a curated one-stop platform for science-backed anti-aging therapies, exercise is key when it comes to maintaining a holistic work-life balance. “I clearly plan my week with time slots for work, exercise or relaxation. I exercise 5 or 6 times per week and try not to work after dinner”, he says. “You need to literally book time in your agenda and there should be very few excuses to move these slots”.
Jeffrey also recommends equipping yourself with tech tools to make it easier to stay on track with your wellness goals. “I have a couple of smart devices like a wifi-connected scale, sleep tracker mat and an Apple Watch. In particular, the Apple Watch makes it easy to set exercise goals and ensure that you are completing these goals every single day”, he says.
2. Lean on your support network and co-founders for advice and feed
credit: Antler
For Jennifer Widjaja, co-founder of Just Dabao, it makes a world of a difference to have a co-founder to talk (and vent) to when things get difficult. “My co-founder, Srikanth, is my rock and having another co-founder during your darkest days is the best kind of yoga, meditation, mental therapy that every co-founder needs and deserves”, she says. Jennifer and Srikanth are building Just Dabao, an e-commerce social enterprise platform that helps reduce food waste in Asia by connecting consumers to eateries with surplus food.
Looking back on her journey so far, Jennifer gives huge credit to her support network for helping to keep her on the right track. “My biggest learning is that feedback is the best form of gift”, she says. “Just Dabao did not start out like this at the beginning. It was only through the voices of our customers, merchants, mentors, family and friends that made us improve so much. Ideas really only matter when you start listening.”
3. Remember that mindfulness can help boost your performance as a founder
credit: Antler
According to Melvin Lim, Co-founder of Innade, it’s crucial for founders to understand that resting hard is as important as working hard. “You can only perform at your peak if your body and mind are healthy, so value your breaks as much as you value working hard for your startup”, he points out.
In order to reach optimal performance, it can be helpful to use gratitude journals, mindfulness apps (like Balance and Ten Percent), or meet with a coach. “I think a coach is a really important resource to have as they help you understand yourself through increased self-awareness — which in turn allows you to better understand what’s affecting you internally and externally”, says Melvin. “I'm now constantly having to practise skills I learnt in mindfulness and coaching to be more self-aware of feelings (like stress) that could impact my performance as a founder and manage them accordingly.”
Melvin and his co-founder Ayush are building Innade, a digital coaching platform that helps companies accelerate their growth using the power of coaching.
Antler VC
Antler strongly believes that founders need a strong toolkit of resources to be successful. Head over to their website to learn how Antler can facilitate your entrepreneurial journey and support you in making a big impact.
This article was independently published by The Soothe. For more information, please refer to our disclaimer.
