Female founders “in toxic relationships” with their businesses

The article argues that some female founders become so tied to their businesses that growth comes at the cost of their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. At a NatWest event for women and non-binary entrepreneurs, business leaders said scaling often requires founders to stop being essential to every decision and build teams that can share responsibility.

Pauline Vuyelwa Muswere-Enagbonma, founder of Jessamy Care Group, described a business whose rising revenue and expanding team looked successful while she felt overwhelmed by constant urgency. She said founders should assess whether their teams can manage risk and solve problems without relying on them, and consider whether their strongest contribution lies in another role. NatWest’s Julia Spencer added that technical expertise, including a PhD, does not necessarily prepare someone to lead a company through growth.