Leading a team or starting a business comes with a unique set of challenges. You’re juggling everything from cultivating a mentally healthy workplace to building a personal brand and prioritising your own self-care. To help you navigate these demands, we’ve gathered advice from experienced leaders and founders – their insights offer practical guidance and inspiration for anyone aiming to lead effectively while staying grounded.
Don’t Go It Alone – Get Help and Get Involved
Chris Miller, Founder & Coach at In-Cre-Mental, nails it when he says:
“Get help! If you don’t already have a mentally healthy workplace, you’re not going to figure it out by yourself. Seek advice from those who have already created what you want, and also speak to wellbeing professionals who can assess both your needs and the needs of your employees. They can help you, as a company, devise a plan that works at every level.
And get involved! Too many leaders see wellbeing as something just for employees but don’t engage themselves. Positive wellbeing benefits everyone, and what better way to show how important it is than by getting the leadership team actively involved?”
Start with Who You Are and Why It Matters
Tassos Kotzias, Executive Holistic Coach (ICF, PCC), offers this foundational advice:
“Start with who you are and your reason why. Not just what you want to achieve, but why it matters. Invest in your inner development; read, reflect, find mentors, and stay curious. The world doesn’t need more perfect leaders. It needs self-aware, courageous ones who are willing to grow out loud.”
For New Business Founders: Validate, Love, and Build Your Brand
Alastair Banks, Co-Founder Optix Solutions, shares real talk for new entrepreneurs:
“There are a few things here. Planning it all out properly and understanding whether there is even a market for something is crucial. It’s easy to come up with an idea and think it’s really good, but not necessarily know if it actually is or if people will want to buy it. You can save yourself a lot of time by talking to people who might be potential buyers to understand if there’s a market there. Ultimately, I suppose it’s about validation more than anything else.
But beyond business stuff, I always say do something you love. There’s that saying, “If you choose a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s cheesy, but honestly, it’s true. I know a lot of people my age who hate their jobs. I don’t get it. I’d rather earn less and do something I enjoy.
Building a personal brand is extremely important. For anyone starting a business, this has been the most important thing for me and my company. My personal brand has led to opportunities for us, for the business. There’s probably not a single week that goes by without me getting an opportunity on LinkedIn, whether it’s to talk about X, Y, or Z, help with marketing, or do a talk somewhere. But all of this is only possible because I started building my personal brand 20 years ago.
So, when I stand in front of people now and say, ‘Just get started, build your connections,’ I mean it. Take opportunities, even if it’s public speaking and you’re scared. Do it, because that’s how you grow, and those are the experiences that can change your life.
And lastly, never stop learning. Whether it’s reading books, listening to podcasts, or having mentors, always be open to advice. I’m still always trying to get better.”
Self-Care Isn’t Selfish – It’s Strategic
Nora Burger, MA, Certified Co-active Coach, ACC, reminds us:
“It all begins with a mindset shift. Once you realise that self-care fuels your ability to give to others and perform at your best, guilt no longer has a place in the equation. It’s about understanding that taking care of yourself is essential for sustained success, not a hindrance to it.”
Advice from Young Founders: Learn & Adapt
Dru & Alfie, Founders of Urfinest Clothing, offer this straightforward tip:
“Do as much market research as possible! Also, watch videos that you could make on your own as it isn’t easy starting out with content creation – myself and Alfie are still learning.”
