10 Oct Pressure, Burnout and the Support Behind the Business
Entrepreneurship is usually discussed in terms of ideas, customers, funding and growth. Less attention is given to the person behind the business, carrying the decisions, uncertainty and responsibility that come with building something.
To mark World Mental Health Day, YBTT hosted a conversation with Board Chair Dale Laughlin and Directors Rachel Renie-Gonzales and Avalene Connelly, moderated by CEO Shedron Collins. Rather than presenting a formal panel, the participants shared lived experiences of self-doubt, burnout, financial stress, work-life balance and the importance of having the right support system.
Pressure does not mean you are failing
Self-doubt emerged as one of the least visible parts of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs may appear confident while privately questioning whether they made the right decision, whether the business will succeed or whether they should return to the security of traditional employment.
Rachel reflected on how entrepreneurs are sometimes described as “crazy” for taking risks or pursuing ideas that others do not yet understand. She encouraged entrepreneurs to examine that language differently. What someone else calls crazy may actually represent innovation, courage and a willingness to take calculated risks.
Dale offered an important reminder:
The pressure we feel doesn’t mean we’re failing. It just means that we’re growing.
Pressure can be part of the entrepreneurial journey. The challenge is learning to understand what it is telling us. Some pressure encourages growth. Other pressure signals that our current way of working is becoming unsustainable.
Recognising burnout before the business suffers
Entrepreneurs sometimes become so accustomed to stress that they stop recognising its physical and emotional effects.
Rachel encouraged entrepreneurs to pay attention to what their bodies are communicating, particularly when the mind keeps insisting, “I’m fine.” Exhaustion, illness, disrupted sleep and constant tension may be early warning signs that something needs to change.
Avalene shared the experience of a business owner facing increased demand and the possibility of burnout. His conclusion was simple:
Eighty per cent of the work done by someone else beats 100 per cent of it being done by me at midnight.
Delegation can be difficult when the business feels deeply personal. However, doing everything alone is not proof of commitment. If the entrepreneur becomes unwell or completely exhausted, the business will eventually feel the consequences.
There is no single formula for how to recover from burnout. The first step is often recognising that continuing in the same way is no longer working. The next step may involve rest, delegation, changing expectations, creating boundaries or seeking professional support.
You cannot always have the conversation with yourself
One of the strongest themes from the discussion was that entrepreneurs cannot always recognise what is happening to them while they are in the middle of it.
Someone may need a trusted person to say, “You do not seem okay,” even when they continue insisting that everything is fine. That person could be a mentor, colleague, friend, family member or mental health professional.
The right support system provides a space where entrepreneurs can speak honestly without fear of judgement. It may also help address the loneliness that can come with leadership and entrepreneurship.
Support does not always mean solving someone’s problems. Sometimes it means listening, asking a difficult question or helping the person recognise that another type of support is needed.
As Shedron noted at the end of the conversation:
Seeking support is not a rejection of resilience.
It is often the decision that allows the entrepreneur and the business to continue in a healthier way.
Creating space for work-life balance
Running a business can create the feeling that the entrepreneur must be constantly available. There is always another customer, proposal, email or problem demanding attention.
But entrepreneurs do not need to be “always on.” Rest and work-life balance are not rewards reserved for after the business becomes successful. They are part of sustaining the person responsible for building it.
The panel discussed practical ways of reducing pressure:
- Delegate tasks when support is available.
- Identify responsibilities that someone else can manage.
- Schedule time for rest as deliberately as a business meeting.
- Pay attention to physical and emotional warning signs.
- Create trusted spaces where you can speak honestly.
- Seek qualified professional support when it is needed.
Even small forms of assistance can create meaningful breathing room. Support may involve hiring someone, sharing responsibilities with a team member or accepting practical help from family.
As Avalene reminded the group, “Doing nothing is doing something.” Rest can be intentional and productive when it allows the entrepreneur to recover.
Protecting what helps you feel grounded
Financial stress can intensify entrepreneurial pressure, particularly when income is uncertain but personal and business responsibilities continue.
Rachel encouraged entrepreneurs to identify the conditions that help them feel safe and grounded. This might include understanding the minimum income needed to meet monthly commitments, making time for physical health or protecting activities that bring peace and perspective.
This does not remove every challenge, but it gives the entrepreneur something practical to work towards. Learning to manage financial stress, protect personal wellbeing and establish clearer boundaries can reduce the feeling that everything is out of control.
Entrepreneurs should also be careful about comparing their progress with what they see online. Social media usually shows the customer win, new contract or successful launch, not the self-doubt and late nights behind it.
Every entrepreneurial journey is different. Someone else’s progress is not proof that you are behind.
Building the person as well as the business
Entrepreneurs are often encouraged to stop working only in the business and begin working on the business. The World Mental Health Day conversation added an equally important third responsibility: entrepreneurs must also work on themselves.
That means learning to recognise pressure, adjusting when the current approach is no longer sustainable and developing relationships that make honest conversations possible.
Entrepreneurial pressure does not automatically mean you are failing. But resilience does not mean ignoring burnout, carrying everything alone or sacrificing your health indefinitely.
Behind every business is a person. Supporting that person is part of building a sustainable business and a sustainable future.