Survey results reveal help is needed for entrepreneurs

 

Help and support are at the very centre of what I provide as a business coach – but I feel we can always do more.

 

That’s why I’ve carried out a huge survey into the mental health issues facing those at the very top of the North East business community.

 

Over 100 business leaders responded. Sadly, the survey suggested that old adage is true – it really can be lonely at the top.

 

A significant number of those who took part in the survey admitted that loneliness was one of the biggest problems they faced at the helm of a business.

 

This, and a host of other sobering statistics to emerge from the survey, is why I’ve launched ‘Save the Entrepreneur’.

 

The campaign aims to shine a light on the hidden struggles many successful business owners and leaders face.

 

This poll alone revealed that approximately 20 per cent of business leaders in the region cited loneliness as one of the worst aspects of running a business.

 

And it wasn’t just loneliness that was identified as a downside to being an entrepreneur.

 

Many leaders admitted facing enormous levels of pressure, stress and anxiety.

 

Sadly, these are often hidden torments, with family, friends and colleagues unaware of the pain these men and women battle every day.

 

And it is being hidden behind the mask of success.

 

Success, and all its trappings like money and a big house, can deceive onlookers into thinking everything must be alright.

 

But in too many cases it simply isn’t.

 

In my case, despite success in the business world, at one point life just got too much.

 

At my lowest ebb, I tried taking my life. Thankfully, I’m still here. But that’s why ‘Save the Entrepreneur’ is so important to me.

 

This is a shocking stat, but 63 per cent of business leaders admitting to forsaking their mental health in order to succeed in the workplace.

 

That culture must change, and that’s why I want to use this survey to help shape a bespoke mental health package aimed exclusively at entrepreneurs.

 

I’ve heard what you say, and trust me, I know how hard it can be. But together, we can try our best to fix this.