I just learned a new word in english that has helped me sum up the relationship between the founder and his or her business, the word is “Holistic” and in my dictionary it is defined:
“characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.”
I feel that founders are interconnected with their companies, or at least they should be if they want to succeed, and therefore they must not only nurture the company but also themselves.
In the first years of any companies life the company is dependent on the founder helping it grow and develop and during those years the founder must put a lot of energy into making sure the infant company survives those trying years. The end goal of that process should be to create an adult company that can survive with or without the founder.
During this process it is not uncommon for the founder to focus all of his energy on the company and forget to focus on him or herself. But since the founders are interconnected with their companies it can often benefit the company if the founders take care of themselves, focusing on their health, continued learning, building stronger relationships with family and friends and creating a bit of a balance.
I’m not saying you should treat being a founder like a normal job, hell no! Being a founder is difficult and I expect you to work your ass off but at the same time just be careful not to overdo it and take care of yourself. If something happens to you it also affects the company.
Exercise a few times each week, eat healthy and sleep well.
