RT 01 | A Conversation on Mental Health with Bruce Croxon
On today’s episode, we have the incredible Bruce Croxon, Managing Partner of Round 13 Capital. Round13 Capital is a growth-stage venture capital firm that invests in Canadian companies with the potential of becoming monster hits. The Co-Founder of Lavalife, an online dating company that exited for $180 million, Bruce is a veteran as both an entrepreneur and an investor. We are honoured to introduce Bruce because he is an early champion of our movement.
A conversation between our host Cherry Rose and our guest Bruce, they reveal the urgent need to address mental health in the tech world. Bruce recalls how the tech community has evolved over the last 35 years. While the tech space has become more inclusive, the pressure to deliver has skyrocketed. To further drive home his point, Cherry Rose reveals her struggles as a self-made entrepreneur and first-generation immigrant.
A fifth-generation entrepreneur, she shares the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and how that inspired her unique outlook on startups. Removing the mask, Cherry Rose talks about the series of traumatic events that led to her rock bottom in 2017. It was from this place that #realtalk (formerly called For Founders by Founders) was born.
Can you steel yourself to overcome such personal setbacks?
Cherry Rose candidly admits that she would not have survived this setback without the support of her strong community. The staggering amount of empathy that she received made her realize the need for a community: a place where people can reach out to one another in their hour of need.
Bruce also shares his perspective on mental health, especially as a venture capitalist and a mentor to many founders. What can founders do differently? How can they get the help they need? Enjoy!
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
The importance of talking about mental health and removing the stigma
Our personal experiences and passion for mental health
What we as a community can do to move mental health forward
QUOTES
“If you are willing to work really, really, really hard, anything is possible.”
“If you are willing to talk about it, people are there for you. The willingness to admit weakness is your biggest strength.”
“Mental health is directly related to how we build our companies and how we operate our communities.”
RESOURCES