INTRODUCING BALANCE TO A BURN-OUT CULTURE 

In no other industry is the pressure to perform more intense than start-ups. A culture where “no days off” is the only acceptable approach; where taking a break equals crushing guilt. Kay Foss saw a new way forward.For more than a decade, Kay supported an entrepreneur as they took a fledgling business to global skies. She knew, first-hand, the highs-and-lows, tumult and exhaustion, exhilaration and excitement of start-up life. She also knew that she’d seen it before: in her career as a counsellor for elite athletes.The sporting world, the original breeding ground for burn-out, had shifted over the years to see mental health as a vital element to success (especially the sustainable kind).  Kay believed a similar shake-up was due in the founder space – and she saw a clear gap in the market for a service.

\ Challenge

Founder Families is a first-of-its-kind consultancy that supports ambition without demanding total sacrifice, helping entrepreneurs find a schedule that works for all areas of their life. A much-needed innovation but one that went against the status-quo of start-up culture. We partnered with Founder Families to build a brand system that would appeal to a group who were yet to see the service as essential (or the outcome – a healthy balance – even possible).  

\ Outcome

We spoke the truth. Our brand voice acknowledged that, for a founder, a true 50/50 life and work split was nigh impossible. Instead, Founder Families was centred on the idea of finding each client’s ‘imperfect balance’ – a concept we realised through a suite of 3D building blocks. No matter what configuration they were stacked in, stability was found. We incorporated these blocks and structures into a contemporary and editorial design system that looked more like a management resource than a traditional mental health provider. The most ethical trickery we’ve ever undertaken.