It’s Lonely At The Top

Lately, I’ve been feeling the weight of this phrase, and I imagine many of you have too. Being a first-time founder has reminded me a lot of my time as a paramedic student. Back then, my instructor had a saying: "I have a year to split your head open and cram in as much knowledge as possible." The pace was intense, and by the end of it, we were expected to step into the field and make it happen…thrown to the wolves, you could say. Founding a startup feels eerily similar: high stress, constant learning, and the expectation to deliver under pressure, often with no one to guide you. But what stands out to me the most is the loneliness. Even with a great team or support system, the ultimate responsibility rests on your shoulders. For those of you who’ve been down this path, how do you manage the isolation? How do you stay grounded and avoid burning out?