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Founder life isn’t just pressure - it’s pressure plus isolation.

In this Peer Effect Post bag, James Johnson and Freddie Birley respond to a raw listener question: “I’m managing depression while being a founder - what do I do?”

What follows isn’t advice from a textbook. It’s a grounded, honest conversation about shame, identity, and what it really means to build while not being “fully okay.”

They explore why founders often mistake discipline for worth, how mental health can quietly reshape leadership, and why some of the traits you think are weaknesses might actually be advantages in disguise.

This episode is about learning to stop fighting yourself long enough to actually see what’s going on - and deciding what to change, and what to carry differently.

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com