The Conscious Entrepreneur — EP 112: Why HALF of Founders Want to Quit their Startups (Replay)

Podcast Host: Alex Raymond (guest hosting for Sarah Lockwood)
Guest: Amy Lewin (Editor at Sifted)
Aired: October 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the pressing issue of founder mental health and burnout, highlighting new research from Sifted that reveals almost half of startup founders in Europe are considering quitting their companies this year. Alex Raymond interviews Amy Lewin about the striking statistics from her March 2024 article, the unseen emotional toll of entrepreneurship, and what meaningful steps the startup community can take to support founders’ wellbeing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sobering Statistics on Founder Wellbeing

[03:06] Amy Lewin shares:

• Surveyed 156 founders (primarily Europe-based, various stages from bootstrapped to Series B+).
• 49% of founders surveyed are considering leaving their business within the year.
• 85% experienced high stress in the past year; 75% developed anxiety.
• Personal stories cite struggles sustaining the “rhythm,” deteriorating mental and physical health, and impacts on families.

"49% told us that they were considering leaving their business this year. 85% said that they'd experienced high stress in the past year... Some of the comments that people were sharing were just really sad."
— Amy Lewin [03:06]

2. The Hidden Side of Startup Life

[05:03] Alex Raymond:

• Public sees only success stories, not the personal or psychological challenges.
• Amy notes founders rarely talk to investors about struggles; instead, they rely most on family and friends (who often lack context).

"We get the most amazing response. People love knowing, I guess, that they're not the only ones."
— Amy Lewin [06:19]

• Very few founders open up to their investors due to fear of judgment or because the investors are not perceived as “safe” or understanding enough.

3. The Stigma of Vulnerability and Entrepreneurial Loneliness

[10:55] Alex Raymond:

• Discusses societal and industry stigma: founders are expected to be “superhuman,” never weak.
• Insiders often perpetuate this, as seen in critical LinkedIn comments (“Any successful founder doesn't have time for surveys like this.”).

“That idea that any successful founder could never possibly have had any mental health challenges… is just absolute nonsense.”
— Amy Lewin [12:30]

4. Investors’ Role: Progress and Pitfalls

[08:41] Amy Lewin:

• Highlights a few forward-thinking VCs (e.g., Cherry’s Copilot program, Balderton) who offer coaching support or mental health resources.
• Mixed reception from founders: Some want support beyond capital; others prefer boundaries.

"Some well-known investors are making these statements... But I don't know if that's always going to be the right solution."
— Amy Lewin [09:39]

• Discussion of financial insecurity: Many founders avoid paying themselves fairly and would be helped by VCs encouraging founders to take appropriate salaries.

5. The State of the Market and Creative Destruction

[15:51] Amy Lewin:

• The market is tougher post-pandemic; a lot of “creative destruction” (M&A, shutdowns) is likely to accelerate.
• Founders may see acquisition as the best way forward, both for themselves and their teams.

"We're anticipating... a lot of M&A and a lot of that won't be the ideal outcome. That will be founders kind of saying, you know, I’ve had enough..."
— Amy Lewin [15:51]

6. What Actually Helps Founders? Support, Networks & Perspective

[20:02] Amy Lewin:

• Having a support network—spouses, family, but especially other founders—makes the biggest difference.
• Peer groups (EO, YPO, Vistage, etc.) and professional coaches or therapists are noted as especially valuable (though cost can be prohibitive).
• Market “normalization” may, paradoxically, help: clearer expectations, more sustainable business models.

"Having a support network is so important, whether that is your partner, your family, whether it's co founders, other founders."
— Amy Lewin [20:02]

“There’s been a few shocks to the ecosystem which actually are likely to lead to us building fundamentally better businesses and organizations.”
— Amy Lewin [21:15]

7. Healthy Founders Build Healthy Companies

[18:40] Alex Raymond:

• Myths about “no days off” are harmful; in reality, burnout undermines whole startups.

"I've never seen a company go bust because the founder took a week off, but I have seen plenty of companies go bust because the founder didn't."
— Alex Raymond [18:40]

• If you can't trust the team enough to take a break, you're missing key skills in delegation and leadership.

“If you are that terrified of taking a week off, maybe you need to work on that and then take your time off.”
— Amy Lewin [18:54]

8. When to Quit and the Value of Breaks

[25:10] Amy Lewin:

• Sometimes, closing or stepping aside is the healthiest move. Many who do so wish they did it sooner.
• 39% of surveyed founders would take a break if they left their startup—a time to recharge and reflect.

"People generally don't regret sort of ending things sooner than they... would otherwise."
— Amy Lewin [25:27]

• Serial founders are highly valued; failures become future selling points for VCs.

9. How Can We Support the Founders Around Us?

[26:56] Amy Lewin:

• The most valuable thing is to simply listen, non-judgmentally, and normalize mental health conversations.
• Everyone has personal and professional challenges, even (or especially) founders.
• Remind entrepreneurs: take care of yourself, you’re essential to your business and your team.

“No founder is... some sort of god who never experiences any of these things. Every company goes through a million speed bumps... and, yeah, you've got to absolutely look after yourself because you are such a key component of that business and that team.”
— Amy Lewin [27:43]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Founders need to understand what they're getting into...with your work, we're now starting to have more color to this picture so that we can really help support founders for the long term.” — Alex Raymond [28:22]

• “You can't pour from an empty cup, as they say.”
  — Alex Raymond [28:22]

• “Give an entrepreneur a hug. Do we need a global ‘Give an Entrepreneur a Hug’ day?”
  — Alex Raymond [27:01] (lighthearted but evocative moment)

Noteworthy Timestamps

• [03:06] — Amy reviews main survey findings on stress, anxiety, and burnout rates.
• [07:19] — Who founders confide in (hint: rarely their investors).
• [10:55] — The enduring stigma around founder vulnerability.
• [12:14] — The “superhuman” founder myth called out.
• [18:40] — Why overworking rarely saves companies.
• [20:02] — Amy on the importance of support networks and peer groups.
• [25:10] — Discussion about quitting, taking breaks, and the value of serial entrepreneurship.
• [26:56] — How to concretely support the founders in your life.

Episode Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is frank, empathetic, and practical—no glorification of “hustle culture” or founder self-sacrifice. Both Alex and Amy advocate for openness, community, and self-awareness as crucial for entrepreneurship that is not only successful, but also sustainable. The episode affirms that thriving businesses cannot be built on founder exhaustion.

Main takeaways:

• Founder mental health challenges are widespread and urgent.
• Having a trusted network and normalizing vulnerability is critical.
• Investors should support not just ventures but the people running them.
• Healthy leadership means honest self-care, delegation, and sometimes letting go.
• The entrepreneurial journey is long, and sustainability for the founder is key.

For more, find Amy Lewin’s writing at sifted.eu, and explore founder wellbeing resources at consciousentrepreneur.us.