The hidden cost of startup hustle: Burnout, breakdown and leadership

Startup founders are told to hustle harder, push through and never let the cracks show. But what happens when the pressure becomes too much? This week on Startup 360, host Simon Thomsen sits down with workplace mental health advocate Graeme Cowan for a candid conversation about burnout, psychological safety and the hidden emotional cost of building a business. Graeme, a founding board director of R U OK? and host of the Caring CEO podcast, shares his own experience of crashing after the dotcom collapse and spending five years out of work with severe depression. From that journey came a mission to help leaders create healthier, more resilient workplaces. “The old saying, a problem shared is a problem halved,” Graeme says - a simple idea that sits at the heart of this week’s episode’s message about vulnerability, connection and asking for help before burnout takes hold. This episode dives into why startup culture’s obsession with resilience can sometimes fuel burnout instead. Graeme shares practical ways founders can check in with their teams, recognise early warning signs and build sustainable habits before things spiral. Startup 360 is all about staying human and finding out what makes people tick. This show is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free!