Charlie Hartwell and his wife, Maureen Pelton, MSSW, join us this week to talk about their experiences in the mental health space. 

Charlie is the Managing Partner at Bridge Builders Collaborative, the most active investor in the mental health startup space over the last decade by far and co-founder of the ShiftIt Institute.  Maureen is a Co-Founder of the ShiftIt Institute, is a pioneer in the field of embodiment - aligning our true nature, attuning our highest potential, and holding space for divinity.

I view Charlie as a mentor and trailblazer in the mental health startup investment domain.  In this episode I asked him for some advice on the space, how to be a better investor, and what responsibility we have as investors in this space broadly.

Links mentioned in the show:

Maureen on Twitter,  Charlie on Twitter,  Maureen’s Course In Conscious Breathing on Insight Timer, https://www.shiftit.com

 

HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT:

1. Bridge Builders Collaborative is one of the most active, if not the most active, investor in the mental health startup space. I talked to Charlie about how they found their way into investing in this space, how they view the space and how Bridge Builders Collaborative operates as an investing group.
2. We talked and traded ideas about the white space in the mental health startup space and what we are both seeing by way of investment opportunity including what we’ve focused on lately, and where we want to be focused in the near future.
3. Maureen recently launched a conscious breathing course on the Insight Timer app. She talked to me about what conscious breathing is, her course, and explained the impacts of conscious breathing on us as people and why it’s important.  She explains what proper breathing is, what sciences tells us about breathing, and the simplicity of breathing as a tool to regulate ourselves.
4. I spent some time asking Charlie and Maureen for some personal mentorship and advice on being an investor in the mental health space. We also talked about what responsibilities investors in this space have not only to make good investments, but more broadly, when it comes to the greater well being of not just founders, but society at large.
5. I asked Charlie and Maureen for advice on how we can “do no harm” as investors in this space and avoid funding things that don’t work, or could hurt people because we are not doctors or experts in the science of clinical effectiveness. They gave me some excellent insights.

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