Lauren Tracy☀️’s Post

As startup founders navigate the challenges of building a business, prioritizing their mental health is not only essential for their well-being but also for the long-term success of their company and the broader community. At CultureSpeed Communications, we’re proud to partner with the Founder Mental Health Pledge to help bring this crucial conversation to the forefront and support founders in prioritizing their mental health as a key business responsibility.

What is it really like to be a founder today? Hear Andy Dunn of Bonobos, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, Brian Chesky of Airbnb, Sumedha Ganjoo, Jerry Colonna, Claude Alan Woodruff, Brad Baum, and Alex Raymond speak to the founder experience like only those who’ve been in the trenches can. It’s time to shift startup culture away from hustle crisis and towards sustainable wellbeing. We do so not by telling the same stories of success after the fact (unicorn founders who win glory and accolades) but by sharing stories of founders’ truths and inner journeys. Far more common than unicorn startups are the invisible, self-sacrificial ones that hustle and struggle, leading to crisis and business failure. The prevailing culture takes a toll not just on the founder, but on their employees, investors, families, and the economy as a whole. Shifting our paradigm to founder flourishing is an economic opportunity for change. The era of glorifying hustle culture is coming to an end.  The era of prioritizing founder flourishing for humane and economic reasons is on the rise. Tomorrow’s successful founders, businesses, and investors will become such because they’ve made investments in the “weak link” at the root of it all: human vitality. It is possible to be a founder and thrive. It is possible to learn to hustle responsibly. It is possible to build more successful startups and resilient portfolios as a result. To do so requires we prioritize founder wellbeing, in earnest. Join us. 🙋🏻♀️ Founders: Take the pledge to prioritize your mental health as a business expense. 🤝🏾 Investors: Implement our term sheet clause to re-set the norm and make it default for founders to set aside resources to support their mental health. 💸 Sponsors & Donors: Reach out to our Chairman, Jason Cavnar. We're kicking off a capital raise in the new year to support our cause and our initiatives. https://lnkd.in/gXPQWWBa --- Share this to your network if you support our mission to create founders who flourish. Thank you to Sam Silverstein, Jeremy Paczos, Caden Ghen and the team at Exit 14 Productions for bringing the story to life.

My startup was rejected by investors.. And it was the best thing that could have happened to me. After testing our idea with new customers, I pitched to a VC 💰 He said ‘it’s awesome, but there’s no way a VC would ever invest’. I asked him why on earth not? He said it's not scalable enough. 'It’s not tech' 🙄 As any founder that has faced rejection knows, 'It’s their loss', right?? I said to myself, we don't need investors to scale. We can do this on our own. That same day we launched a 6 week campaign. With plans to release our official, improved concept, a better product. Annual memberships of unlimited content creation, just for startups. The headline was: 'Join the waitlist!’ We planned to release 5 early bird memberships. But we had no product yet. I had no studio to show people, just a dream. A fragile vision I could sell. I calculated that with 5 memberships, we could build a new studio and fund the expansion. So we got cracking 🗣️ Over these 6 weeks, we put our blood, sweat and tears into building hype. And slowly but surely, our little waitlist grew. In the end, I think over 50+ founders had joined 🥵 Then, launch day arrived... '09:00 today! We go live for subscription!!' My whole team ready at the computers. At 08:50, we sent our last reminder. ZERO idea what to expect. The room was completely silent. The clock hit 09:00. Clicking the mouse aggressively. 'Refresh. Refresh. Refresh' 🖱️ Boom. It only took 3 minutes. All 5 memberships were gone. We had our funding. We had our runway. All because we were forced to be creative. Because we successfully pitched our vision to the right people. Bootstrapping is literally just building hype, getting creative and bringing huge value. I still hold 100% equity, with no board telling us what to do. Now that’s a great feeling at this stage. As founders, we often get caught in the fuss of having big investors, a fancy board, endless runway. But it can be done without these things. Sometimes we just need a push towards creativity, and great things can happen 💙 ----- Share your investor rejection story below! 👇

Wow, just about everyone in the startup world has been talking about Paul Graham's "Founder Mode" essay, quoting Brian Chesky of Airbnb. As someone who's worked with countless founders and been one myself back in the day before fancy terms existed, I must say – generalizations can be dangerous, folks! Let's be real: there's no one-size-fits-all approach to running a company. What works for Chesky might not work for the next unicorn-in-waiting. It all depends on the founder's personality, the company's stage, and a million other factors. In my experience, it's usually in the best interest of both the company and the founder to be hands-off with day-to-day operations after a certain stage (Usually 10-100 and beyond growth). But here's the key – that doesn't mean being clueless! It's about staying informed and trusting your team to execute which is different from micro-managing. The secret sauce? Building a culture that reflects the founder's DNA. That's unique to each company and can't be replicated by simply choosing "founder mode" or "manager mode." So, my two cents? Don't get caught up in the hype. Do what works for you and your company. Sometimes that means being in the trenches, sometimes it means taking a step back. The best founders know when to do which. #founders #startup P.S. This fun video by the Morning Brew team perfectly captures the "founder mode" frenzy. Remember, in the real world, it's not about choosing sides – it's about doing what's needed, when it's needed. Let's keep it real out there!

Y Combinator founder Paul Graham on taking advice from non-founders I had the privilege of meeting PG in 2013, the last year he was fully hands-on with the batch at YC. (that is me the awkward picture) In his latest essay, "Founder Mode", PG talks about how and how not to take company-building advice. Below are some of my favorite quotes: "As Airbnb grew, Brian Chesky got the advice "hire good people and give them room to do their jobs." He followed this advice and the results were disastrous" "Why was everyone telling these founders the wrong thing?...what they were being told was how to run a company you hadn't founded — how to run a company if you're merely a professional manager." – In your journey as a founder, you'll hear a lot of unsolicited advice from VCs and consultants, all well intended, but often wrong. "VCs who haven't been founders themselves don't know how founders should run companies," – Beyond fundraising, it's hard to give company-building advice, if you have not built a company yourself. That's like giving parenting advice when you've never had kids. 💡 Tip: From VCs, only take fundraising advice. Only go to founders for all company-building (hiring, products, ops) advice. -------- Like this? Follow me for more founder advice and the occasional meme ---#productivity #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭? Think of the founding team like the rock-solid foundation of a house. You know, just like a sturdy base is a must for a solid building, a strong founding team is crucial for making a Startup grow. 🚀 It's extremely important, as it pretty much shapes the destiny of your new business. So, here are some key aspects of why having a solid founding team could be a game-changer. ✅ 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐬: This diversity is incredibly valuable because it allows a Startup to address a wide variety of challenges. While one founder may excel in technical development, another may have outstanding marketing skills, and yet another may possess financial management know-how. ✅ 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Having a founding team provides emotional support during tough times. When one founder faces a setback, the others can step in to offer guidance, motivation, & a shared sense of purpose. ✅ 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: Diverse perspectives & experiences allow for a more thorough analysis of opportunities & risks. When founders come together to discuss & debate, they are more likely to arrive at well-informed, strategic choices that can steer the company in the right direction. ✅ 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 & 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬: Investors often seek out Startups with complementary & capable teams, as this enhances the Startup's ability to execute its business plan effectively. ✅ 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: A strong founding team can adapt & scale along with the company, ensuring sustainable growth. This adaptability is crucial, as the early stages of a Startup require a different skill set than later stages. The collaborative effort, diverse skill sets, emotional support, & collective wisdom of a founding team are crucial for navigating the challenges & uncertainties of building a new business. A cohesive & capable founding team increases its chances of surviving & thriving in the competitive market. ✨ #StartupFounders #FoundingTeam #BuildingAStartup #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessGrowth #DiverseSkills #EmotionalSupport #BetterDecisionMaking #InvestorAttraction #SustainableGrowth

This post is incredibly insightful! Paul Graham’s perspective in "Founder Mode" sheds light on a crucial aspect of receiving advice as a founder. His emphasis on the difference between advice from non-founders and real-world experience is spot-on. The example of Brian Chesky highlights how generic managerial advice can fall short in the startup world. It’s a powerful reminder that while VCs can offer valuable fundraising tips, true guidance on building a company often comes from those who have lived the founder's journey. This nuanced understanding of advice is vital for anyone navigating the complex world of startups #Insightful #PaulGraham #FounderAdvice #StartupWisdom #YCombinator #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #VCAdvice #StartupGrowth #VC #VentureCapital #Business #Entrepreneurship

This week has been overwhelming in the best way. After sharing the raw truth about Sheertex—the tears, the sleepless nights, the hand-to-mouth fundraising—I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the outpouring of support, the shared belief in bold ideas, and the sheer number of people who reached out to say, “We see it. We believe in it. Keep going,” gave me something I wasn’t expecting: hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t have to be this hard. Not for me and not for the next generation of entrepreneurs. For nearly 8 years years, we’ve been walking a tightrope at Sheertex—raising $250M hand-to-mouth, selling below cost to prove demand, and tackling problems that don’t make sense until they do. But the response this week reminded me why we do this: because moonshots matter. Moonshots are how we rebuild industries in the West. Sustainably. At scale. They’re how we tackle problems that aren’t on trend or simple but have the power to change everything. And here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be this hard. Not if we create a culture that celebrates taking big bets. Not if we demand leadership from the people and systems with the power to make change—leaders in government, industry, and venture capital. Imagine a world where: Government leaders back innovation that might not pay off tomorrow but could transform economies for generations. The venture community steps beyond what fits neatly on a spreadsheet and invests in the long game. Entrepreneurs dreaming of the impossible have a softer landing; more belief, more support, and more fuel for their fire. That’s the world I want to help build, not just for me, but for the next generation of moonshot dreamers. So, here’s my challenge to you: Tag an entrepreneur, founder, or dreamer building something bold and transformative. Call on the leaders in your network—government officials, VCs, and industry champions—to lead with courage and invest in the future we need. Because belief doesn’t wait for perfection. Let’s make it easier to dream big, take risks, and solve the hard problems.

Don't let the social media hype around VCs and Unicorns mess with your perception.   A common mistake made by founders is the idea that the only way to survive is to get VC money.   They all see the social media posts with Unicorn companies that they dream of being a part of. Yes, it would be awesome to have created a company like Apple or Facebook. But let’s remember that they are called "Unicorns" for a reason.   VCs want a fast rise and a faster exit, but where does that leave the founder? the team who thought the whole thing up and sweat and bled to work it out? Honestly very often diluted with no power to make any of the decisions.   Is it really so bad to grow slow and organic? Is it wrong to hold on to your current job and slowly build a company on the side until it sustains?   I think often the best things are worth waiting for.   Imagine if you have a company with 3 founders (Software company) and 1M in ARR you guys can be taking home over 250K a year. If in 5 years you have 4M in ARR you guys are making 1M a year (Assumed total Net Margin of 75%). After 4 years of that, you have made $4M, which is more than most founders will ever exit. Not to mention you are still your own boss without your new VC boss. If that whole process took 8 years is that really much different than the time to exit with a VC? I have lived through this awful fundraising market and the new standards for capital allocations and I have to say. I think we need to start running these tech startups more like a pizza shop and less like a fantasy land California start-up. Thoughts? #startuplife