Easier on the Other Side: Sandeep Rao of Founders Wellbeing on Entrepreneurs’ Mental Health | Episode 12 of Twist of Fate 

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There’s a lot to be said about what it takes to start a business. Unfortunately, it’s the Unicorn Stories that take precedence. Even when we know that most startups fail, we still think of the success stories when we hear ‘entrepreneur’. Of course, there’s a lot more to business than billion-dollar valuations. 

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The Agony and the Ecstasy 

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Sandeep Rao is the CEO of Founders Wellbeing, an organization that recognizes the force and the weight placed on a founder’s shoulders, and works to alleviate that burden whenever and however possible. Founders Wellbeing features a podcast where people can turn to for general advice, but also a panel of experts (including psychologists) who can help address any number of financial, emotional, or practical challenges. Host Douglas Younger III has plenty of insight on this matter. As the founder of 3STEPS4WARD, he knows what it means to struggle against multiple factors that seem determined to hold him back. 

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The first phase of a business is an exciting one, full of faith, hope, and passion. The founder has involved their friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances: practically anyone who will even feign interest. But this enthusiasm also inevitably slackens off after a few years, eventually hitting the kind of fatigue that a founder may have never seen coming. Rao and Younger both agree that the stress can manifest in any number of ways and everyone around you will eventually feel it.

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An Outlet for Despair

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At a low point, founders might not be able to see the reality in front of them. Employees may be crushed under the work without their even noticing. Founders may start to blame themselves for any and all negative outcomes, which can only further the shame. These are normal reactions to starting a business, but that doesn’t make them any easier to bear. Rao and Younger are adamant about the need for founders to take care of themselves, if only because it’s a non-negotiable if they want their business to thrive.

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At Founders Wellbeing, no emotion is too great to bring to the team. They may not be able to solve every problem, but they can at least point people to a resource that will be able to take action. Rao has worked all over the world, and he’s started a number of successful ventures. He also knows what it’s like to be immobilized by depression. He had to be willing to admit his defeats to people he trusted, and allow them to step in and lend a hand. 

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This is ultimately what his entire organization is about. And when it comes to success in his market, he’s unequivocal about how he views his competition. If there were endless  businesses all trying to do the same thing, he wouldn’t be threatened. His goal is to help founders, not capitalize on them. With the Great Resignation forcing every entrepreneur to feel the squeeze, there’s never been a better time to give leaders the support they need to keep the economy moving. 

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What It Means to Be the Greatest 

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Everyone wants to be undefeated. They want to achieve greatness in the first round because that’s what they think their hero did. But most people have more failures than you’re ever going to see (or more than they’re ever going to admit to). Success can happen anywhere, at any age, at any time, but so can struggle. Just because a founder reached their goals at some point, doesn’t mean other careers were smooth sailing. And, conversely, just because a person fails, doesn’t mean they won’t go onto big things. Sometimes, the difference between the two comes down to the ability to ask for help. 

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