Yael Benjamin’s Post

I recently had the chance to sit down with Dr. Neetu Johnson M.D.🧠🩺, Chief Medical Officer & Co-Founder of PrescribeLife, who brings a unique blend of expertise in mental health, medicine, and entrepreneurship. Neetu truly lives and breathes this world, and our conversation was as insightful as it was inspiring. We centered our chat around a key data point from our Startup Snapshot report, The Untold Toll: only 49% of founders openly share their stress and challenges with their cofounders. Neetu and I explored what this actually means on the ground for founders and their teams—going beyond high-level research to focus on practical, actionable insights. What I appreciated most was Neetu’s advice on moving past the silence. She shared strategies for encouraging open dialogue, fostering empathy, and building mutual respect—elements that are essential for thriving cofounder relationships. Her approach is both grounded and incredibly useful for founders looking to strengthen team dynamics and navigate the realities of startup life. If you’re navigating the ups and downs of cofounder dynamics (who isn't?), I highly recommend checking out the full conversation. Neetu’s practical strategies can make a real difference in how we support each other on this journey. Full interview in the comments

'The shift when founders begin to slow down internally is mind-blowing.’- Emma Claire Davis Excited to share a new piece from our expert community that challenges everything we think we know about founder success. Emma Claire Davis, transformative coach shares how founders are actually limiting their potential through constant internal rushing and overthinking. She presents a fascinating alternative: the power of subtraction. What struck me most was Emma's observation of founders feeling guilty about taking just 30 minutes for an important call - a perfect illustration of how our 'hustle culture' might be holding us back rather than propelling us forward. This is exactly the kind of fresh perspective we love bringing to our community - challenging conventional wisdom and offering a unique view into the founder psyche. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3UGdpiQ 💡 Curious about what’s really happening behind the scenes in the startup world? Follow me for more fresh data, expert insights, and unfiltered founder stories!

I want to hear from you! I’m diving into a topic that separates the startups that close deals from those that end up refreshing their inboxes at 2 a.m.: Investor Readiness. It’s not just about the deck. I’m writing a detailed blog post about this (and will share it here later)—complete with a comprehensive self-assessment checklist for founders and project leaders to see if they’re truly ready to pitch or just think they are. But I want to hear from you. The question: Based on your experience (as a founder, investor, or that friend who gives brutally honest feedback), What are your TOP 3 most crucial lessons about investor readiness? Drop your wisdom in the comments. Your input will help shape this into a resource that doesn’t waste anyone’s time—founders’ or investors’. Let’s make it meaningful (and maybe save a few inboxes from unnecessary refreshes). Thanks for sharing your insights! 🙏 #InvestorReadiness

"People will forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel." This Maya Angelou quote from my conversation with Adriana Cerundolo perfectly captures why I wanted to explore the human side of pitching. While most pitch advice focuses on metrics and slides, Adriana, founder of Bloomtree Wellness, brings a refreshing perspective: confidence isn't innate - it's built through managing insecurity and developing self-efficacy. What fascinated me was her insight that even 'confident' presenters have fears; they've just learned to befriend them rather than fight them. Full interview in the comments 💡 Curious about what’s really happening behind the scenes in the startup world? Follow me for more fresh data, expert insights, and unfiltered founder stories!

What a pair at Pear VC! What do Mar Hershenson and Mo Fong have in common? 👉 We love empowering #entrepreneurs to take their ideas to launch and scale! 🚀 👉 We are both Stanford engineers at heart ❤️. 👉 We are both adjunct lecturers with Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and the Stanford Department of Management Science and Engineering. 👉 We are more interested in substance than what's on the surface. 👉 We love our families and are in good company with others in the sandwich generation. 👉 We love to laugh and are forever optimists 👉 We both are drawn to green - the color that gives life and luck! 🍀 So lucky to have you as a friend Mar! Always rooting for you! 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫: She has been recognized on the Forbes Midas List in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. 💪 🍐 Considering that women make up approximately 11% of investing partners at VC firms, that is an incredible accomplishment! 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫: "To make a company succeed, you should think in terms of and, not or. Team and market and execution. Hard work and smart work. Tough times and good times." 🎤

For founders, the start-up journey can be incredibly isolating, even with a dedicated team. The stress of navigating uncertainties while maintaining a confident front can be overwhelming. At Social Alpha, we connect with many founders and understand these challenges deeply. Manoj Kumar, our founder, has distilled his personal experiences and insights into practical advice for overcoming founder fatigue. Read more about Manoj's journey and his tips for staying resilient here - https://lnkd.in/gPiTXJE4 #founderstories #founderfatigue #loneliness

Success isn't about volume, it's about impact. I receive over 10 investment inquiries a week... And after years of refining, I’ve learned that creating essential, high-impact documents is the key to startup success. Here’s what most guides don’t emphasise: → Research is vital: ↳ Find the right materials to support your vision. → Clarity is king: ↳ Transform your documents into compelling investor pitches. → Long-term value: ↳ Ensure documents align with your broader strategy. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Focus on creating core documents that drive real progress. Want to dive deeper into any of these areas? Let’s discuss in the comments! ♻️ Repost and join the conversation.

The hardest part about startups is being yanked in a million directions when you’re just trying to go from point A to point B. Each pulling in its own way: → Your sales goals → Your customer needs → Your market demands → Your operational tasks → Your product roadmap → Your social media feed → Your financial challenges → Your competitive landscape → And your own goddamn intuition. They're all screaming for your attention. Sometimes, the noise gets so loud, you can't even hear yourself think. And you can’t pause and say: "Chill! I got this.” If that’s you, know you’re not alone. It doesn’t get easier, but you do get better at managing the chaos. Keep pushing. -- I'm Pierre Sabbagh, managing the chaos. Follow me for weekly stories from my journey.

Weekly Reflection #15: "No More Random Sh*t!" > Repeat three times before planning your strategies, doing something, or making decisions. . Doing things randomly will most likely lead you to random results, which could lead you to do mistakes, waste time, and send negative signals to your audience. Sometimes, we get lucky, but in today's world we cannot count on luck alone. We need to employ strategic thinking before acting on our plans. And it is not rocket science, because most randomness happens at the basics of logic and fundamentals. This is what I noticed from my experience as a startup founder, mentor, coach, speaker, and now investor. I employ this thinking before I pass it on, and it has been paying dividends. . Ask yourself: Am I doing this randomly? . Ask yourself again: "How can I do it "not randomly"? . Ask yourself finally: "What are the consequences of doing this randomly? . "No More Random Sh*t" is a mental reminder for everyone, not just startups, but all people who are about to do something important for themselves. The lesson is to stop and reflect on your plan. Remember that you are seeking to win the war, in whatever field or domain, and to do that you need to win individual battles on daily/weekly/monthly basis. . So, repeat after me: "No More Random Sh*t!"

Jonny Miller & I co-facilitated an event at Boulder Startup Week focused on embodied presence and nervous system balance. We improvised the event structure to support a dynamic and lively exchange. 💃🏽 Here are 5 observations from the experience: 1. It was thrilling to work alongside Jonny and experience his gentle, pragmatic, and inclusive teaching style. He masterfully simplifies complex topics and makes them accessible to everyone. 2. The cultural movement to benefit from embodied presence is in its nascent stages. 3. It takes courage to drop the habit of compulsive planning and enter into conscious relationship with vulnerable bodily sensations. 4. People are hungry to unearth methods that take them out of their story and into raw, alive, and present experience. 5. The more we stay in touch with what is most alive within us, the better we manage the negative consequences of disembodiment, such as burnout, numbness, and relational bypassing. Embodied presence and nervous system regulation support a sane connection in our relationships with the whole planet and with our own innate wisdom.