After been a CFO for almost 10 years with little time to think and a lot of pressure to take…
João Marcelo Alves
31

Hi Joao, First of all — congratulations on founding your own business. That’s a big step! Second — it’s normal to be stressed in the first years of business ownership. I remember working really long hours and waking up in the middle of the night, too. There are periods when I still do, if there’s a particular problem keeping me up. One way I channel stress is by writing things down — keep a notepad by your bed and when you wake up, jot down the issue. Then go to sleep and re-visit it in the morning. Sometimes you’ll realize it’s not as important as you thought. Otherwise, you’ll be able to tackle it directly during waking hours. The reality is that owning and running a company means there’s a lot of responsibility and pressure, but there are hacks for any kind of stress — you just have to find what works for you. Cheers — B.