100 Stories of Growth - Insights from Entrepreneurs

Michelle Morgan, Founder, Pjoys 19 18 INSIGHTS FROM ENTREPRENEURS EMOTIONAL CAPITAL EMOTIONAL CAPITAL Lifting the veil on entrepreneurs’ wellbeing and mental health A growth or scale-up entrepreneur’s journey is often a story of great optimism, enthusiasm and boundless energy early on. Their business has typically succeeded at the start-up phase: the business model is proven, revenues are flowing in and even more growth is on the cards. So what’s not to celebrate? Such a rosy view of the facts may be true for a limited and lucky group of founders and business leaders, but the reality can be much bleaker at times. Here’s how one founder frankly summed up their rather grim experience of growing their business: “Sleepless nights. Hair started to go dull and dry. Not enough time with kids. Marriage fell apart.” Photography: Andrew Urwin