<p>In the latest article in our Founder Mental Health series, AIN sits down with seasoned entrepreneur Dan Kirby, the exited founder of renowned digital agency The Tech Dept, and host of the widely acclaimed business podcast, “Honey I Blew Up the Business.” Dan is the founder of the new wellness program ‘Founders Are Mental’ and in this revealing and honest interview he talks to AIN about the intricacies of his entrepreneurial path — from immense success to burnout to now finding new balance and prioritising mental health. In addressing the lessons he has learned he has some invaluable practical advice he can offer about how we can all support our mental wellness while running a business. Why we all need to find ‘a good groove’. Can you elaborate on how success contributed to your mental health challenges and the impact it had on your wellbeing? Success, accolades, and awards often act as a veil, concealing underlying issues. Like – why are you so driven to prove yourself in the first place?! I was proud to launch a start up, the Tech Dept and build it up into a globally renowned agency helping companies build tech products, working with world class companies like NBC Universal and Microsoft and creating BBC Children in Need’s fundraising platform. Despite external achievements, I realised I wasn’t attuned to my body’s signals and wasn’t aware of bad habits – which in hindsight were completely obvious. I faced repeated burnouts, I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and had a significant problem in 2017 – when we nearly lost the business (and I nearly lost my marriage). I call this 2017 experience “the blow up”! This turning point at age 45 when everything unraveled. It was a reckoning, a realisation that the way I was achieving success came at too high a price, and I needed to change. Success can be deceiving; it masked unhealthy patterns in my life – what I would now call a “bad groove”. This undermined every area of my life – especially my mental state. How did your personal struggles impact your role as a founder and leader, and what toll did it take on your business? My personal struggles took a severe toll on my role as a founder and leader. My bad groove affected the business. I wasn’t checked in, drank excessively (because we were hosting events and winning awards), neglected my mental health. I became suboptimal, and the business suffered. It took a significant toll on my family, marriage, and professional life. It was a stark reminder that your individual well-being is intrinsically tied to the success and health of the business. What lessons have you learned, and how did you transform personally and professionally after the blow-up in 2017? The blow-up in 2017 was a catalyst for a profound reset. A personal and professional transformation. Confronting my ego, I recognised the paradox of success a startup founder. While it gave me the freedom, motivation and drive to succeed it also meant I didn’t know when to stop and listen to the quiet voice in my head telling me to slow down. Confronting my demons, controlling bad mental grooves, and prioritising self-awareness became unavoidable. The journey was painful yet necessary. It totally changed my approach to business and life. Looking back, it was a blessing. Can you shed more light on the founder’s paradox and the importance of mental wellness in entrepreneurship, especially considering the uncertainty and pressure? Founders crave freedom – but this freedom comes with uncertainty. However, uncertainty triggers fear, stress, and chronic stress, harming mental health – and physical health (your immune system). Handling uncertainty is crucial; it’s the yin of the yang of freedom. The key is working on how you handle uncertainty to maintain mental well-being. You need to become at peace with uncertainty being the only certainty of startup life. To do this requires you to understand and confront your ego – your identity – as a founder. Success amplifies both positive and negative mental aspects, leading to unique challenges and making mental wellness harder to sustain. Recognising this paradox early – being aware of it – and proactively addressing your awareness is the hidden key for your mental health. If you want a better chance to…</p>