PowerPoint Presentation Stress Startups & ’S HOT #C2C14 3 WHY IT’S NOT #C2C14 4 “They tell you what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. What they forget to tell you is that it almost fucking kills you.” - Conan O’Brien Scientific explanation, addiction 5 Meet Olga 95 years old track star in Vancouver Sustains and nourishes health Still setting records to this day Went through hardship (key to toughening her up, made her stronger) 6 Not all stress is bad! Scientific explanation, addiction 7 8 Startup Stress Is Different From “Normal” Stress Financial Emotional 9 When you encounter a stressful situation, your body secretes a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is responsible for the “fight or flight” response. While this comes in handy when we’re being chased by a bear, cortisol isn’t meant to be flowing at a consistently high level from your MVP through to your Series A and beyond. 10 11 The “Perfect” Recipe for Stress High risk of failure Constant ups and downs Impression management 3 of 4 venture backed startups fail Pando daily quote “fun” We’re killing it! 12 The Dangers of Going Too Far Hopelessness Worthlessness Loss of motivation In trying to push through the ups and downs, the end result is a highly obsessed person whose entire identity and well-being is defined by the health of their startup. Net worth and 13 “We idolize the Mark Zuckerbergs and the Elon Musks... But, before they made it big, they struggled through moments of near-debilitating anxiety and despair—times when it seemed everything might crumble.” – Jessica Bruder, Inc.com Source: Inc.com Successful entrepreneurs achieve hero status in our culture. And we celebrate the blazingly fast growth of the Inc. 500 companies. But many of those entrepreneurs … harbor secret demons: Before they made it big, they struggled through moments of near-debilitating anxiety and despair—times when it seemed everything might crumble. – Inc.com Jessica Bruder http://www.inc.com/magazine/201309/jessica-bruder/psychological-price-of-entrepreneurship.html 14 The Physical Effects of Stress In trying to push through the ups and downs, the end result is a highly obsessed person whose entire identity and well-being is defined by the health of their startup. 15 Lower Attention Span Bad Decision Making Analytical Skills Suffer Energy Level Dips Creativity Plummets Learning Decreases Memory Worsens Word Finding Decreases Perception Is Skewed You think with your body Cognitive abilities Sensitivity – overreaction 16 Mind and body not separate 17 In trying to push through the ups and downs, the end result is a highly obsessed person whose entire identity and well-being is defined by the health of their startup. 18 sleep breathe eat real food mediate 22 play! 23 talk 24 There’s an app for that… 5 Minute Journal Headspace Lift SweetBeat You think with your body Cognitive abilities Sensitivity – overreaction 25 Thank you! Namaste  26