“The startup will be a rollercoaster - the founder doesn’t have to be on it.”

On paper everything’s winning; inside you’re burning out. Sound familiar? Thea unpacks the founder rollercoaster - from comparison traps and dopamine highs to the quiet power of staying level. We get practical on using mindset as a growth lever, building “anti-fragile” resilience, and why slower often equals faster.

We cover:

• The startup rollercoaster and staying steady (joy vs dopamine)
• Mindset work that actually moves the needle (neural pathways + self-talk)
• “Slower is faster” - the counterintuitive growth tactic
• Customer obsession as a company-wide pillar (beyond sales/marketing)
• Founder as the most important asset (maintenance > martyrdom)
• Burnout signals: presence, constant thinking, delayed recovery
• Defining success on your terms - and aligning capital/partners

Listen if: you’re a founder, operator, or investor who wants sustainable pace, clearer decisions, and growth without the crash.