Founder Success and Self-Care

By Vestigo Envisions — Sep 19, 2023

Startup Founder Wellness = Sustainable Success

The best entrepreneurs we know fit wellness in their lives. There are certainly times when they have to work insane hours and complete exhausting tasks under stress, but it's just as important to find a wellness approach that works to relieve that stress.

The demanding nature of startup life often leaves little room for self-care, but neglecting founder wellness can have detrimental effects on both the individual and the company. Finding the proper balance can lead to increased productivity, better decision-making, and improved overall mental and physical health.

One of the most effective ways for startup founders to prioritize their wellness is by establishing healthy habits such as exercise and diets. While it may seem counterintuitive, taking breaks and setting boundaries can actually enhance productivity and prevent burnout. Engaging in physical activities not only boosts energy levels but also helps reduce stress and improve mental clarity.

Entrepreneurs, like all of us, need to foster a supportive network. Founders often face immense pressure and isolation, making it vital to surround themselves with understanding mentors. In addition, joining entrepreneurial networks or participating in industry events can provide valuable opportunities for connection and support.

By incorporating wellness in their lives, startup founders can not only thrive personally but also create a healthier and more sustainable work environment for their team. Often our role as venture investors is to help founders see that taking care of themselves is not a sign of weakness but a strategic investment in long-term productivity and happiness.

- Mark & Dave

Envisions Interview

Founder Success and Self-Care

w/ Alexi Pittalis, Founder at The Conscious Founder

We’re very excited that Alexi Pittalis, founder of The Conscious Founder and host of The Mind Field Podcast, took the time to sit down with Frazer Anderson for our latest Envisions Interview. As a founder and founder-coach, Alexi shares his many insights into the mental health, well-being, and performance of start-up founders.

Slow Down to Run Fast

Way longer than I’d like to admit, I was a track runner. I’ve loved running for as long as I can remember. I was a hurdler/ sprinter, which typically meant I would exert myself to maximum capacity for a short period of time, rest, then do it again. After graduation, with no track around me, I decided to run longer distances and even eventually trained for a marathon. One thing I was not so good at - pacing. I was always trying to perform at my top speed and beat my prior time but frustratingly saw little improvement. It wasn’t until a friend (who’d run cross-country) told me that, counterintuitively, I needed to slow down to run fast that I started to see improvements.

This insight has also extended into my professional life. As a founder, there is always more that can be done. A new strategy to think about. Or changes to a fundraising pitch. It’s easy to constantly be working. For me the whiplash and myriad voices providing well-meaning feedback was also a source of anxiety. Who to listen to? Who not to? How should we adjust our strategy, if at all? Beyond sorting through contradictory feedback, a week might consist of a low like hearing “this has been tried before and failed, not sure why it would work now” to highs like winning the MIT Fintech Start-up competition. Despite the fast pace we were moving, it became very obvious that this would be a marathon, not a sprint.

So I also had to learn to slow down to run fast. Not dissimilar to the early-stages of founding a start-up, I found that managing my own well-being requires constant checking in, reflection, testing and iteration. I used to set quarterly “catch-ups” where I would check in with myself. I’d have a list of top three questions to ask myself and would adjust my reflections from there. Questions might include:

On average, how have I been feeling?
What’s going well?
What’s going not-so-well?
What actions would make changes for the better?

Formality was not the goal here, but rather this routine provided just enough consistent structure for genuine and regular self-reflection.

Testing and iterating has led me to learn three big things about what I need for my own well-being:

Exercise: I need to be active and move. Mostly runs, but over time I’ve found incorporating yoga to be beneficial as well. I also love being outdoors and find hiking, skiing or just going for a walk great to refresh my spirit.
Social: I thrive on social interactions and get energy from seeing family and friends.
Sleep: I strongly admire those who can function well on little sleep. I have learned that sleep must be a top priority, directly influencing my mood, energy, and productivity.

Figuring out what works for me (which itself is continuously evolving) is by no means something I try to tackle individually. The importance of support systems cannot be overstated. Friends and family might be the first to notice when something is off and can provide feedback that something needs to change. In my case, it was a roommate, not me, who first noted how much she saw my stress level rise when it’d be too many days post a run. A simple observation from a trusted friend got me back on track.

This type of self-care is necessary for anyone, but even more so for founders, who are taking the stress of the start-up rollercoaster ride head-on. Taking care of a business requires first taking care of yourself - after all, a start-up cannot function if the founder is running on empty.

- Kelly

Portfolio Updates

Calculum and Wagmo Flagged as Top Up-and-Coming FinTechs

We're happy to share that both Calculum and Wagmo are getting people excited! Both companies were highlighted by Business Insider in their latest publication of the top new FinTech companies.

Climate Club Recognized as VERGE23 Accelerate Finalist

More portfolio recognition! Congrats to Climate Club on this great recognition as one of the top early-stage climate tech companies. It's very well deserved and Vestigo continues to be proud investors as Climate Club keeps on turning heads!

Retirable Partners With The Brokerage Inc.

Exciting news as through this partnership with the national FMO/IMO, Retirable's services will now be made available to The Brokerage's network of more than 25k brokers. Check out the link below to learn more!

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