In this conversation, Dr. Michelle Barton explains why adversity is a normal part of building a company and why teaching founders to handle it is still treated as optional, drawing on her research with wildland firefighters, expedition racers and military units.

She describes how dysfunctional momentum keeps teams on a failing course, the questions that interrupt it and what a relational pause looks like when anxiety hits a team.

The discussion also examines why strain belongs to the whole team, how a two-person startup can still spread it and why wellness programs built around self-care can leave people believing they are the problem.

In this conversation, Dr. Kristen Jennings Black explains why struggling in silence carries its own risk, drawing on her research with soldiers, healthcare workers and attorneys.

She describes how the fear of being judged can lead people to handle everything alone, why self-reliance becomes a problem when it's misapplied and how founders shape what feels safe to say.

The discussion also examines what co-founders lose when they avoid hard conversations, why no one can meditate their way out of a 60-hour work week and how friends or family can help.

In this conversation, Dr. Michael A. Freeman discusses the unique vulnerabilities faced by entrepreneurs, highlighting the mental health challenges they encounter and the systemic issues that contribute to their well-being.

He emphasizes the need for a public health approach to address these challenges, the impact of founder well-being on broader economic systems and the role of investors in supporting mental health initiatives.

The discussion also touches on the connection between mental and physical health, the neurodiversity of entrepreneurs and the importance of community alongside support systems.