How a VC’s prior work experience might affect their approach to founder mental health
Founder Mental Health is not a newly formed concept, and yet, coming upon a recent LinkedIn post by Amy Lewin outlining that “the vast majority of European VC partners have still never actually run a startup — or worked in one”, with a good majority of them being “former bankers or private equity investors”, a question arises: how might a VC’s past experience affect their approach towards founder mental health?
Empathy and Understanding
Firstly, with the rise of non-founder VCs, it is possible that we see bigger gaps forming between founders and their investors, with such VC’s finding it challenging to empathise with the founders they are investing in, because they have not experienced the journey of a founder first-hand. We all hear the stories yes, but to have lived them provides a much fuller and richer perspective.
That is not necessarily a negative thing, as each individual fits into a role, with each serving a purpose as they work together, for example the provision of discipline and concrete targets for VC backed founders. Indeed one of the benefits of corporate environments is the focus towards processes and structure which is often a challenge in early stage startups.
Nevertheless, it does not erase the chasm that can exist between founder and VC when the latter has never before stepped into the shoes of the former.
This is merely one reasoning floating around for those VCs who struggle to fully grasp or appreciate the mental health challenges faced by founders, and in some cases the dismissal of their significance.
Of course, one should not generalise; for certain there are VCs with no prior founder experience who are big advocates of mental wellbeing.
Nevertheless, as Founder turned VC, Rory Sterling mentions, there is a certain advantage to having been a founder before becoming a VC. He mentions that being a founder gave him great empathy and insight for his work as a VC, which he deems essential as he believes that VCs need to be able to understand what founders are going through.
Afterall, VCs are not only investing in a company, but the person who conceptualised and raised it from the ground up, and their capacity to continue building and bettering their vision as well as leading their team. As such, it is crucial for VCs to take at least some responsibility for the founders in whose companies they invest in and provide the environment for founders to be open and honest in order for both themselves and their companies to thrive.
The benefits of VCs investing in Mental health
Indeed, VCs are not only investing in a company, in an idea - rather they are taking a risk on a person: the founder behind it all. Hence, whether VCs have been founders before and can relate to the mental struggles attached to the role, or if they have never been a founder before, investing in the wellbeing of founders is crucial in the progression of a business.
Performance Management.
In simple, business terms, this is precisely what investing in a founder’s mental health can classify as. By prioritising a founder’s wellbeing, VCs are ensuring the evolution of the founder into the best leader they can possibly be, who will then drive the company forward. By investing in their founders, VCs are also investing in the success of the business and of course naturally their own return.
Arguably, if a VC was previously a founder, they might have a greater zeal to support their founders and provide them with a safe environment to flourish in. But the two are not mutually exclusive. To be a good, considerate and empathetic VC, one does not necessarily need to have been a founder.
As long as the VC, as an individual, has the want and drive to be better, then they can be a great VC who supports their founders and creates a fruitful environment for them through validating and championing their mental wellbeing. Even if you cannot directly relate to the struggles of a founder, you can always educate yourself by:
👉 Actively reading around the topic of founder mental health,
👉 Speaking directly to founders to understand their experiences and challenges,
👉 Getting involved with conversations centred around founder mental health,
👉 Learning to provide a safe space for founders to open up about their concerns, thus constructing a relationship based on trust.
Creating a sustainable founder ecosystem
By building a relationship as the one outlined above - based on trust - VCs are then instigating the formation of a community.
The VCs of today should consider founder wellness checks as part of their role and responsibilities, laying the foundations for healthy communication which can lead to founders being more forthcoming instead of producing barriers between founders and their investors that may ultimately harm all stakeholders involved. On the other side, with care for founder mental health and correct implementation of initiatives, the benefits for all stakeholders are to be significant, and this is evident in cases where it is already being done.
Respect and a healthy relationship between founders and investors may more easily arise when they share lived experiences, when the founders feel seen and understood. Yet, to be clear, to have walked similar paths is not a requirement, nor is it the norm of today, therefore it is important for non-founder VCs to play their role in bridging the gap, by actively becoming mindful and knowledgeable on the topic of founder mental health.
Yaffa Abadi of F2 Venture Capital writes that “VCs can see founders as a means to an end, an approach that is neither pleasant nor beneficial. Or they can see them as people with people problems and address them as needed".
Indeed, it is about forming a community, not between investors and founders, but between people.
In fact, by VCs taking an active step in educating themselves on founder wellbeing, we may witness a snowball effect with mental health literacy and support better reaching all corners of the startup world, cementing the development of a much healthier, higher-functioning and sustainable start-up ecosystem.
We all have our own mental health experiences, and therefore there should always be a means of relating to others on this topic, no matter what position you hold.
Therefore, while it seems a VC’ s previous working experience might affect their initial approach to founder mental health and relationships with founders, at the end of the day it comes down to the individual, who they want to be and their vision for a better, healthier, and more sustainable business environment.
Written by: Eleni Socratous, Marketing and Community Associate
How a VC’s prior work experience might affect their approach to founder mental health
Founder Mental Health is not a newly formed concept, and yet, coming upon a recent LinkedIn post by Amy Lewin outlining that “the vast majority of European VC partners have still never actually run a startup — or worked in one”, with a good majority of them being “former bankers or private equity investors”, a question arises: how might a VC’s past experience affect their approach towards founder mental health?
Empathy and Understanding
Firstly, with the rise of non-founder VCs, it is possible that we see bigger gaps forming between founders and their investors, with such VC’s finding it challenging to empathise with the founders they are investing in, because they have not experienced the journey of a founder first-hand. We all hear the stories yes, but to have lived them provides a much fuller and richer perspective.
That is not necessarily a negative thing, as each individual fits into a role, with each serving a purpose as they work together, for example the provision of discipline and concrete targets for VC backed founders. Indeed one of the benefits of corporate environments is the focus towards processes and structure which is often a challenge in early stage startups.
Nevertheless, it does not erase the chasm that can exist between founder and VC when the latter has never before stepped into the shoes of the former.
This is merely one reasoning floating around for those VCs who struggle to fully grasp or appreciate the mental health challenges faced by founders, and in some cases the dismissal of their significance.
Of course, one should not generalise; for certain there are VCs with no prior founder experience who are big advocates of mental wellbeing.
Nevertheless, as Founder turned VC, Rory Sterling mentions, there is a certain advantage to having been a founder before becoming a VC. He mentions that being a founder gave him great empathy and insight for his work as a VC, which he deems essential as he believes that VCs need to be able to understand what founders are going through.
Afterall, VCs are not only investing in a company, but the person who conceptualised and raised it from the ground up, and their capacity to continue building and bettering their vision as well as leading their team. As such, it is crucial for VCs to take at least some responsibility for the founders in whose companies they invest in and provide the environment for founders to be open and honest in order for both themselves and their companies to thrive.
The benefits of VCs investing in Mental health
Indeed, VCs are not only investing in a company, in an idea - rather they are taking a risk on a person: the founder behind it all. Hence, whether VCs have been founders before and can relate to the mental struggles attached to the role, or if they have never been a founder before, investing in the wellbeing of founders is crucial in the progression of a business.
Performance Management.
In simple, business terms, this is precisely what investing in a founder’s mental health can classify as. By prioritising a founder’s wellbeing, VCs are ensuring the evolution of the founder into the best leader they can possibly be, who will then drive the company forward. By investing in their founders, VCs are also investing in the success of the business and of course naturally their own return.
Arguably, if a VC was previously a founder, they might have a greater zeal to support their founders and provide them with a safe environment to flourish in. But the two are not mutually exclusive. To be a good, considerate and empathetic VC, one does not necessarily need to have been a founder.
As long as the VC, as an individual, has the want and drive to be better, then they can be a great VC who supports their founders and creates a fruitful environment for them through validating and championing their mental wellbeing. Even if you cannot directly relate to the struggles of a founder, you can always educate yourself by:
👉 Actively reading around the topic of founder mental health,
👉 Speaking directly to founders to understand their experiences and challenges,
👉 Getting involved with conversations centred around founder mental health,
👉 Learning to provide a safe space for founders to open up about their concerns, thus constructing a relationship based on trust.
Creating a sustainable founder ecosystem
By building a relationship as the one outlined above - based on trust - VCs are then instigating the formation of a community.
The VCs of today should consider founder wellness checks as part of their role and responsibilities, laying the foundations for healthy communication which can lead to founders being more forthcoming instead of producing barriers between founders and their investors that may ultimately harm all stakeholders involved. On the other side, with care for founder mental health and correct implementation of initiatives, the benefits for all stakeholders are to be significant, and this is evident in cases where it is already being done.
Respect and a healthy relationship between founders and investors may more easily arise when they share lived experiences, when the founders feel seen and understood. Yet, to be clear, to have walked similar paths is not a requirement, nor is it the norm of today, therefore it is important for non-founder VCs to play their role in bridging the gap, by actively becoming mindful and knowledgeable on the topic of founder mental health.
Yaffa Abadi of F2 Venture Capital writes that “VCs can see founders as a means to an end, an approach that is neither pleasant nor beneficial. Or they can see them as people with people problems and address them as needed".
Indeed, it is about forming a community, not between investors and founders, but between people.
In fact, by VCs taking an active step in educating themselves on founder wellbeing, we may witness a snowball effect with mental health literacy and support better reaching all corners of the startup world, cementing the development of a much healthier, higher-functioning and sustainable start-up ecosystem.
We all have our own mental health experiences, and therefore there should always be a means of relating to others on this topic, no matter what position you hold.
Therefore, while it seems a VC’ s previous working experience might affect their initial approach to founder mental health and relationships with founders, at the end of the day it comes down to the individual, who they want to be and their vision for a better, healthier, and more sustainable business environment.
Written by: Eleni Socratous, Marketing and Community Associate
How a VC’s prior work experience might affect their approach to founder mental health
Founder Mental Health is not a newly formed concept, and yet, coming upon a recent LinkedIn post by Amy Lewin outlining that “the vast majority of European VC partners have still never actually run a startup — or worked in one”, with a good majority of them being “former bankers or private equity investors”, a question arises: how might a VC’s past experience affect their approach towards founder mental health?
Empathy and Understanding
Firstly, with the rise of non-founder VCs, it is possible that we see bigger gaps forming between founders and their investors, with such VC’s finding it challenging to empathise with the founders they are investing in, because they have not experienced the journey of a founder first-hand. We all hear the stories yes, but to have lived them provides a much fuller and richer perspective.
That is not necessarily a negative thing, as each individual fits into a role, with each serving a purpose as they work together, for example the provision of discipline and concrete targets for VC backed founders. Indeed one of the benefits of corporate environments is the focus towards processes and structure which is often a challenge in early stage startups.
Nevertheless, it does not erase the chasm that can exist between founder and VC when the latter has never before stepped into the shoes of the former.
This is merely one reasoning floating around for those VCs who struggle to fully grasp or appreciate the mental health challenges faced by founders, and in some cases the dismissal of their significance.
Of course, one should not generalise; for certain there are VCs with no prior founder experience who are big advocates of mental wellbeing.
Nevertheless, as Founder turned VC, Rory Sterling mentions, there is a certain advantage to having been a founder before becoming a VC. He mentions that being a founder gave him great empathy and insight for his work as a VC, which he deems essential as he believes that VCs need to be able to understand what founders are going through.
Afterall, VCs are not only investing in a company, but the person who conceptualised and raised it from the ground up, and their capacity to continue building and bettering their vision as well as leading their team. As such, it is crucial for VCs to take at least some responsibility for the founders in whose companies they invest in and provide the environment for founders to be open and honest in order for both themselves and their companies to thrive.
The benefits of VCs investing in Mental health
Indeed, VCs are not only investing in a company, in an idea - rather they are taking a risk on a person: the founder behind it all. Hence, whether VCs have been founders before and can relate to the mental struggles attached to the role, or if they have never been a founder before, investing in the wellbeing of founders is crucial in the progression of a business.
Performance Management.
In simple, business terms, this is precisely what investing in a founder’s mental health can classify as. By prioritising a founder’s wellbeing, VCs are ensuring the evolution of the founder into the best leader they can possibly be, who will then drive the company forward. By investing in their founders, VCs are also investing in the success of the business and of course naturally their own return.
Arguably, if a VC was previously a founder, they might have a greater zeal to support their founders and provide them with a safe environment to flourish in. But the two are not mutually exclusive. To be a good, considerate and empathetic VC, one does not necessarily need to have been a founder.
As long as the VC, as an individual, has the want and drive to be better, then they can be a great VC who supports their founders and creates a fruitful environment for them through validating and championing their mental wellbeing. Even if you cannot directly relate to the struggles of a founder, you can always educate yourself by:
👉 Actively reading around the topic of founder mental health,
👉 Speaking directly to founders to understand their experiences and challenges,
👉 Getting involved with conversations centred around founder mental health,
👉 Learning to provide a safe space for founders to open up about their concerns, thus constructing a relationship based on trust.
Creating a sustainable founder ecosystem
By building a relationship as the one outlined above - based on trust - VCs are then instigating the formation of a community.
The VCs of today should consider founder wellness checks as part of their role and responsibilities, laying the foundations for healthy communication which can lead to founders being more forthcoming instead of producing barriers between founders and their investors that may ultimately harm all stakeholders involved. On the other side, with care for founder mental health and correct implementation of initiatives, the benefits for all stakeholders are to be significant, and this is evident in cases where it is already being done.
Respect and a healthy relationship between founders and investors may more easily arise when they share lived experiences, when the founders feel seen and understood. Yet, to be clear, to have walked similar paths is not a requirement, nor is it the norm of today, therefore it is important for non-founder VCs to play their role in bridging the gap, by actively becoming mindful and knowledgeable on the topic of founder mental health.
Yaffa Abadi of F2 Venture Capital writes that “VCs can see founders as a means to an end, an approach that is neither pleasant nor beneficial. Or they can see them as people with people problems and address them as needed".
Indeed, it is about forming a community, not between investors and founders, but between people.
In fact, by VCs taking an active step in educating themselves on founder wellbeing, we may witness a snowball effect with mental health literacy and support better reaching all corners of the startup world, cementing the development of a much healthier, higher-functioning and sustainable start-up ecosystem.
We all have our own mental health experiences, and therefore there should always be a means of relating to others on this topic, no matter what position you hold.
Therefore, while it seems a VC’ s previous working experience might affect their initial approach to founder mental health and relationships with founders, at the end of the day it comes down to the individual, who they want to be and their vision for a better, healthier, and more sustainable business environment.
Written by: Eleni Socratous, Marketing and Community Associate