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If You Need Balance, Don’t Found a Startup
There’s been a lot of talk recently—on podcasts, on socials, in founder circles—about whether it’s “toxic” to work 7 days a week as a founder.
Here’s my take: if you’re building something from scratch, especially in the early stages, it’s not toxic — it’s normal.
This isn’t about glorifying burnout or promoting hustle culture. It’s about calling out the uncomfortable truth: if you’re not putting in the hours, you’re probably not going to get the results.
Founders are not employees. You’re not clocking in and out. You’re building something that didn’t exist before. There are no systems, no templates, no certainty. And if you’re not obsessed with making it work, someone else will be—and they’ll move faster than you.
We’ve seen it over and over. Companies like Lovable, who hit £75M ARR and 180K subscribers in just 8 months. Or Newman, who pivoted, scaled, and raised £57M after doubling revenue. You think that happened on a neat 9-to-5? Please.
Even the founders behind EU Inc., who are pushing for legal reform across Europe to make startup life easier—they’re doing this on top of full-time jobs. Why? Because they believe in it. Because they can’t not do it.
And I get that.
I had burnout once—but it wasn’t when I was working 12-hour days. It was when I had a “normal” corporate job. Standard hours. Decent salary. Weekends off. And I hated every minute of it.
Now I work most days from 10am to 10pm. Yes, weekends too—just a bit lighter. And I’ve never felt more energised.
I walk my dog. I listen to podcasts. I move my body (occasionally). I switch off with a bit of TV when I need to. And sometimes I do absolutely f*ck all because I can.
It’s not balance in the traditional sense. But it’s my version of it. And it works.
Every day feels like Monday. But I don’t mind. Because it’s my Monday.
I’ve talked about this online before and got criticised for promoting “unhealthy” behaviour. But I stand by it. I’m not saying this is the only way. I’m saying if you’re putting in 40 hours a week and wondering why things aren’t moving… maybe it’s time for a reality check.
Startups are not a part-time hobby.
You’re either in or you’re not.
And if you’re still reading this on a Sunday, while half your mates are on the sofa watching Netflix—you’re not broken.
You’re just building.
And I couldn’t agree more.
Let’s get something straight. This isn’t about glorifying burnout. It’s not about being a “grind bro.” It’s about facing the reality that building something from scratch, especially in Europe, is hard. There are frictions everywhere—fundraising, regulation, hiring, legal stuff (don’t get me started on notaries). If you’re not obsessed, you’re probably already behind.
The podcast went deep into the challenges startups face in Europe. Even something as basic as incorporating a company can drain weeks and tens of thousands in fees across lawyers and notaries—especially compared to the U.S., where you can set up a Delaware C-corp and open a bank account in a few clicks with Stripe Atlas for $500.
They mentioned how YC’s SAFE note—just a few pages long—has become the standard in the U.S., enabling 90% of pre-seed deals to close quickly, with low legal overhead. In Europe, we’re still dragging our feet through notary meetings and 300-page shareholder agreements. All that extra time and cost? It’s dead weight—especially when you’re still trying to prove your idea even works.
And this is why founders here often work 7 days a week. Because the system isn’t built for speed. So you have to compensate with effort.
Now here’s my take.
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I had a burnout in my corporate job. Standard hours, weekends off, proper holidays—and I still felt drained, trapped, and miserable. I didn’t care about what I was doing, and it nearly broke me.
Then I became an entrepreneur.
For the last 3 years, I’ve been working most days from 10am to 10pm. On weekends, I take it easier, but I still work. And not once have I felt close to burnout. Because I give a shit about what I’m building. My business is my life. My identity. And for the most part, I love it.
I still make time for long walks with my dog, random bursts of exercise, the occasional meditation, and brain-dead Netflix sessions when needed. Sometimes I don’t feel like doing anything—and I don’t. That’s the beauty of being your own boss. You work your ass off, but you get to choose when and how.
Every day feels like Monday, but weirdly that’s not depressing—it just is. And honestly? I prefer this to anything I had before.
I’ve been told this is toxic. That I’m promoting a “damaging founder culture.” But what’s actually toxic is pretending that balance magically exists at the start. It doesn’t. Most founders I know aren’t burnt out from working too much—they’re burnt out from working on the wrong thing, or constantly pushing a rock uphill without traction or belief.
They also talked on the podcast about companies like Hims & Hers and Newman, who pivoted hard into health tech and grew like crazy. Newman, for example, doubled revenue to £90M and just raised £57M. In eight months, Lovable reached £75M ARR and 180,000 paying users. You don’t get numbers like that without people grinding very hard behind the scenes—whether it’s a weekday, weekend, or some made-up “off day.”
Same with the founders behind EU Inc. They’ve been fighting to modernize startup law across Europe. They all have full-time jobs. This isn’t their day job. But they’re doing it anyway. Because they believe in it. Because it needs to be done. And because no one else is doing it.
Work-life balance is great when you can afford it. But in the beginning, it’s often just life.
And if you’re not putting the hours in—and not seeing the results you expected—maybe it’s time to have an honest conversation with yourself.
You don’t have to work 7 days a week forever. But if you’re building something real, don’t expect shortcuts either.
It’s supposed to be hard.
And if you’re reading this on a Sunday and still pushing… you’re not broken.
You’re just building.
✅ Building something hard? You’re not alone. Pass this on to a founder in the thick of it.
It’s time for a POLL (👉 Vote now — we’ll share the results in next week’s issue. All votes are anonymous)😀
If you’re not willing to work weekends as a founder, should you even be one?
INDUSTRY PULSE 🩺
(Last week’s poll results)
👉 Which of these fundraising mistakes have you been guilty of (even just a little)?
ASK ME ANYTHING 📣
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RAFE FOUNDERS EVENTS ❤️
Rare Founders
Startup Run
Join our Bi-Weekly Startup Run every 2nd Thursday at Green Park for a refreshing 5k run. It's a perfect way to network with founders, investors, and the broader startup community, while keeping fit. Post-run, we gather at a local pub to unwind and continue networking over drinks.
In-person event
Green Park, London, SW1A 1AA, UK
Thu 23 Jul, 18:00 - 22:00 BST
Rare Founders
Presence is Power: Personal Brand Like the 1%
In a world where your digital presence speaks before you do, this high-energy masterclass with Thea Montgomerie Anderson will teach you how to craft a personal brand that actually opens doors. Walk away with scroll-stopping content, pro video skills, and a personal brand that gets you noticed — grab your spot now before it’s gone.
Special 20% discount for our paid members: join here to use it!
In-person event
Runway East Bloomsbury, 24-28 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SN, UK
Mon 28 Jul, 09:30 - 16:30 BST
Rare Founders
Talk Your Way to a Term Sheet
This masterclass is for founders who want to speak with confidence, clarity and authenticity—especially when the stakes are high. Led by award-winning speaker and educator Dan Rosenberg, you’ll learn how to structure your message, handle tough questions, and stop sounding like a robot (or worse, ChatGPT). Whether you’re pitching investors, leading a team or showing up on podcasts, this will help you be more compelling and more yourself.
Special 20% discount for our paid members: join here to use it!
In-person event
Runway East Bloomsbury, 24-28 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SN, UK
Fri 8 Aug, 09:30 - 14:30 BST
Rare Founders
🇧🇪🇬🇧 Embassy Pitching Series: UK & Bekgium
On 7 October, we’re teaming up with the Embassy of Belgium in London to host a special cross-border demo day. Expect 20-30 promising startups from Belgium (Flanders & Brussels) and the UK pitching to an audience of investors, followed by drinks, networking, and a DJ set.
Whether you want to pitch or just come along to meet founders and investors, the waitlist is now open.
🗓 Application deadline: Sep 5th 11:59PM
In-person event
Belgian Embassy Residence, 36 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8QB
Tue 7 Oct, 14:30 - 22:00 BST
OTHER LONDON EVENTS🌟
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Oasis London
Impact AMA
Join a candid AMA session with experienced early-stage impact investors, focusing on climate, energy, and sustainable consumer health. Attendees can expect practical insights on what excites investors, how they assess traction and defensibility, and navigating fundraising in 2025.
In-person event
2nd Floor, 60 Strand, London, WC2N 5LR, UK
Thu 24 July, 17:00 - 18:30 BST
Granola
Firesides with Ola Sitarska
An exclusive Q&A at a leading tech office, featuring a conversation with a top engineering leader driving innovation in carbon credit verification and climate solutions. Guests can expect insights into building trusted climate technology, networking over drinks and food, and a chance to connect with like-minded peers passionate about impact.
In-person event
Hoxton Street Area, London, UK
Thu 24 July, 18:00 - 20:30 BST
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London Venture Capital Network
Unlocking VC Across Asia
The event offers a deep dive into venture capital across Asia’s fast-growing markets, highlighting trends, emerging sectors, and strategies driving the next wave of investment. It brings together investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders for insightful discussions, curated networking, and opportunities to connect over shared ambitions.
In-person event
Brunswick Centre, London, WC1N 1AE, UK
Thu 24 July, 18:00 - 21:30 BST
Entrepreneurs First
Saturday_Club
Join a selective Saturday program designed for ambitious professionals who want to transition from full-time jobs to founding startups, offering structure, co-founder matching, and support to build part-time projects into full-time ventures. Participants gain access to curated peers, office space, expert guidance, and the opportunity for rapid funding if they demonstrate real commitment and progress.
In-person event
Gorsuch Pl Area, London, UK
Sat 26 July, 09:30 - 11:30 BST
Stellar Europe
AI Agent Hackathon
The event is a month-long hackathon focused on creating equitable finance solutions using cutting-edge AI tools within the Stellar ecosystem. Participants will collaborate, learn, and compete for prizes, mentorship, and potential funding, with opportunities to make a real-world impact.
In-person event
Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Sat 26 July, 11:00 - 20:00 BST
SoTA
Human Augmentation Hackathon
This hackathon challenges participants to create AI-powered tools that enhance human abilities through true human-AI symbiosis. Projects will be judged on how effectively they integrate human and AI contributions to achieve results that neither could accomplish alone.
In-person event
Holywell Row, London, UK
Sat 26 July, 13:00 BST
Novabook
AI Tools, Tactics & Workflows to Grow Smarter
Join this hands-on session to discover practical AI workflows that help startups scale their brand, content, and customers quickly without needing tech skills. Attendees will learn how to stay authentic while using AI to boost visibility, create content at scale, build strategic networks, and grow efficiently with limited resources.
Online event
Mon 28 July, 18:00 - 19:00 BST
Novabook
Supercharge your Content Marketing with AI
The session explores how AI is transforming content marketing, enabling startups to maximize impact with limited resources through smarter strategies, personalization, and scalable tools. Attendees will learn practical ways to integrate AI into their marketing efforts and leverage advanced CRM solutions to accelerate growth.
Online event
Tue 29 July, 18:00 - 19:00 BST
Lightning AI
AI MCP Meetup
Join an exclusive meetup hosted by Lightning AI, where developers, engineers, and researchers dive into modular compute and agentic architectures. Expect sharp talks, hands-on insights, and a chance to connect with the AI/ML infrastructure community over food, drinks, and meaningful conversation.
In-person event
9 Appold St, London, EC2A 2AP, UK
Tue 29 July, 18:00 - 20:30 BST
Ai Salon
Creativity & The Machine Condition: Can Machines Truly Create?
This salon explores how AI is reshaping the meaning of creativity across art, business, and problem-solving, questioning whether machine-made works reflect true intention or mere optimization. It invites participants to challenge assumptions about the nature of creation, interpretation, and what makes art and ideas meaningful in an age of artificial minds.
In-person event
Bonhill Street Area, London, UK
Tue 29 July, 18:00 – 21:00 BST
HYPE: IRL tech events
Life of a Founder // Alberto Rizzoli (CEO of V7)
A candid interview series offering an inside look into the journeys of visionary tech founders, featuring open discussions about building companies, early challenges, and the future of AI in science, healthcare, and beyond. Designed for an intimate audience, it fosters direct engagement through a classroom-style Q&A format.
In-person event
41 Pitfield St, London, N1 6DA, UK
Tue 29 July, 19:00 - 21:00 BST
Valkyrie Industries
The Headonists: Immersive Tech Community Meetup
Join a UK-based XR community that gather an evening of informal talks, networking, and immersive tech showcases, bringing together professionals across the immersive ecosystem. Attendees can expect WIP demos, discussions on inclusive design, storytelling, and innovations shaping the future of XR.
In-person event
22 Southwark Bridge Road, 54 PARK STREET, LONDON, SE1 9HS, UK
Wed 30 July, 18:00 - 22:00 BST
Fellows
No10 Networking & Demos
The event offers a showcase of cutting-edge projects transforming the state, featuring live demos, interactive discussions, and insights into the work of a pioneering team of technologists. Attendees will have the chance to explore innovative AI and health tech solutions while connecting with experts driving change at the heart of government.
In-person event
224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG, UK
Wed 30 July, 18:30 - 21:00 BST
Sclr labs
Founder's Fundraising Check-In
Join an event that offers dedicated 1:1 office hours for founders seeking guidance on early-stage fundraising strategies, from refining pitch decks and narratives to planning investor outreach. Participants receive practical feedback and tailored support to strengthen their approach and confidently take next steps in their fundraising journey.
In-person event
Piccadilly Circus, London, UK
Thu 31 July, 14:00 - 16:00 BST
Block Dojo
Pilot Launch Night
A pilot launch event marks the kickoff of new startup programmes, showcasing innovative businesses and the results of an intensive 12-week focus on building, testing, and rapid iteration. Guests can also enjoy networking over drinks and canapés with founders, investors, journalists, and the wider startup community.
In-person event
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal, Here East, London E15 2GW, UK
Thu 31 July, 17:00 - 22:00 BST
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Vasily Alekseenko
Founder
@ Rare Founders
Rare Founders - building the bridge between founders and investors via regular in-person and online events, meetups, conferences.
