Article · 8 min read

Is Depression a Well-Guarded Secret in the Startup World?

YourStory Free Beginner India

This is one of the earliest honest pieces from inside the Indian startup ecosystem to name founder depression out loud, with first-hand accounts of founders who could not concentrate, could not decide, and felt an energy vacuum while everyone assumed they were fine. It is the antidote to hustle-porn: proof from Indian founders that the head-game is real, that silence makes it worse, and that reaching for help is a performance decision, not a weakness.

  • Founder depression is common and under-discussed in India precisely because the ecosystem rewards projecting relentless confidence
  • The early warning signs are functional: trouble concentrating, trouble making decisions, and a persistent energy drain, not just sadness
  • Breaking the silence with a peer or professional is itself the first move; isolation is the multiplier that makes it worse
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The question it answers

  1. Is founder therapy or coaching actually worth it, and how do I find someone who gets startups?

Read with it

  1. Buechler was Y Combinator's in-house founder coach and therapist, so this is the rare piece written by someone who has sat... Scale Yourself (Amy Buechler) Article · 10 min read The Difference Between Coaching and Therapy (for Founders) Amy Buechler
  2. Jerry Colonna was a top-tier VC before he became the coach founders call when the company is doing fine but they are not.... Reboot.io Tool · Site plus podcast archive Reboot: CEO Coaching and the Emotional Side of Leadership (Jerry Colonna) Jerry Colonna
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