Founder fatigue, often referred to as 'burnout', is the intense, chronic physical and emotional exhaustion experienced by startup leaders due to relentless pressure, long hours and high-stakes decision-making, which often leads to decreased productivity and poor mental health.

Sonia Kabra, 31, a co-founder of BuuPass, a bus, trains and aircraft ticketing platform, took a long while to recognise that she had founder fatigue.

“When you are building something from scratch, constant pressure feels normal,” she says.

For years, she assumed that the constant mental noise in her head was just what commitment looked like. She would go to sleep thinking about contracts, product decisions and sales targets, and wake up already running through unfinished tasks in her head.

At the time, she says, that felt like dedication rather than a warning sign. In the early stages of a startup, Sonia says one’s identity and the business become inextricably linked.

“There is simply no separation between you and what you are building. Your mind is always on the business. Even before I go to sleep, I’m thinking about what’s not working and what I need to do in the short and long- term. When I wake up, I already have a list in my head,” says Sonia.

Over time, she adds, the constant mental activity began to manifest in other ways. “There might be times when even simple tasks take longer because you’re deeply fatigued or unmotivated. Or you’re so fixated on one thing that you can’t think about anything else.”

A problematic ecosystem

For her the realisation came when she noticed she was obsessing over issues beyond her control and not paying enough attention to her health or relationships. Even then, like many of her peers, she didn’t recognise it for what it was.

Sonia Kabra, co-founder of BuuPass, during an interview at her office in Nairobi on July 28, 2025.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

“I think the way the startup ecosystem is built stops many of us from realising that it's a real thing and that everyone will experience it at some point because we're all human. You may have big ideas that set you apart, but that doesn't mean you're exempt from human nature.”

This experience can often be misunderstood.

“It’s not that you don’t want to work,” she adds. “When your work has deep meaning to you, especially as a founder, taking a step back doesn’t mean laziness.”

Instead, she says, it is closer to maintenance or rejuvenation. “Just as you maintain your vehicle, you need to go through periods of maintenance as a human, especially in a high-stress job.”

For Kabra, the pressure was especially apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic six years ago, when travel businesses were among the worst affected. She remembers how survival became the immediate focus.

“It was so intense that it started affecting my health,” says Sonia describing periods of long hours and stress that made her neglect basic routines. It was an experience that realigned her way of thinking.

“Now, I remind myself that taking care of my health means taking care of my startup. I have made peace with the fact that who I am and what I do at BuuPass are peas in a pod. Wellness is a key driver in achieving anything. When I show up energised and healthy, I’m able to be a better leader and founder.”

Managing the strain

Sonia has since developed ways to manage the strain. “The first thing is taking care of the basics. This means your physical and mental health. For me, that's walks, the gym, and recently, paddle,” she says.

Her other hack is unplugging from constant digital noise.

“People are addicted to their phones these days,” she says. “Scrolling and comparing yourself to others is exhausting. Sometimes, simply doing nothing or being present can help. There are many novel ideas in our market. Every day, someone is inventing something new or securing additional funding. Comparisons like these, shared on the internet, can be exhausting and make you question whether you're doing things right.”

Beyond that, she relies heavily on community. “Having other founders or people in similar professions around you gives you a different perspective. You have a safe space to talk about problems and get feedback. You learn what works and what doesn’t outside the scope of comparison.”

“Yes, your business is a huge part of you, but you’re more than that. Business has ups and downs, and that doesn't mean you've failed as a person, so don't let yourself get down. Keep showing up, but be bold enough to accept that you can burn out, and, as an important resource to your start-up, this is not something you want.”

Need to know everything

For Kenyan climate-tech founder Brian Munene, 24, the pressure came in a different form. As co-founder of Africa Renewables Catalyst, he recalls that much of his fatigue came from the need to quickly grasp a complex field, while also trying to juggle many other things.

Kenyan founders at BuuPass and Africa Renewables Catalyst share candid lessons on burnout, resilience and the personal toll of building startups.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Entering the renewable energy sector, he says, meant confronting the reality that others had years of experience. “We did reading sprints: We would read for 40 minutes and then take a five-minute break. We tried to cover hundreds of pages, not because someone forced us, but because we needed to know everything within a short time.”

Emotional strain

The pressure Brian experienced was largely internal. “We felt we needed to catch up quickly to be taken seriously,” he says, adding that the emotional strain often runs deeper than the intellectual strain.

“There’s a sense of loneliness when you’re building something. The people you used to walk with fall away, while others watch from a distance. You meet new people at different stages, but they’re not always there for the same reasons,” says Brian.

Building a business has been a game of musical chairs that can make founders like him feel isolated.

Like Sonia, Brian has built a strong sense of community. “I have a very big support system — mentors, peers and family — and we support each other.”

Faith and resilience

He also has a community of fellow founders who regularly check in, share feedback and hold one another accountable. “It’s not just me getting support; it’s a mutual exchange. I also support others, and that creates a bandwagon effect.” Faith, he adds, plays a central role in his resilience. “God is the biggest support system I have, because he sustained me and guided me to this path.”

Both founders acknowledge that the African environment adds another layer to the challenge. Sonia says building a business in Kenya is not easy, but instead of giving up altogether, she sees that as a strength.

“It’s difficult to build a business anywhere, but here there are many barriers.” She believes that overcoming these barriers builds resilience. “If you’re able to survive and grow through these times, that becomes your competitive advantage.”

Brian agrees, but argues that African entrepreneurs must understand their own context rather than copying Silicon Valley models.

“We are very different,” he says. “Our market is different. If we don’t understand that, we’re just listening to noise.” According to him, having clarity about who you are and what market you serve reduces unnecessary pressure.

One question that often troubles founders is whether to be open about their burnout, seeing that this may negatively affect team morale and investor confidence. Sonia says that founders must balance honesty with responsibility.

“You have responsibilities to your investors and employees. The way you present yourself matters.” She believes that building confidence is not about pretending fatigue doesn't exist, but demonstrating how you recover from it. “It's how efficiently you bounce back that makes people believe in you,” she says.

Brian takes a more internal approach. He believes that purpose determines how fatigue is experienced. “Entrepreneurship exposes you. It shows you fears you didn't know you had.”

He believes that understanding the purpose behind a project helps to maintain focus. “When you understand your 'why,' good days and bad days won't shake you the same way.”

So, is there anything first-time founders can do to avoid burnout?

“I don’t think you can completely avoid it,” says Sonia. “You have to go through phases of obsession to make something work.”

What she recommends instead is discipline around health and community. “Don’t neglect your health, and find other founders you can talk to. That resilience helps you push through.”

Brian offers similar advice. He believes that a founder's journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about building a business.

“Entrepreneurship helps you to get to know yourself better. It reveals your true self.” As such, he encourages founders to understand their purpose early on. “When you know your purpose, you stay grounded. Unmet expectations won't break you. They teach you how to do things differently.”

→nduguabisai@gmail.com

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