Financial TimesFinancial Times

Tech founders need to be treated like athletes to avoid burnout

By Tim Bradshaw

06 Jul 2023 · 5 min read

Editor's Note

Some tech investors are now realising that putting entrepreneurs under too much pressure can be bad for business, as well as the founders themselves. The FT has the story.

When Etsy paid $1.6bn to buy Depop in 2021, it was more than just a big payday for the London-based fashion app’s founder, Simon Beckerman.

It also marked the culmination of a decade of stress, sleep deprivation and, at times, physical pain, he recalls. As the nine-month sale process reached its conclusion, “I went through a week where randomly during the day, every couple of hours I would start crying,” Beckerman says.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content