The startup superpower: taking a break
I realise I’m opening myself up to ridicule with this picture, but there’s a reason I’m sharing it… and no, it’s not for feedback on my swing (although if you have tips, don’t hold back).
I just got back from a holiday in Scotland.
(That’s why I haven’t posted for a while. Thanks for noticing. 👊 )
One week totally decompressing with friends, family, golf, fishing, good food and a few drops of the good stuff.
I FEEL
SO
MUCH
BETTER
And this is why…
I love my job, but like any new business, it’s full on.
It’s not just hard work, it’s also emotionally and mentally exhausting.
Like the startups we support—and any VC—we ourselves have to raise capital in order to operate.
What’s more, we’re not just launching one new venture… we’re working on multiple startups at once.
I feel serious pressure to help them all succeed.
Don’t take this the wrong way.
This is the best job in the world.
But, as with the Sword of Damocles, while the job may appear enviable in some ways, there’s also the ever-present danger of things coming to an abrupt, premature conclusion.
Thankfully, there’s a solution to the pressure:
Being able to take a holiday…
…and, for me, being able to play 18 holes of golf uninterrupted.
Thanks to the dedication, skill and sheer brilliance of our team, my cofounders and I can take holidays and completely shut off from work.
It’s hard to explain how restorative this is.
So, if you’re a founder looking for your first hires, don’t forget to ask this question:
“Could I go away for a week, leave the business in this person’s hands, and truly relax?”
If the answer is no, keep looking.
Don’t underestimate the importance of switching off, and coming back feeling recharged.
If you’ve hired someone like this, you know what I mean. Give that person a shout out.
If you’re running a startup or a VC and you’re raising money, good luck to you. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.
And a big shout out to my colleagues, Leanne, Darius, Arjun and Oliver.
Thanks for making it fun.
😘
