Coffee & Jam: Founders mindset and wellbeing

Elon Musk said that growing a startup is like “eating glass” – hours are long, uncertainty is high, stress and anxiety are constant. The startup journey is often described as an emotional roller coaster where founders experience the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows.

If this sounds like you or someone you know, then come along to our next Coffee & Jam and share in the personal experience and insight from one of NZ’s most well-known startup founders learn some lessons – devised specifically for startup founders – for building mental strength and resilience.

Apart from meeting your startup community peers, you’ll also meet:

Derek Handley – founder of Hyperfactory, Snakk Media, co-founder of BCorp with Richard Branson, and founder of Aera VC.
Will Joseph – EHF Fellow, founder of Good Startups, an organisation that helps startup founders scale themselves through mindset development and resilience-building programmes.

And if you’ve missed meeting and networking with your startup tribe – guess what? We’re bringing that back! This time you’ll have an opportunity to turn on your camera, get into some huddles, and connect with your fellow startup tribe.

Register now

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Meet your speakers

Derek Handley – Founding Partner at Aera VC

Derek Handley is a futurist, entrepreneur and student. He is a founding General Partner at Aera VC, an alliance of global families investing in transformative companies tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is an aspiring civilian astronaut signed up to visit space with Virgin Galactic and created the Aera Foundation in 2015 as a charitable studio catalysing social innovations to reframe the status quo for a sustainable future.

He co-founded The B Team with Sir Richard Branson, a global team of icons acting as a catalyst for bold dialogue, courageous leadership and brave action toward a fairer, greener and more human economy. Derek was appointed the Social Innovator in Residence at Wharton at University of Pennsylvania from 2016-2017, is an Adjunct Professor at AUT and currently sits on the board of Sky New Zealand.

Will Joseph – President, Good Startups

Will is passionate about seeing individuals and communities flourish by using his skills in facilitation, community development, entrepreneurship, and pastoral care. He began his journey developing training and operational programs in the corporate world, stopped in Asia to support and connect hundreds of cause-driven startups, and cofounded many endeavors; most notably CO.STARTERS which helps vibrant communities around the world serve non-traditional starters.

Through his current project, Good Startups, and as an Edmund Hillary Fellow, he seeks to improve the wellbeing of NZ Founders even while he is currently based in Tennessee (USA). Will adores his wife and two boys. Together they enjoy travelling, storytelling, community, discovering new things, and beauty in all its forms.