The Thriving Founder: Shifting Stigma Through Science & Story
We're talking founder mental health — but not in the way you've heard it before.
This isn't an awareness panel. This is a room of founders, investors, and startup ecosystem leaders who are done with the version of startup culture that treats founder wellbeing as an afterthought — and who are actively building something different. This evening is for anyone ready to get more skillful at thriving on the entrepreneurial journey, not just surviving it.
Here's the reality: 72% of entrepreneurs report mental health challenges, and 81% stay silent about them. Not because they're weak — because our culture hasn't normalized a better option. We think there is one. And it starts with science, honest conversation, and a willingness to shift the paradigm together.
The night moves through three chapters: the science of founder wellbeing and performance, stories from those who are shifting the ecosystem, and tactical tools you can implement tomorrow — regardless of whether you're a founder, an investor, or someone who supports them.
You'll leave with:
Clarity on where you actually stand — through a clinically validated entrepreneurial wellbeing assessment, placing you on a spectrum from surviving to thriving
A sense of how you're currently orienting to these issues — passively, reactively, or proactively — and whether that's serving you
An introduction to the Founder Mental Health Pledge and The Clause — a term sheet initiative that makes founder wellbeing support a legitimate business expense, giving both founders and investors a concrete way to act together
Science, language, and frameworks you can bring back to your team, firm, or community
Connection with a room of people who are changing LA startup culture from the inside out — and an invitation to stay involved as this work unfolds
This evening is one part of a broader movement to shift the entrepreneurial ecosystem from extraction to thriving. Come be part of it.
60–100 founders, investors, accelerators, and ecosystem leaders
Presented by Dolce Vita Ventures, Founder Mental Health Pledge, NanoGC & Pilot
Cristina Poindexter · Founder, Dolce Vita Ventures
Cristina is a serial entrepreneur, Yale sociologist, former Google and Headspace leader, and founder of four mental health ventures.
She knows firsthand how the entrepreneurial journey affects the people living it. Through her boutique consultancy, Dolce Vita Ventures, she partners with investors, entrepreneurial communities, and founders to build the cultures and wellbeing programming that enables entrepreneurs to thrive for the long haul — for humane and economic reasons alike. Learn more about her work at www.cristina-poindexter.com.
Brad Baum · Co-Founder, Founder Mental Health Pledge · Founder, Stance Health
Brad Baum is a former venture capitalist now building Stance Health, a virtual pain psychology platform delivering clinically proven pain psychotherapy to the 67 million Americans living with chronic pain. He is passionate about expanding access to evidence-based, non-pharmacological care and reducing long-term opioid-related harm by making pain therapy easier to find, book, and stick with. He is also a co-founder of Founder Mental Health Pledge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
ABOUT the organizers
Dolce Vita Ventures
Dolce Vita Ventures is a boutique consultancy helping leaders create futures worth living in. It partners with investment firms, startups, and entrepreneurial communities to help leaders tactically transition from growth-at-all costs towards new models that center human flourishing as key measures of economic success. Services span founder flourishing programming, strategic convenings, and facilitation. Learn more at Cristina-Poindexter.com.
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The Founder Mental Health Pledge
The Founder Mental Health Pledge is a nonprofit coalition of investors, founders, and startup leaders committed to making mental health a business priority. It does so through advocacy, community, and concrete tools like The Pledge and The Clause, term sheet initiatives adopted by firms worldwide. Join the movement at www.founderpledge.com.
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The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
NanoGC · Presenting Sponsor
NanoGC is a boutique legal firm providing Fractional General Counsel services to companies from startup through enterprise – embedding senior attorneys as the GC function for organizations that need strategic legal leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. We serve clients across healthcare, digital health, SaaS, biotech, and any sector where senior legal judgment matters. Learn more at https://nanogc.law
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Pilot · Presenting Sponsor
Pilot is an outsourced accounting and finance firm that works with many small businesses and venture-backed companies throughout the U.S. They partner with their clients by providing bookkeeping, tax, R&D tax credit studies and strategic / COO back-office and fractional CFO support. They are offering a 20% discount off of bookkeeping and 10% off of CFO services in partnership with the event. Reach out to Hannah Anderson, [email protected], or click here to learn more.
Note: By registering, you agree to share your name and email with our event producers and sponsors, Dolce Vita Ventures, Founder Mental Health Pledge, NanoGC and Pilot, who may follow up with relevant resources after the event. We respect your information and will never sell or distribute it beyond our event partners.
Photography Release: By attending this event, I hereby give my permission to the Horizon House LLC, their Releases, and to the photographer, my free and unlimited consent and permission to publish/broadcast, republish/rebroadcast or exhibit in the furtherance of their work, with or without identification of me by name, any photographs, videos or audios of myself, that have been obtained from my participation in KINN or Horizon Studio activities. I furthermore waive any and all claims for any compensation by reason thereof or for damages for reasons thereof.