The Entrepreneur’s Burden: Fixing, Shame, and the Weight of Achievement

Honouring Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month

Author: Furkhan Dandia

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to spotlight the emotional and psychological challenges men face, often in silence. And in the world of entrepreneurship, that silence can be even louder.

As men in business, we often carry a heavy load—one that appears to be ambition on the outside but feels like quiet pressure on the inside. We navigate risk, lead teams, and push boundaries. We’re admired for our resilience, drive, and problem-solving abilities. But behind that success story, many of us are battling something deeper.

In working closely with male entrepreneurs and leaders, three patterns consistently emerge: the fix-it mindset, shame, and the pursuit of achievement. Each one is familiar. Each one carries a cost.

The Fix-It Mindset

Entrepreneurs are wired to fix things. We build, solve, pivot, and optimize. So it’s no surprise that we bring that same instinct into every corner of our lives. But not everything—especially not emotions—needs to be fixed.

Sometimes, what’s needed is presence, not a plan. Listening instead of solving and holding space for discomfort instead of moving past it. That’s not weakness—it’s wisdom. Yet for many men, especially in leadership roles, this kind of emotional fluency can feel uncomfortable. And as entrepreneurs, we’re not trained to pause and feel. We’re taught to act. But authentic leadership requires both.

Shame

No one talks about it, but I’ve seen it—and felt it. The fear of not being enough. The pressure to always have the answers. The guilt when we fall short, even if no one else sees it. Shame is insidious. It isolates. It tells us we’re the only ones who feel this way.

And in the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship—where vulnerability is still too often equated with weakness—shame thrives in silence. Men, especially, are taught to suppress, to compartmentalize, to “man up.” But this emotional suppression doesn’t make us stronger. It makes us more fragile.

Achievement

We’re told to chase results. To scale. To win. But what happens when we achieve milestones and still feel empty? When success becomes a mask for burnout, loneliness, or self-doubt? When our ability to achieve outpaces our ability to feel? Achievement isn’t the enemy, but when it becomes the only metric we measure ourselves by, we lose touch with our why.

Being a successful entrepreneur and being grounded in who you are don’t have to be at odds. The work is in integrating both. It starts with honesty, self-awareness, and the courage to lead from within, not just from the front. Most of us entered this field because we wanted to build something meaningful, to prove something to ourselves or the world.

Reframing success requires us to stop measuring our worth solely by our output.

This Month, Let’s Talk

Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month is a call to action. Not just to raise awareness, but to change the story.

To recognize that strength isn’t about pushing through at all costs. It’s about pausing, feeling, and reaching out.

To create spaces where men—especially those leading, building, and investing—can speak openly about the emotional weight they carry.

To remind each other that seeking support isn’t a liability. It’s leadership.

The work is in integrating who we are with what we do. And that starts with honesty, self-awareness, and the courage to lead not just from the front, but from within.

Furkhan Dandia, CCC, MBA

Before transitioning to a career in therapy, Furkhan spent nearly 20 years in the corporate world, working in engineering and business. This unique background gives him a distinct perspective on the challenges professionals face and the stresses of corporate life. He effectively integrates this understanding into his therapeutic practice, helping clients balance their personal and professional lives.

Specialties: Anxiety, depression, lacking meaning and purpose, addiction, disordered eating, emotions and anger management, confidence, self-esteem, feeling stuck, relationship issues, interpersonal relationships, ADHD, negative thinking patterns, obsessing, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Modalities: Solution-focused Therapy, Strengths-based, Person-centred, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Area: Canada