100 Stories of Growth - Insights from Entrepreneurs

PJOYS Michelle Morgan had landed a dream ad agency job in London’s bustling Soho where she met her future business partner Sam Conniff Allende. Following a five-year stint selling soft drinks, trendy trainers and must-have mobile phones to teenage consumers, they designed a plan to create their own business. Fast forward 17 years, Livity is an award-winning and multi-million pound turnover business. Morgan says that it is probably more true to its mission and purpose than it has ever been: creating a more positive life for young people. Pressures start to take their toll In 2016, Morgan led the company through a social investment deal. “We got to a stage where we wanted to grow the impact of the business and potentially evolve the model,” she explains. But something terrible happened at the end of that year. “Then, 105 days after closing that deal, I burned out violently, both physically and mentally,” she says. “I really wasn’t very well at this stage. I sat on the stairs with everything happening around me and I thought: ‘I literally can’t go on.’” So Morgan called her GP surgery and was amazed to get an appointment – her doctor wanted to see her in 15 minutes. In search of a work-life balance Morgan says that she couldn’t have grown Livity without her husband providing invaluable support. And even though his career was taking off internationally, he still found time to share childcare responsibilities for their teenage daughter who was very busy with extra-curricular activities. When work pressure took their toll on founder Michelle Morgan 23 22 INSIGHTS FROM ENTREPRENEURS EMOTIONAL CAPITAL For other respondents in our research, they have wanted to communicate their wellbeing and mental health concerns, but 12% of them “didn’t know who to turn to”. What may be an even more concerning research finding is that some entrepreneurs say they have been so immersed in running their business that they have neglected their wellbeing altogether. The chart on page 20 reveals all of the experiences that entrepreneurs have faced while running their business. Another entrepreneur echoes the sentiment about self-reliance – finding time to focus on yourself is often the last thing on a list of work-life balance priorities: “I have found the major changes that a fast-growing business inevitably goes through, such as significant hires, departures and changes can often cause huge uncertainty and stress. “A stress and workload that really encroach into my personal life, which at times might be problematic in conjunction. “This can often make me feel completely alone, without anyone to speak to about my feelings as professional and personal issues become so intertwined. “Ultimately, it creates a lot of stress that cannot be relieved very easily, especially as often there is a sense that I have chosen this life.” Long-term impact on wellbeing and lack of attention to good mental health are factors which can manifest themselves in acute episodes, in some cases leading to a so-called meltdown or longer-term mental health complications. While this topic often remains under-discussed in detail, Michelle Morgan, founder of designer pyjama brand Pjoys, very bravely shares her inspirational story with the 100 Stories of Growth campaign (see page 23). THE FEMALE FOUNDERS of founders say they “felt constantly under pressure” 45%