Entrepreneurship
often
conjures
images
of
fearless
risk-takers,
but
the
reality
is
more
complex.
Founders
frequently
juggle
the
weight
of
their
ventures
alongside
their
personal
struggles.
In
a
raw
and
insightful
episode
of
“Notes
to
My
(Legal)
Self,”
Collin
Williams,
co-founder
of
New
Era
ADR,
opens
up
about
his
journey
from
suffering
with
depression
to
living
with
it
—
and
how
he’s
using
that
awareness
to
navigate
the
turbulent
world
of
startups.
The
Journey
From
Suffering
To
Living
With
Collin
shares
that
his
depression
manifested
not
in
the
way
many
might
expect
but
through
anger.
For
years,
he
struggled
to
understand
his
emotions,
which
often
flared
up
in
ways
he
couldn’t
control.
It
was
his
wife
who
finally
urged
him
to
seek
help,
leading
to
a
life-changing
revelation:
his
symptoms
weren’t
just
anger
but
depression.
This
turning
point
helped
Collin
move
from
“suffering
with”
to
“living
with”
depression
—
a
reframe
he
credits
for
transforming
his
life.
As
he
explains,
suffering
comes
from
a
lack
of
answers
and
direction,
while
living
with
a
condition
means
taking
ownership
of
it,
creating
an
action
plan,
and
building
a
fulfilling
life,
“Life
is
miserable
when
you’re
suffering.
Life
is
great
when
you’re
living
with.
If
you
can
make
that
shift,
you’ll
solve
90%
of
your
problems.”
Redefining
Normal
One
of
the
most
striking
points
Collin
makes
is
that
mental
illness
is
far
more
common
than
we
acknowledge.
With
at
least
20%
of
the
population
experiencing
some
form
of
mental
health
challenge,
he
argues,
this
isn’t
the
exception
—
it’s
part
of
the
human
condition.
Collin
encourages
others
to
abandon
the
stigma
and
reframe
mental
illness
as
a
strength
rather
than
a
weakness.
For
him,
the
ability
to
seek
help,
manage
his
condition,
and
thrive
in
spite
of
it
is
a
superpower.
“This
is
no
different
than
having
a
broken
arm.
You
wouldn’t
let
a
broken
arm
linger
—
you’d
treat
it.
Mental
illness
deserves
the
same
attention.”
Building
A
Startup
With
Depression
The
entrepreneurial
journey
is
famously
stressful,
marked
by
intense
highs
and
lows.
For
someone
with
a
mental
health
condition,
these
challenges
can
be
magnified.
Collin,
however,
sees
his
depression
not
as
a
liability
but
as
something
manageable
with
the
right
tools
and
support.
Structured
routines
are
a
key
part
of
his
strategy.
Collin
sticks
to
a
daily
schedule
outside
work
—
exercise
in
the
morning,
consistent
evening
routines
—
to
maintain
stability
in
the
face
of
unpredictable
workdays.
And
while
entrepreneurship
might
seem
counterintuitive
for
someone
managing
depression,
Collin
explains
his
motivation
succinctly:
“I
was
afraid
of
practicing
law
for
40
years.
Entrepreneurship
was
the
scarier,
more
exciting
choice—but
it
was
the
right
one
for
me.”
Breaking
The
Stigma
Collin
has
been
candid
about
his
mental
health
journey,
sharing
openly
with
his
team,
partners,
and
even
investors.
His
goal?
To
normalize
these
conversations
and
dismantle
the
stigma
around
mental
illness
in
professional
settings.
“If
you
think
there’s
something
wrong,
don’t
let
the
worry
about
what
others
will
think
stop
you
from
getting
help.
Talk
about
it.
That’s
the
only
way
we’ll
make
this
a
nonissue
in
the
future.”
Collin’s
openness
has
been
met
with
support,
not
skepticism,
and
he
encourages
others
to
follow
suit.
Transparency,
he
believes,
not
only
builds
trust
but
also
fosters
a
healthier,
more
inclusive
workplace
culture.
Practical
Takeaways
For
Founders
And
Leaders
-
Reframe
Your
Mindset:
Move
from
suffering
to
living
with
your
challenges
by
seeking
help
and
developing
an
action
plan. -
Establish
Routines:
Structure
your
nonwork
hours
to
create
stability
and
balance. -
Be
Open:
Normalize
conversations
about
mental
health
with
your
team,
partners,
and
investors. -
Focus
On
The
Present:
Let
go
of
the
“why”
behind
your
condition.
Focus
instead
on
managing
it
and
building
a
fulfilling
life.
The
Bottom
Line
As
Collin
puts
it,
living
with
mental
illness
is
normal.
The
challenge
lies
in
recognizing
it,
seeking
help,
and
sharing
your
story
to
inspire
others.
If
you’re
struggling,
remember:
you’re
not
alone,
and
there’s
no
shame
in
asking
for
help.
For
more
of
Collin’s
insights
and
a
candid
look
at
the
intersection
of
mental
health
and
entrepreneurship,
watch
the
full
episode
of
“Notes
to
My
(Legal)
Self.”
(P.S.:
Feed
your
cat
—
and
your
mental
health
needs
—
daily.)
Olga
V.
Mack
is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:
Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
@olgavmack.