Founder Mode, Balance Mode because Burnout is Real
Last month, the talk amongst most business circles was the idea of Founder Mode. What is it? Read here.
This sparked quite a bit of stir, and for me as an advocate for heart and human centric leadership and mental health and wellness, I wanted to share more about both.
Read here for my thoughts on heart and human centric leadership.
When I first read about Founder Mode, my initial thought was, don’t ALL founders operate in Founder Mode? Because I always have. I remember when I was an owner operator of a restaurant based in Dallas. As an owner operator, that was what I was. Operating in Founder Mode. I wore all the hats: Front of the House, Purchasing: ingredients and wine, Managing Back of the House, Managing Servers, Maintenance, Accountant, Inventory Control, Marketing, Opening Shift, Closing Shift, Delivery Girl, Event Coordinator, . Needless to say, I kept a very lean operation and reached our Year 1 goal in 3 months. The majority owner bought a brand new Ferrari, Range Rover, and a home in Laguna Beach. We were doing ok! LOL
What I didn’t realise was my leadership skills and the way my staff was treated was terrible, ( the only reason they stayed was because they were making a lot of money). I stretched myself too thin, and eventually, lost several key employees and advisors despite the money they were making. My decision making skills were starting to deteriorate. I didn’t have the clarity, balance and self awareness.
The majority owner of the group, a retired NYPD and I had a long talk. Or shall I say, he talked and I listened. He saw I was on the brink of burnout, and I had no clue. He gave me a book to read. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. It was a profound book that gave me the foundation to cultivate self awareness while operating in Founder Mode. One that I continue to reference – 18 years later.
Why was this an important shift?
Because having self awareness in the midst of chaos or shall I say, organised chaos, allowed me to make better decisions from a longer term perspective, allowed me to connect the dots, hire the right people, leverage my skill set, my teams skill set, and operate lean while maximising beyond my limitations for the highest profit. Because I stay grounded and balanced, the organised chaos of owning and operating a restaurant felt calm, cool and collected. My partner always said: you get more with honey than vinegar.
How founders can operate in Founder Mode without burning out?
Burnout is real, and I didn’t realise I was on the brink of it. I was lucky to have a business partner who saw beyond what was happening at the time and offered support and solutions. Key takeaway, surround yourself with the right people, who see beyond today and are able to offer solutions and support seamlessly.
Having the right people around you also allows you to set clear boundaries for yourself and for your time. As a founder, you need that space to create, an inner quietness to reflect, contemplate, reassess regularly, and reconnect to your purpose and your deepest why to come back and imprint your energy into every touch point of your business.
On a daily basis, remember the tools you have cultivated for yourself that helps you regulate your nervous system, recenter, and find your inner quietness.
Here are some of my favourite ones:
Sweat it out: my favourite: dance cardio, pilates, and vinyasa yoga
30 min walk when I feel stuck: talk out loud to yourself, you will be surprised by the answers that come through.
Daily walk to listen to podcasts that spark creativity, soothe my soul, or something completely different that what I am working on.
Breathwork: Favourite teacher — Susan Obari founder of Breathe in Paris
Binaural Beats MT
Solfeggio Healing Frequencies MT
Music from: Magam Music, Sunniai, White Sun
Write-helps with an overactive mind and when you’re over thinking
Daily reminder to myself: Taken from Jenna Zoe: Love is present underneath it all. Love is all around me, Love is within me, and I am loved. Step in and shock your mental narrative and break the cycle and spiral.
Operating in Founder Mode does not mean you do everything yourself. On the contrary, you do what you are meant to do, which is to inject your energy, your thumbprint, your essence, passion into every aspect of the business. However, you can’t do that alone.
Delegate. But be careful who you bring on board. Make sure each person is fully aligned to YOUR mission, not your ideas, your mission. Make sure they have a deep understanding of what you are building.They should be your ally. Make sure they complement your strengths and weaknesses. Leverage their talent, skillset, and create a circuitry of give and take.
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To your success xx