We need more biz leaders opening up abt their MH challenges.
What started as online men’s pants selling company 2007 became a direct-to-consumer eyeglasses, shoes, razors, dog food, luggage, underwear, & more company thx to Andy Dunn.
By 2012, he was running a hot e-commerce fashion company, cashed out 7-figures’ worth of shares & was living like he thought a CEO in his early 30s in NYC should. He bought a black Porsche. He jetted off for wknd trips at exotic locations & restaurants & hotels & yachts all over the world.
Along the way, he fired two of his C suite execs – both Stanford Biz School classmates, one of whom was his cofounder who’d appointed him CEO. But that’s the price of biz at the top levels, right? Or not.
Entrepreneurship at that level can be a system that encourages exorbitant raises & spending, tolerates reckless behavior & awful treatment of others in pursuit of growth at all costs.
This article claimed that over half of entrepreneurs suffer from MH conditions. I call BS. Like the rest of the world, it’s 100%. It just happens at diff levels for all of us. In Andy’s case, an underlying genetic predisposition to Bilolar I made it severe.
Not managing his MH condition during his biz pursuits, he went into a manic episode – spun out of control – physically abusing his girlfriend & her mother during the episode. He spent over a wk in the psych ward & then had to go to a police station & eventually jail.
He learned from that experience – big time. He has a new startup, an early-stage social media company called Pumpkin Pie, & his small team knows he’s bipolar. He shares it w ALL he does business w, partner or prospect.
Today, in addition to sticking to his meds, therapy, & sleep schedule, he tells new acquaintances abt his MH as early as possible – even the start of a dinner parties.
We need more biz leaders to open up abt the challenges they face. For some, yes it may be bipolar. But for others, it can just be general burnout. Vulnerability & transparency are key in business – they’re permission-giving. Athletes have opened up more & more. It’s time for biz leaders to do the same.