If there’s one thing in common among all successful entrepreneurs, it’s that they faced a lot of adversity in building their businesses, with enormous effort and sometimes literal blood, sweat and tears. Research shows that 72% of entrepreneurs are affected by mental health conditions, and many have reported struggling with burnout, anxiety, and depression.
Meanwhile, ethnic, gender, and other minorities are more prone to poor mental health outcomes, due to traumatic experiences and systemic barriers to education, healthcare, and livelihood. With these two risk factors combined, minority entrepreneurs are undoubtedly experiencing untold levels of stress and are more likely to suffer from mental issues.
Kris Mathis, an award-winning and world-renowned motivational speaker, best-selling author, business coach, and serial entrepreneur, says that minority entrepreneurs must ensure that they have a strong support system to be able to deal with the unique challenges that they will face in growing their businesses. He himself is no stranger to these challenges, and he is open about the struggles he faced in his youth and how these persist into the present day, despite his success.
“I grew up in poverty, raised by a single mom after my dad got addicted to drugs and abandoned us. I was even homeless at one point after my first business collapsed. Against the odds, I was able to become a successful entrepreneur, but in 2010, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All these years, I’ve learned to live with PTSD and maneuver my way through business, while dealing with the emotions, anxieties and all these things that come along with it. As a person of color and businessman, it’s an ongoing challenge.”
He adds that many minority entrepreneurs also struggle with impostor syndrome, and they are anxious about even deserving to be where they are, given that they’re often the only minority in the room.
According to Mathis, minority entrepreneurs must understand the importance of mental health, how it affects families, how it affects businesses, and the solutions that they need to navigate the challenging world of being a business owner.
Mathis says that most minorities are struggling with something, and they don’t even know it, because they’ve never had a proper diagnosis. While being racially discriminated against should not be normal, it’s a fact of life for Black and Brown people. Minorities have many learned behaviors from their cultural background and origins to cope with oppression, and they do not understand how all the traumatic things from their pasts can affect their business.
Furthermore, minority entrepreneurs don’t have a safe space to share and talk about their trauma, and to get support. This underlines the huge gap in mental health services in the US, and the urgent need for initiatives that make these accessible to minority business owners.
Another point that Mathis raises is that small entrepreneurs often lack a healthy work-life balance, which contributes to deterioration of mental health and higher prevalance of suicidal thoughts and likelihood of being hospitalized for psychiatric elements.
“It’s even more difficult for entrepreneurs of color, because they’re juggling so many internal emotions that they haven’t learned to manage yet. They have the belief that success will cure their anxiety, but it isn’t the case. Success doesn’t make you a superman, despite what most people think,” Mathis says.
To be able to deal with these challenges, Mathis says entrepreneurs must fully understand that the journey is not an easy one, and that they need a strong support system to weather the mental, physical, and emotional challenges.
“I remain grounded by holding on to my faith, knowing that there’s nothing that I can’t face without it. It took me a long time to get to this point of faith, but it’s always been a big part for me. I also surround myself with good people in my circle of influence – friends, family, and the people I do business with. And finally, I have learned to be authentically myself in every room I walk into. I don’t feel the need to become anything that I’m not, to fit in. I don’t have to change the way I talk, or do anything different to fit into any circle.”
Hiring a business coach helps entrepreneurs navigate the uncharted territory of business and success, as a business coach Kris’ job is to assist entrepreneurs through the process of success both inside and outside the business. “Success demands the best of you and requires a level of sacrifice that every entrepreneur must pay to win, says Mathis. “It’s extremely difficult to navigate that journey alone, so it’s vital that you have a guide to help you take the right steps”
“I’m a huge supporter of engagement with mental health services and have been awarded for my minority mental health advocacy by Arbor Circle of Grand Rapids Michigan. Without inadvertently engaging with mental health services through my work with the homeless youth, I would never have come to terms with the trauma I was carrying around, and wouldn’t be where I am today,” Mathis says. “It’s practically impossible to strengthen ourselves mentally, to handle the obstacles that come with the journey that we’re on, without being honest with ourselves and addressing the underlying issues.”
