As the world marks Suicide Prevention Day in September, it’s a moment to pause and reflect on the mental health realities behind the glossy façade of entrepreneurship. Because while business ownership is often framed as bold and empowering, the emotional toll it takes, especially on women, is still largely unspoken.
“Leadership can be a very crowded kind of isolation,” says Jeni-Anne. “You’re surrounded by people, clients, team members, suppliers, but you’re the one expected to hold it all. And the hardest part? Most of the really heavy stuff, no one sees.”
Campbell has led through IVF, through a pandemic, and through a cancer diagnosis of her partner. She’s paid salaries when she couldn’t settle herself. She’s pitched through panic and worked from hospital beds because the deadline wouldn’t move. And she knows she’s not alone.
“There’s this quiet pressure to be the strong one. The one who holds space for everyone else. But if no one’s checking in on the person doing the holding, that’s where the danger creeps in.”
Martyrdom isn’t a KPI
One of the most damaging myths in entrepreneurship is the idea that burnout is proof of commitment. There’s this narrative that exhaustion equals dedication. The best leaders are the ones who sacrifice the most. But martyrdom isn’t leadership. It’s over-functioning dressed up as commitment. She’s seen how this mindset plays out in small businesses.
- Founders skip meals, work weekends, and wear burnout like a badge of honour, but the cost is high.
- Tired leaders make reactive decisions.
- Exhausted leaders micromanage.
- Frayed leaders struggle to hold space for others.
And slowly, the business you built with passion starts to feel like a burden you can’t put down. Instead, Campbell advocates for boundaries; not as barriers, but as instructions. “They teach your team how to treat you. They teach your clients what’s okay and what’s not. And they teach you what you’re willing to give and what you’re not.”
Support isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom
Asking for help is not a failure. It’s a leadership skill. “You were never meant to do this alone. Delegation isn’t a weakness. It’s wisdom. Whether it’s hiring a virtual assistant, outsourcing your bookkeeping, or simply asking a friend to check in because support is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
She’s built her agency around this principle, creating a culture where wellbeing is part of the rhythm, instead of a disruption. “I’ve built in generous leave policies, flexible schedules, and a ‘travel trips, not guilt trips’ mindset. We check in with each other, about work-related things, of course, but also on how we’re doing, our well-being. We normalise honest conversations and we celebrate rest as a resource, not a reward.”
Reflection as a leadership tool
Self-reflection is essential for sustainable leadership. “Leadership clarity doesn’t come from thinking more. It comes from thinking better,” she says. “And that doesn’t require a 40-minute morning routine. It can be one question at the end of the week: ‘Where did I lead in a way I wouldn’t want to be led?’”
Her own reflection rituals are simple and grounded in real life, from standing outside for two minutes before opening her laptop, to thinking while chopping carrots or watering plants. “I don’t sit down and ‘reflect’. I let reflection find me in the gaps. And somehow, that’s where the clarity sneaks in.”
What can business owners do today?
Five practical ways entrepreneurs can support mental health, for themselves and their teams:
- Check in with yourself — not just on tasks, but on how you’re feeling.
- Build boundaries — protect your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth.
- Ask for help — from peers, mentors, professionals.
- Model rest — take your leave, log off, and let your team see it’s okay to pause.
- Create space for honesty — make it safe for people to speak up, and listen with care.
Breaking the silence, building the legacy
In light of World Suicide Prevention Day, Campbell is urging business leaders to break the silence around mental health and to lead with more than strategy. “Mental health must become part of the business strategy. Because when leaders are well, businesses thrive. And when we lead with care, we don’t just build companies, we build legacies.”
Jeni-Anne Campbell, founder of the all-female creative agency JAW and author of Feeding Unicorns, is calling for a more honest conversation about mental health and wellbeing in business, especially among entrepreneurs and small business owners.
