The U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory, “calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. Disconnection fundamentally affects our mental, physical, and societal health. In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily.”

The average worker spends a good portion of their week at work. The work relationships and culture we engage with are incredibly important to our well-being and sense of connectedness.

So who better to learn from than founders? 

Founders are lonely. It’s the nature of the job. Naturally, when you start something new, on your own, that no one else has done before, it’s hard to find peers you can actually relate to. Founders have to take the extra step to overcome that loneliness. 

We talked to founders—on SNP’s podcast, Think Like A Founder—who gave us three pieces of advice for combating loneliness: 

• Find like-minded people. 
• Rebuild your support network. 
• Remember the vision. 

Read on to learn more…

Find like-minded people

“It’s very lonely being a founder, very lonely being a CEO…who do you talk to? Your friends don’t understand. They’re not founders. You can’t talk to your employees because you literally can’t share things with them. Nobody has the context to be able to understand the challenges and often even the successes. There is nobody to talk to. 

“So personally, I’m part of three societies of entrepreneurs called Founders, ICE, and Snowball. Everybody within those groups goes on retreats a couple of times a year and speaks a lot in between. We are all members of the same tribe of founders, which means that we all understand each other. We all live and share the same values. We can build friendships based on the journey that we are going through.

I cannot imagine going through this journey without the support that I get from my friends in these entrepreneur networks. It would be impossible. I wouldn’t have anybody to learn from because I wouldn’t know anybody who’d walked the path before me.”

— Theo Saville, Co-Founder and CEO of CloudNC. Listen to Theo’s Think Like A Founder episode here.

Lesson from Theo: Find like-minded people—people who understand your challenges and successes.

This can be at any level. From your approach to work to the work itself. People who can understand your challenges as well as your successes can make you feel seen, heard, and most importantly connected. Find people who can understand your unique journey. Lean on your colleagues a bit more when it comes to the ebbs and flows of work, so you can forgo loneliness at work.

Rebuild your support network

“I left my job in finance. And it’s this dynamic where you’re on your own sort of path…you’re putting in a tremendous amount of hours…it’s isolating. You don’t have the time to invest in your friends and family, and your support system can kind of suffer a little bit because you’re not nourishing those relationships in the way that you were prior.

“As I’ve found support systems along the way I’ve been able to balance it more. At the very least,  I’m starting to rebuild my support systems around people who really understand my priorities and why I’m so driven to do what I do and the sacrifices that I make.”

— James Connolly, Founder and CEO of Villa. Listen to Jame’s Think Like A Founder episode here.

Lesson from James: In times of change, sometimes old support systems break down. That’s ok. Build new ones.

Similar to what Theo shared, you should build those support systems around people who are experiencing similar challenges. Learn from them. 

Remember the vision

“I think there’s nothing better than being in control of your own destiny as a founder. That’s the truest form of it. There’s no one else. You don’t have a boss. There’s no one else to fall back on.

“But that’s like the greatest feeling in the world––that it’s just you and your team. We can make this happen. Freedom to be able to do what you’re passionate about is on one side of the balance. The other side is, it is lonely…it’s an enormous amount of responsibility. But that’s okay. That’s what you signed up for. That’s also what’s driving you to build the great thing that nobody else saw before you.”

— Alicia Jackson, Founder and CEO of Evernow. Listen to Alicia’s Think Like A Founder episode here.

Lesson from Alicia: Remember the vision. Connect to your why. Let that inspire you in your times of loneliness.

Because sometimes the changes that we make are an important stage in getting us to the next place we want to be. Whether it’s starting at a new company, a reorg, or a beloved coworker leaving. Embrace it. Know that it’s temporary. And find like-minded people and new support networks to help you along the way. 

Experiencing loneliness at work? That’s ok.

“People have to realize that loneliness is a part of it, and that’s ok.” — Maureen Taylor. 

SNP’s own Co-Founder and CEO knows best. Loneliness is part of the journey. You can’t avoid it. But you can act. What you do matters. 

Find like-minded people. Rebuild your support network. Remember the vision. 

We’re all just humans looking to build connection—at home, at work, in the world. Reach out. 

The post A Founder’s Guide to Loneliness at Work appeared first on SNP Communications.

“When you’re in that zero to one stage, what you’re doing is gonna be difficult by nature. Because it has not been done before. So I think there’s a line that you have to balance, which is, here’s why this thing should exist, here’s why we can make it happen. Of course, this whole thing could blow up. In fact, nine times out of 10 it will. So that’s what we’re getting into. But we’re doing it because one, it’s gonna be fun to do it anyway. And the journey is the reward of doing this. And two, it might work.”

–  James McGoff

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets James McGoff’s thoughts on…

• A dent in the universe
• Promising something into existence
• Colliding your ideas with reality as soon as possible

Check out more from James McGoff on LinkedIn. Learn more about TemperPack on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 6 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with James McGoff – CPO & Founder of TemperPack appeared first on SNP Communications.

Phantom Auto’s goal is to solve the labor shortage in logistics by enabling people to drive vehicles remotely from thousands of miles away.

“I was somewhat glibe you could say, right? All I knew a hundred percent is that I was obsessed with this idea. And if I didn’t do it…this was the one thing in my life that I felt like if I didn’t do…I would regret it for the rest of my life. I think going back, if I had known the odds in just how hard it is to raise money and hire and find that product market fit and find those initial customers, I probably wouldn’t have done it. So, I really, in hindsight, I think I had the benefit of being somewhat of a newb, and that helped me.”

–  Elliot Katz

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Elliot Katz’s thoughts on…

• The benefits of being a “newb”
• The realities of a sink-or-swim environment
• Learning from rejection

Check out more from Elliot Katz on LinkedIn. Learn more about Phantom Auto on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 5 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Elliot Katz – Co-Founder and CBO of Phantom Auto appeared first on SNP Communications.

Ellipsis believes that physical and mental health are equally important. Their mission is to connect the dots between the two and establish a new standard for care. We first spoke to Mainul back in season two and decided it was time to catch up!

“If you have a group of people with different trainings coming to one place to solve a problem, that’s the best kinda problem solving you can do. And if you hit a roadblock, they’re there to help you, to guide you, to hold your hand and say, we got this. And that sense of community is extremely important in my mind, to solve the biggest problems.”

–  Mainul Mondal

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Mainul Mondal’s thoughts on…

• Creating a sense of belonging
• Taking care of yourself by serving others 
• Letting go of people who are unkind

Check out more from Mainul Mondal on LinkedIn. Learn more about Ellipsis Health on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 3 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Mainul Mondal – Co-Founder and CEO of Ellipsis Health appeared first on SNP Communications.

Volta Wallet is a Cryptocurrency wallet that wants to democratize Cryptocurrency. Their aim is to make Blockchain more accessible and seamless for the everyday user, no matter what their background is.

“I love taking things apart and figuring out how they work and trying to see what else I can do with it. In the middle of loading a game, I would stop it abruptly and let the crash and then it would show me some code. I’ll write that down, change a word here and there, and see what that does. And that’s where my passion for tech came from. And that’s where my passion for tech came from.” 

– George Melika

On this episode of Think Like A Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets George Melika’s thoughts on…

• Working on the worst part of the company
• The nuance of being a co-founder
• Stepping back from the problems to see the whole picture

Check out more from George Melika on LinkedIn. 

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 3 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with George Melika – CEO & Co-Founder of Volta Wallet appeared first on SNP Communications.

Happy Scribe uses AI technology to transcribe audio in over 100 and 20 languages. Automatic transcripts will have a wide-ranging impact on multiple industries from journalism to entertainment. And Happy Scribe is leveraging that power to change how content is made and consumed in the future.

“Never be afraid of doing things. It’s a motto that still drives me today while running Happy Scribe. It’s like this fake it until you make it, this idea that you can learn on the go. When we developed Happy Scribe as well, our first big customer was a TV channel in Spain that needed subtitles made by a human in Catalan.

When we had them on the call, we were like, of course, we can do it for you. And that project was a disaster, but we learned a lot. Trying to go a step ahead in the unknown and out of your comfort zone, this is where you actually learn things.”

– André Bastié

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets André Bastié’s thoughts on…

• Learning as you go
• How adversity builds resilience
• The reality of working through depression.

Check out more from André Bastié on LinkedIn. Learn more about Happy Scribe on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 2 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with André Bastié – CEO & Co-Founder of Happy Scribe appeared first on SNP Communications.

Leda Health’s mission is to provide better help and resources for sexual assault survivors, their loved ones, and their communities. With a network of professionals in forensics, law, healthcare, advocacy, design, engineering, and politics, Leda Health is working to create a unique and holistic survivor-centric solution.

“This is going to sound morbid, but I promise it’s not morbid…we don’t know how long or short life is. Crazy things happen all the time. And the way that I think about it is, what do I want my eulogy or my tombstone to say? If I died tomorrow, would I be proud of the work that I did and what I put out there into the universe? And I don’t know if I could get up every day and live my life if I knew what I was doing every single day was not going to this purpose.

And I don’t know if I could get up every day and live my life if I knew what I was doing every single day was not going to this purpose. And as long as I do this, even if I don’t finish my task, if I were to die, I would still be happy that I died with a purpose.”

– Madison Campbell

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Madison Campbell’s thoughts on…

• Forgiveness
• The challenges of being a young, female founder
• The rarity of ambition

Check out more from Madison Campbell on LinkedIn. Learn more about Leda Health on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 6 Episode 1 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Madison Campbell, Co-Founder and CEO of Leda Health appeared first on SNP Communications.

CloudNC is developing advanced software that makes it possible to create efficient and reliable manufacturing processes in a single click. As the manufacturing sector grapples with rising costs and aging workforces, CloudNC gives them the tools they need to deliver new capabilities and increase productivity.

“I think it’s very helpful to acknowledge the characteristic in oneself or the characteristic in the founder of a desire to solve crises and then resist the temptation to become the firefighter turned arsonist. If you’re in peacetime as a company rather than wartime, it requires a different kind of leadership. It requires a different kind of mindset. And sometimes it just requires leaving big, open space for the team to run and do their job.”

Theo Saville

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Theo Saville’s thoughts on

• Hiring someone who’s three inches wide and a mile deep
• Being a crisis junkie
• Doubling down on yourself

Check out more from Theo Saville on LinkedIn. Learn more about CloudNC on their company website.

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 5 Episode 8 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Theo Saville, Co-Founder and CEO of CloudNC appeared first on SNP Communications.

Parker works to empower individuals to achieve financial freedom through fractional real estate investing. And Breaktime is a non-profit that breaks the cycle of young adult homelessness through purposeful transitional employment. 

Tony is a recent graduate from Harvard University, where he created his own major around housing and urban innovation. He has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, BostInno 25 Under 25, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Ten Outstanding Young Leaders for his work.  

“I reflected on my own life and saw that for my mom, it was that first job at that Chinese restaurant that helped her earn her first wage in the US and of course afford her first apartment. And not have to sleep in the backseat of a rental car. That first job can have ripple effects on one person’s life as
well as the lives of future generations. For me that was a really fascinating problem to address.”

Tony Shu

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Tony Shu’s thoughts on…

• Problems that strike a chord in your heart
• Being a hummingbird
• Improving by 1% each day

Learn more about Tony Shu on his website. Check out more of his work on the Parker website and the Breaktime website. 

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there. 

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 5 Episode 8 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Tony Shu, Co-Founder of Parker & Breaktime appeared first on SNP Communications.

Will Landry is the Founder and CEO of The Lichen Lab. The Lichen Lab, an incubator for laboratory sustainability technologies. Their flagship product, the Shut the Sash Alarm, reminds scientists to keep laboratory fume hoods closed, which helps labs conserve energy, save money, and keep people safe from hazardous chemicals. Will founded The Lichen Lab while at UC San Diego and graduated with a B.S. in Biology.

“I would say since that burnout period, I think that I’ve actually had a difficulty recommitting to that vision, even though it’s the same vision, it’s the same mission from pre-burnout.

I’m much less willing to just drive myself to the edge than I used to be. And I think I care a lot more about my personal wellbeing than I used to. I’m not willing to compromise sleep as much as I used to. And I’m not willing to work until 10:00 PM as often as I used to.”

Will Landry

On this episode of Think Like a Founder, SNP’s Co-Founder & CEO, Maureen Taylor gets Will Landry’s thoughts on…

• Burnout
• Investing in your fire
• Being self-critical

Connect with Will Landry on LinkedIn. Find out more about The Lichen Lab on their website.  

Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Visit the Think Like A Founder website to learn more about the podcast and curriculum or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there. 

Missed the last episode? Find Think Like A Founder Season 5 Episode 6 here.

Series Producer: Mike Sullivan

Sound Design: Marc Ream 

Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown

Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas

Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.

The post Podcast with Will Landry, Founder of The Lichen Lab appeared first on SNP Communications.