According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adult Americans experience mental illness in their lives. Entrepreneurs and founders are more susceptible to mental health issues, where it is the stress of building the business, or the increased isolation and focus on work, which the role demands. At the same time, speaking about mental health has been seen as a stigma, reinforced by the fear of losing investor and market confidence.

"There is a stigma talking about anxiety in any shape or form... it's looked upon as a weakness." - Jason Saltzman

Challenging the image of entrepreneurs as infallible and never needing a break is an important part of recognizing the pressure they face. We invited some of our entrepreneurs and founders to share their mental health journey and break down the stigma wall. From dealing with diagnosed disorders to ensuring that you are building a resilient team to arranging ways to monitor and check your mental health, our group of founders is changing the conversation around mental health.

"We start our businesses from a place of wanting to give back, but you can't give back from an empty well." - Zakiyyah Walker

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Check out the Alley video above featuring: 

Jason Saltzman, Alley CEO

Kelsey Hunter, Founder & CEO of Paloma

Zakiyyiah Walker, Founder of Leo Season / Joyces's Kid

Dr. Chloe Carmichael, Entrepreneur & Clinical Psychologist

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