Mental Health Resources for Entrepreneurs

Framework designed by Isaac Cook, Ecosystem Manager at MindFrame Connect

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood to adolescence through adulthood, and is equally as important for every stage of being a founder. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or are exploring innovation for the first time, the MindFrame Connect team has put together the following list to help you navigate your emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

The need for action on mental health is indisputable and urgent (World Health Organization). If you or someone you know are struggling with addiction, depression or suicidal thoughts, or feel ­­that you are in crisis, please seek help immediately.

For provincial and territorial mental health services, please visit The Government of Canada’s Mental health support page.

 
Organizations

- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA):Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. They are a federated charity, which means they are a collective of organizations bound together by a brand and mission. Together, they identify and respond to Canada’s most pressing mental health priorities. At the national level, they push for nationwide system and policy change. At the community level, millions of people in Canada rely on CMHA’s extensive grassroots presence. Learn more
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- Innovators & Entrepreneurs Foundation: Innovators & Entrepreneurs Foundation is proud to partner with Green Shield Canada to offer mental health resources and supports designed specifically forentrepreneurs. The charity has partnered with culture-fit therapists who specialize in entrepreneur and corporate mental health to develop programming and in-demand resources, coping tools, workshops, 1:1 therapy sessions and peer group talk sessions. Learn more
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- Rise: Rise is a national organization dedicated to empowering people with mental health and addiction challenges to achieve greater social and economic inclusion through entrepreneurship. Learn more
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- TED Talks: TED is on a mission to discover and spread ideas that spark imagination, embrace possibility and catalyze impact. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community. Learn more
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- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. Learn more
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- Wellness Together Canada: Created in response to a rise in mental health and substance use concerns since the COVID-19 pandemic, Wellness Together Canada was funded by the Government of Canada. As a country, we are facing challenges at a scale we’ve never seen before, from social isolation and financial insecurity to substance use concerns and racial inequality. Whatever you’re going through, remember that you are not alone. Wellness is a journey,not a destination. Every day, we can each take a step toward our own well-being. Wellness Together Canada is here to support you on that journey. Learn more
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- Failcon: FailCon is a one-day conference for technology entrepreneurs, investors, developers, and designers to study their own and others' failures and prepare for success. FailCon was started in San Francisco in 2009 as a response to events repeatedly highlighting only success,while providing so guidance or safe spaces for failure. Our first event launched with over 400 attendees, and we've continued to grow ever since. We hope you'll join us and add your unique story and experience to our own. Learn more

Articles

- How Startup Founders Can Prioritize Their Mental Health (MindFrame Connect):Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Canadian entrepreneurs feel depressed at least once per week. This statistic, unfortunately,doesn’t shock most entrepreneurs. The difficulty of building businesses cannot be understated, regardless of the support and funding available. If anything, adeluge of support and advice could lead to advisor whiplash, which could further contribute to feelings of confusion and being lost on the path. But there are ways forward. Cherry Rose Tan, General Partner at Renew VC and an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Schulich School of Business at York University shared her insights learned from years as a founder and mental health advocate. Read more‍‍

- Making entrepreneurs’ mental health and well-being a priority (BDC): We know that entrepreneurs are human and despite your drive and resilience, building, running, and owning a business can take a toll.In fact, entrepreneurs experience more mental challenges than the general population and are less likely to access support. By sharing ground-breaking research, raising awareness, and providing access to support, BDC wants to help every entrepreneur do well by being well. Read more
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- Building your Resilience with MindFrame Connect (MindFrame Connect): Improved endurance and increased energy are valuable offers for founders on the rocky road of entrepreneurship. This is exactly whatDr. Michael A. Freeman argues entrepreneurs can create by intentionally building their resilience. Read more

 
- The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship (Inc.com): No one said building a company is easy. But it's time to be honest about how brutal it really is -- and the price so many founders secretly pay. Read more

- How Entrepreneurial Fear of Failure Hurts and Helps Your Start-up (MindFrame Connect): “Fear of failure, as we all know as entrepreneurs, is one of the greatest fears in life. It's one of the things that stop us in our tracks and keeps us from trying something,” said Sara Blakely, the billionaire founder of the pioneering shapewear brand, Spanx. Fear of failure is real for all entrepreneurs. It’s not whether you experience it that matters though, it’s how you respond to it, says Dr.Gabriella Cacciotti, a world-leading researcher of Entrepreneurial Fear of Failure. Read more‍

- Entrepreneurs Are Struggling With Mental Illness. Here are 5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health As An Entrepreneur (Entrepreneur.com): If you are an entrepreneur, you know that success comes with many challenges. But you may not know that these challenges can take a toll on your mental health.That's why entrepreneurship and mental health go hand in hand. Entrepreneurs need to be aware of the signs of mental illness and how to get help when struggling. Read more

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- Entrepreneurship is an 8-year Journey (MindFrame Connect): Entrepreneurs bring forward amazing visions for the world – whether through better internet, healthier food, or lower carbon emissions. They enthusiastically launch these ventures in hopes of realizing this desire for both change and personal growth. Read more‍

- Why Prioritizing Mental Health Is Essential to Your Business Strategy (Shopify): Studies show, in fact, that entrepreneurs often report higher levels of certain mental health symptoms versus the general population. Among this group, isolation, lack of resources,and the pressure to adopt hustle culture can pile up. Three experts who work at the intersection of mental health and entrepreneurship spoke to us about the causes and impacts of mental health struggles on founders—as well as their optimism for the future. Read more

- The Importance of Representation and Mentorship (MindFrame Connect): “Wow Mom – they look like me”. Those words were etched on a thank you letter sent by a Mom, as she described the impact of her daughter seeing indigenous models on a Cheekbone Beauty postcard. The daughter brought that postcard to bed with her that night, demonstrating the true importance of kids seeing themselves in pictures and positions of success. Read more‍

- Entrepreneurship & Mental Health a 4-part Original series (Techstars): Since 2006, Techstars has helped hundreds of startups succeed, both as businesses and as people. This original 4-part documentary series focuses on the most common mental health issues facing entrepreneurs, told through the stories of some remarkable people — and the mental health professionals who work with people in need. Read more

Studies & Reports

- MindFrame Connect: Mental Skills Report (MindFrame Connect): The purpose of this report is to interview experienced entrepreneurs and to identify mental skills that are essential for success in the business world. Read the full report

- Going it Alone: The health and well-being of Canada’s entrepreneurs Report (Canadian Mental Health Association): Canada is a country of small businesses. In December 2017, there were 1.2million employer businesses across Canada, where almost 12 million people work.Of these, 97.9% were small businesses, while just 1.9% were medium-sized. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the mental health experiences of entrepreneurs in Canada. Read the full report

 
- The Untold Toll: The Impact of Stress on the Well-Being of Founders Report (Startup Snapshot): The emotional state of founders and entrepreneurs in any period – but especially now, in this economic environment – is a critical driver of success. Yet the toll that founding and leading a start-up takes, is dangerously overlooked and rarely spoken about. By turning the looking-glass inwards of the complex emotional workings of the entrepreneurs themselves, we hope to provide them with the insights necessary to create healthier realities, financially and emotionally. As the two are, infact, inseparable outcomes. Read the full report‍

- Survey on SME owners' mental health and support Research Report (BDC): Just like there are investments made for marketing,strategy, equipment and more, entrepreneurs need to invest in their mental health to see a positive return. Without a healthy mind there is no way to succeed in your business. Read the full report

 

The following list is provided solely as a resource. MindFrame Connect does not endorse any specific professional mental health service or resource.

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