How to prioritize your mental health and an Asian-American founder

Being a founder doesn’t have to mean running a billion-dollar startup. It’s about creating and building something—whether it’s a small business, a nonprofit, a community project, or a product that you believe in. It’s not necessarily about titles or revenue; but about having the courage to take on the risk of a meaningful venture. 

If you’ve taken a leap to start something of your own—big or small—you’re a founder.

For many Asian Americans, entrepreneurship carries a cultural weight. 90% of businesses in the U.S. are small businesses, and for immigrant families, running a business has often been a necessary response to systemic challenges. Many arrive from their home countries to find that their college degrees aren’t recognised in the U.S., having to pivot their careers in the face of limited opportunity. Often, this leads them to  entrepreneurship. In fact, the immigrant experience itself often mimics the experience of entrepreneurship—starting from scratch, persisting, and adapting to survive.

What’s ironic, though, is that while risk-taking may be ingrained in our family history, many of us grew up in families that pushed for “safe,” stable careers. After sacrificing so much to build new lives, our parents may have wished for more predictable paths for their children, like medicine, law, or engineering—careers with security and status. The idea of starting a business—or pursuing a creative or unconventional path—can feel like both a bold choice and a rejection of everything our families worked for.

So, if you’re an AAPI founder, how do you juggle all of this… and still have time to take care of yourself?

As an Asian American founder, balancing family expectations, managing mental health in a culture where it’s often stigmatized, and navigating the tension between stability and risk are all part of the journey. This article will explore how to care for your mental well-being as an Asian-American entrepreneur and redefine what success can look like for you.

Unique considerations for the Asian American experience of entrepreneurship

Balancing family expectations with personal ambitions

For many Asian American founders, family expectations weigh heavily. You may feel torn between your personal ambitions and the desire to make your family proud. This pressure can feel overwhelming, especially if your family doesn’t fully understand your path. 

But that pressure can be turned into purpose. The sacrifices your family made can serve as motivation, rather than guilt. Viewing your work as a way to honor their resilience—and carve a path for yourself—can make this journey feel more meaningful.

One technique that can help with this mindset shift is around cognitive reframing, specifically moving away from a strategy of “mitigating downside risk” and towards “optimizing upside potential. This essentially enables founders to shift away from fear-based decision making, and to take more strategic bets. It also allows for positive psychology, encouraging founders to imagine all the hopeful outcomes rather than focusing on negative probabilities, which is more calming for one’s mind. Asian American founders can do this by reminding themselves that they are honoring their family’s legacy by continuing to dream big.

Navigating cultural stigma around mental health

Mental health is often a difficult topic in Asian families. Seeking support may be seen as unnecessary, or even weak, when “toughing it out” is the norm. For Asian American founders, who already shoulder significant emotional and financial risk, this can make it harder to ask for help when burnout hits. 

One way to combat this is to participate in programs where resources and support are shared freely, thus reducing the burden put on you to go out of your way for help. For example, accelerators or mentorship programs designed for underrepresented founders can help connect you with the people, finances, and knowledge needed to advance your work. This can also help with networking or developing advisor relationships, which may be harder for Asian American founders to establish on their own. 

In addition to finding a professional program that can help advance your work, finding a personal community that understands your cultural context can reduce the mental burden of self-care and validating your difficulties. It will also help you feel less alone if you surround yourself with people who understand your journey.

Balancing stability and risk

There’s no denying the tension between cultural values of stability and the inherent risk of starting a business. It can feel like an impossible choice—pursue the “safe” route your family envisioned for you, or take a leap into uncertainty. But choosing risk doesn’t mean abandoning your roots. Risk-taking can coexist with careful planning, and success can look different from the traditional picture of stability your family imagined.

Networking and community support

Asking for help might not come naturally, especially if you’ve grown up valuing self-reliance. But here’s where the Asian American community shines: no matter our socio-economic status or how much individual power we possess, there’s often a strong sense of communal resource-sharing. Whether it’s spreading the word about a new venture, introducing you to someone valuable, or offering advice, the support of your community can be an invaluable asset.

Sometimes, this can even look like recruiting your family and friends to help spread the word in organic marketing campaigns, social media videos, brand ambassador partnerships, or good ole’ fashioned word-of-mouth referrals. Many of them will likely want to help, so you might be surprised by what can happen if you give your family, friends, and community the chance to support you on your endeavors.

How to reframe success as an Asian American entrepreneur

Leave conventional definitions of success behind

Founders often measure their worth by external achievements—revenue, funding, or social media buzz. But success doesn’t always look like a highlight reel. Reframe success to include growth, learning, and consistency. Sometimes just showing up, taking small steps, and staying committed is success. In your cultural context, pursuing a career out of joy or drive as opposed to sheer survival is an  honour and a success.

Redefine what success means to you

Success doesn’t have to mean growing the biggest company or making the most money. It can mean building something that serves your community, creating a sustainable lifestyle, or feeling fulfilled by the work you’re doing. Success is personal, and you get to define it for yourself.

One way to do this is to be mindful of how much media you consume. People posting on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and even blog forums like Medium often exaggerate their wins and gloss over their losses. If you compare yourself too much with the more artificially-refined presentations online, you may feel worse about your accomplishments even when there’s nothing to be disappointed by.

Consider input as well as output

Entrepreneurship is unpredictable. Some months will be better than others, and external metrics (like revenue or clients) won’t always reflect how hard you’ve worked. It’s easy to tie your goals and your dreams to that output, but can you reframe and consider your success goals via what you put in? Here are some questions you can ask yourself to consider the inputs as importantly as the outputs:

• Did you take a big risk and push yourself out of your comfort zone? 

• Did you learn something valuable? 

• Did you get to spend way more time with your kids because you weren’t tied to a 9 to 5? 

Measuring success by getting to do and experience what you want, not just get what you want at the end, will help you see that these wins matter, too.

Recognize that small businesses have different metrics

If you’re running a small business, it’s easy to compare yourself to larger entrepreneurs with flashy success stories. But small businesses are vital—they make up the majority of businesses in the U.S. and are often the backbone of local communities. Your impact might look different, but it’s no less significant.

Consider the restaurants, corner stores, grocery outlets, and laundromats that Asian immigrants establish as the first generation. Oftentimes, they are not measuring themselves by the number of articles published about them, the amount of venture capital dollars raised, or followers on an Instagram account. Instead, success metrics can look like: is my family taken care of, are my employees treated well, am I able to provide for the people I love and afford the life I want to live? 

This type of mindset shift is rooted in gratitude and empathy, rather than exacerbating greed. While ambition is admirable, it’s also important not to diminish your accomplishments by constantly focusing on what is not yet here.

How to manage your mental health as an Asian American entrepreneur

Build self-confidence in your unconventional path

Choosing a “riskier” path can sometimes make you doubt yourself. When success doesn’t happen overnight—or when well-meaning family members question your choices—it’s easy to feel like you’ve made a mistake. Building self-confidence as an entrepreneur means staying connected to your why. Why did you start this venture? What value does it bring to your community, your customers, or even yourself? Revisit your purpose regularly to stay grounded.

Learn effective time management

As a founder, it can feel like there’s always more to do. But wearing multiple hats doesn’t mean you need to burn yourself out. Use tools like time-blocking to schedule focused work periods and breaks. Protecting time for rest, family, and hobbies will actually make you more productive in the long run. Especially if you feel under scrutiny with your family, you’ll feel more confident in showing them you’ve taken a “good” path if they see you happy and healthy.

Manage burnout before it manages you

Founders are especially susceptible to burnout, with their work often blurring the lines between professional and personal life. When you’re running on empty, creativity and decision-making suffer. Schedule downtime intentionally. Take walks, get sleep, or even block out an afternoon for guilt-free rest. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight; managing it requires proactive care.

Get support when you need it

If you’re struggling to balance it all, it’s okay to ask for help. At Anise, we offer executive coaching programs tailored for Asian American founders, recognizing the unique cultural and mental health challenges you face. Coaching can help you prioritize your well-being, set sustainable goals, and build the resilience you need to succeed. To begin, simply complete this intake form and you can try a free consultation call with a culturally-responsive provider.

Final thoughts

Being an Asian American founder comes with unique challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to carve out a new definition of success—one that blends ambition with balance, and purpose with care. By prioritizing your mental health, reframing success, and leaning into the support of your community, you can build something meaningful and sustainable.

If you’re struggling to manage the weight of it all, Anise is here to support you. Our ElevAsianculturally competent career coaching programme for Asian Americans could be a great fit for you.

Through culturally mental health care, we help Asian American founders thrive—on their own terms. As an entrepreneur, your well-being isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation of your success.