Founder mental health crisis: It’s time to write a more successful story

Why do 9 out of 10 founders fall at a hurdle? Is it a lack of hard work? A shortage of vision? Low drive? Lower ambitions?

Perhaps some could be guilty of that, but 90 percent? The maths is off, particularly in a world that glorifies ‘hustle culture’ in entrepreneurship – the idea that entrepreneurship means you never rest, you never stop, you never sleep.

But is there another path to success? 

Here Scott Armstrong, the founder of mentl, sits down with Lubna Forzley, CEO and founder of ‘Stories’ which aims to support the mental health of entrepreneurs through coaching and support.

Stories was recently awarded ‘Most innovative mental health tech’ in ‘the mentl awards 2023’, our inaugural annual mental health awards celebrated with a gala dinner at the St Regis Downtown. 

The latest episode of ‘the mentl space’ podcast, features insightful conversations for founders with Lubna who navigates complex topics such as mental health, leadership, coaching, and entrepreneurship with a fresh perspective. 

Perfect for inspiring and empowering founders, this episode is packed with wisdom that can help entrepreneurial minds thrive in their journeys.

Here are five key tips for founders extracted from the conversation:

1. Challenge Hierarchy in Leadership: Lubna draws attention to the often-hierarchical nature of corporate leadership and underscores the importance of moving towards flat structures that eliminate fear and foster open relationships between founders and investors.

2. Coach for Success: Pointing out that everyone needs leadership coaching, Lubna argues for the vital role of coaching in turning around struggling startups and elevating the performance of successful ones, equating it to learning new skills for continuous improvement.

3. Align Your Actions With Purpose: A recurrent theme is the alignment of a founder's day-to-day actions with their core purpose. Lubna stresses that misalignment leads to burnout and that founders should have the courage to drop activities that don't align with their “why”.

4. Embrace Personal Transformation: Reflecting on her own experiences with Gabor's program, Lubna discusses the transformative journey of becoming nonjudgmental, curious, and pain-embracing – traits that are invaluable for personal growth and effective leadership.

5. Normalise Mental Health Support: Lubna promotes the idea of normalising mental health conversations and support, aspiring for a future where access to coaching and therapy is as regular and accepted as any other health service – highlighting its critical role in overall well-being and success.

The passion Lubna brings to the conversation on entrepreneurship goes far beyond conventional business talk, emphasising the importance of personal development, compassionate leadership, and purpose-driven action for founders looking to leave a lasting impact.

Listen to the podcast now.