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Telling the stories of startup founders and creators and their unique journey. Each episode features actionable tips, practical advice and inspirational insight.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:21:14
Hey, I'm Greg Moran from Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners in the Founders Collective. Today, we're actually hitting up part two of a three part series that we're doing on the Founders fallacy. And that's this idea that founders feel their worth comes from controlling every detail of their business and of their personal life. And last time we talked about how control and anxiety don't just disappear after an exit.
00:00:21:15 - 00:00:41:27
Today, I want to take that conversation actually a step further and discuss how our identity as a founder often keeps us clinging to that control, even after we're out of the business. So for me, losing the identity of founder felt like losing a part of myself, a big part of myself. Because as founders, we pour everything into our businesses.
00:00:41:29 - 00:01:04:02
We're building something from the ground up and it becomes part of who we are. Sometimes it becomes all of who we are. When I exited, I felt this emptiness because for so long my identity was wrapped up in that role. My identity, for better or worse, was has a founder. It was who I was. I built companies. That's what I did with no company to build.
00:01:04:04 - 00:01:26:13
I immediately did what I knew how to do and that was start companies quickly. A lot of times impulsively. That's not where you want to be. When that identity takes over who you are. This pattern of starting something new, of doing to avoid sitting still, became a way of avoiding that emptiness. But the truth was, I didn't know I was outside that role.
00:01:26:18 - 00:01:47:25
I'd never actually spent any time thinking about who I was outside that role, because that role was me. At least, I thought. And that made it even harder to let go of that need to control. The struggle isn't just about business. The need for control extends deep into our personal lives. It affects our mental health, our physical health, and our relationships with those we love.
00:01:47:26 - 00:02:07:14
For me, it led to unfounded financial worries that led to resentment at times, anger, emotions that made it really difficult to fully connect with those I love. It controlled me. Financial worry paralyzed me, and I didn't really have a lot of financial worries at that point. I grew angry and resentful in certain ways, but I didn't know why.
00:02:07:15 - 00:02:26:04
I just tried desperately to find the next thing to fill the void, and it took a toll on my marriage. But my wife stuck with me through it. And for that, I'm forever grateful. This is where the Founders Fellowship becomes more than just a business problem. It's a personal one too. The journey of a founder is a personal journey.
00:02:26:04 - 00:02:45:22
The need to control isn't just about the business. It's about feeling that our worth depends on our ability to manage everything. One of the hardest lessons I've ever learned is the importance of finding identity and purpose outside of business. When your identity is only tied to the business, you lose a part of yourself and that business is gone.
00:02:45:25 - 00:03:08:26
And for a long time I felt lost searching for anything to fill that gap. I was living a completely one dimensional life where my entire identity was wrapped up in this founder persona. So if you're a founder, I encourage you, regardless of where you are in the journey, about to exit, or you're just starting on the journey. I really encourage you to start exploring what life looks like outside of work.
00:03:08:26 - 00:03:32:00
Yes, the hours are long, sometimes seven days a week, and it has to be. There's always a little time. Start small. Whether it's a hobby, it's time with family. It's something unrelated to your business goals. These small steps help build an identity that isn't tied to the success of your business. And that's what's most important. Building a life outside of business isn't just about preventing burnout.
00:03:32:00 - 00:03:55:22
It's about finding a balance where you don't lose yourself. You are not your business. But that's a hard thing to remember at times. Start by identifying activities or interests you enjoy outside of work and dedicate time to them each week. This is for the betterment of your business. So thanks for watching and our final video. I'm going to share practical steps for managing anxiety and breaking free from the founders fallacy.
00:03:55:28 - 00:04:15:05
I still have so much to learn and I'm at the very beginning of that journey, but I hope to share a little bit about what I've learned so you can take that and build a sustainable life beyond your business. So be sure to subscribe! Like this video? Share it with somebody you think benefit and leave a comment if today's video really resonated with you.
00:04:15:06 - 00:04:20:29
Thanks! We'll see you next time.