Balancing Acts
Work. Family. Stress. Depression. "Seriously, do you ask male founders this line of questions?" one woman wrote. We do—but women founders were more forthcoming about
how they handle the stress and anxiety of running a business, working 40-60 hours a week, having a personal life, and navigating more serious mental illness.
63%
of our respondents
have children.
17% said they don't want children or are unsure.
64%
said their companies provide paid family leave for
all employees – despite the high costs for
early-stage startups.
45%
of female founders said they have suffered depression.
The biggest sacrifices
women founders cite
come back to time
with family and
financial security:
"I pay myself less now than I made my first year out of college," one respondent wrote. Still, having her life revolve around her own startup "doesn't feel like a sacrifice, and more of a luxury."
...and our respondents
tend to be the breadwinners;
more than half said they earn more than their partner or spouse.
I don't know
how we'll afford
to support paid
family leave, but I
feel ethically obligated to
make it happen no matter what.
Olivia June
Founder and CEO of women's networking platform Vina
mengxin illos 5 - Balancing Act
How one of our respondents handles stress and anxiety:
Sex
Working out
Eating healthy
Smoking weed
Drinking
Going to
church/
Worshipping
God