Startup Syntax: Mental Health
Investor Liaison Hannah Savage talks "Sacrifice vs. Sustainability"
Sacrifice
It's Friday. Time to reflect and recharge. In lieu of last week and the week before that perhaps its time to talk about sacrifice vs. sustainability.
There’s a narrative in startup culture that glorifies sacrifice: living on ramen, draining personal savings, maxing out credit cards—all to prove you’re "all in." Investors love the hustle, right?
Self-Sabotage
Let me be clear—sacrifice is part of the journey, but it shouldn’t cost you your health, your sanity or your basic needs. This isn’t resilience—it’s self-sabotage.
As investors, we absolutely want to back founders who can weather the inevitable storms. Building a company is hard. There will be moments that test your resolve, and yes, you’ll have to make trade-offs. Still, it’s time we evolve the conversation around what is reasonable to sacrifice.
✅ What's reasonable:
Passing on a fancy office or big salary early on.
Eating home-cooked meals instead of eating out.
Skipping the annual vacation and opting for a staycation instead.
Pivoting the product or solution based on early customer feedback, even if it means abandoning a significant amount of work.
Postponing hiring a full-time marketing team and relying on freelance work.
🚫 What's not reasonable:
Paying yourself so little that you're losing sleep over rent or groceries.
Neglecting your health or mental well-being because "the company comes first."
Believing your worth as a founder is tied to how much you're suffering.
Sustainability
You can't build something great if you're operating from survival mode. No investor should expect that from you. The oxygen mask rule applies—take care of yourself first so you have the capacity to lead.
Founders: It's OK to draw boundaries. Sustainability is not weakness. It's what allows you to show up fully, make smart decisions and build for the long haul.
We invest in people first—your ability to navigate challenges is tied directly to your mental clarity and overall well-being. Let's stop glorifying burnout and start normalizing balance, modesty and reasonableness that fuels sustainability.
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