Can entrepreneurs help address the society’s biggest challenges — without burning out?
Why Social Entrepreneurs Are So Burned Out
There’s a personal cost to purpose-driven business.
December 06, 2018
Summary.
Private businesses are increasingly expected to help solve the most challenging social problems of our times — health, poverty, and the promotion of sustainable development — in the absence of, or in conjunction with, government action. But what does this do to the employees who are tasked with turning these plans into reality? Research on entrepreneurs within companies finds that those who are more interested and willing to help society are also more likely to overload themselves with too many responsibilities and, consequently, deplete their personal resources. The cost of resource depletion can include reduced time with family and poor sleep quality, ultimately leading to burnout.