What if peak performance isn’t about doing more but being more? Jason Cavnar unpacks how founders can harness mental health practices to drive innovation, foster resilience, and redefine what it means to lead sustainably in high-pressure environments.

Episode Summary

In this candid and deeply personal conversation, Jason Cavnar, executive director of the Founder Mental Health Pledge, discusses how founders can transform their mental health from an afterthought to a cornerstone of their success. Drawing from his own journey as well as well-documented systemic challenges in the startup ecosystem, Jason highlights why proactive mental health practices are essential for sustaining high performance in entrepreneurship.

The episode explores the interplay between mental well-being and peak leadership, why founders often feel trapped in survival mode, and how small daily rituals can lead to big changes. Jason shares stories about reimagining leadership through consciousness, embracing vulnerability, and using tools like travel and play to foster creativity and innovation. I Whether you’re a founder, an investor, or simply interested in building better systems, this episode offers actionable wisdom and a call to join the movement.

Key Themes

• Shifting from a break-fix model to proactive mental health practices.
• How wellbeing and performance are deeply interconnected.
• The Founder Mental Health Pledge: what it is and how it’s making a difference.
• Reframing "wrongness" in leadership as an opportunity for growth.
• The power of play, travel, and consciousness in sustainable entrepreneurship.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about the Founder Mental Health Pledge
• Connect with Jason Cavnar on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram
• Connect with Kt on LinkedIn and Bluesky
• Learn more about the Integratron
• Explore the work of Renew VC
• Sign the Purpose Pledge
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose