Elizabeth and Sheila invite Brad Feld to join them in a candid conversation about destigmatizing mental health. Brad Feld – entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and a co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars, has been very public about his struggles with OCD and depression and is a longtime mental health advocate.
In this episode, Elizabeth and Sheila get his take on if, when, and how to reveal one’s mental health story. In the spirit of Brad’s new book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, Elizabeth shares some of the lessons she’s learned from her decade-long relationship with Brad as a mentor and investor. She asks him to open up about a cause that Sheila, Elizabeth, and Brad care deeply about – mental health.
In this episode, we explore:
01:16 Introducing Brad Feld – entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and a co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars
07:58 Brad Feld discusses his personal experiences with OCD
10:25 The insidiousness of the link between obsessive and compulsive thoughts and behavior
16:21 When, if, and how to reveal your mental health story
20:04 Digging into the root causes vs. just moving dirt around
25:25 Dealing with the shame associated with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges
29:30 The importance of self-awareness and therapy: Spend some time on “Planet Yourself”
33:07 Elizabeth’s experiences with a close friend and mental health issues
36:30 Brad’s philanthropic efforts in Boulder, CO
40:20 Destigmatizing mental health issues
45:30 What is the line between supporting and enabling?
50:57 Supporting others by just being present for them
53:08 Brad’s new book is Give First: The Power of Mentorship. If you like the book, make some music about it!
55:14 Closing thoughts
Connect with Imperfectly Honest via www.imperfectlyhonest.com.
