“Everything everywhere is always moving, get used to it” - Logan Roy, Succession

Leading a startup is like being at the tip of the spear in a world that’s always changing. While the pace of change seems insane, constant change is the nature of human existence—driven by our highly complex nervous systems, our evoloved consciousness, and the complex societies we live in.

Startup founders struggling to make sense of the chaos can take lessons from psychology and spiritual traditions, which have long used meaning as a way to navigate uncertainty while fostering pro-social outcomes.

But meaning is not just another tool in your startup toolbox; the way you, as a leader, interpret and frame events can have profound consequences for your team, customers, and broader society. It’s the ethical duty of all founders to craft narratives that not only advance their financial interests but also contribute to the greater good of society. By shaping stories that align with their core values, founders have the power to drive meaningful and positive change.

The Meaning of Meaning

Meaning is how we make sense of our experiences and existence, shaping our understanding of why things matter and how they connect. It is deeply personal—each person finds meaning in different aspects of life, such as family, work, creativity, or spirituality.

The beauty of human flourishing is that whilst one person sees immense meaning in building a tech startup, another sees equal meaning in caring for the eldery. Humans are interdependent - the actions of one impact others - and this interpdependence is driven by individual and collective stories that make sense of the things that we see, hear and encountter.

Ultimately, meaning is the story you tell yourself and those around you about the world you live in.

What story will you choose to tell?

The founders I work with face huge setbacks on a weekly basis. Deals fall through, staff members quit, and investors play games. I’ve noticed that how a founder assigns meaning to these events has a significant impact on their ability to bounce back.

Consider this scenario: after months of negotiation, a major deal that was supposed to infuse significant capital into a startup suddenly falls through. The founder, who had already started planning and allocating the funds to fuel their next stage of growth, watches their plans unravel in an instant. Their mind races—what went wrong? How will the team react? Will investors lose confidence? A wave of anxiety and self-doubt crashes over them as they face the reality of delivering bad news and scrambling for alternatives.

Three different ways of assigning meaning to this event have three very different outcomes, and as a founder, the story you choose to tell yourself will shape your resilience, your company’s trajectory, and the impact you create in the world.

Taking it as “proof that we’re failing” leads to a negative spiral; thinking of it as an “opportunity to pivot away from our purpose onto something more profitable” can have drastic long-term societal impacts, while seeing it as a chance to “reflect on our mission and come back stronger” can be positive for the founder, shareholders, customers, and society.

When Meaning is Harmful

Meaning Assigned:
“This is proof I’m failing. Everything I’ve built is coming apart.”

Immediate Emotional & Mental State:
Overwhelmed, helpless, and prone to negative self-talk. The founder begins to experience sleepless nights, agitation, and constant worry.

Short-Term Consequences:

Burnout and Decision Paralysis – Fear of making another “wrong” decision causes hesitation on vital next steps (e.g., approaching new investors or forming strategic partnerships), leading to strained team dynamics as the founder’s stress and negativity spread, reducing morale and productivity.

This instability can erode trust among investors and team members, jeopardizing relationships and making recovery even more difficult.

But not all founders react with despair; some seize opportunities that may clash with their original purpose. Let’s explore how that can lead to unintended consequences

Good for the Founder, But Bad for Society

“I’ll use this as an opportunity to pivot to something more profitable—even if it compromises our original values.”

The founder is telling themselves a story that personal gain is more important than their values: “I need a big win fast to boost my reputation and salvage my personal finances.”

Immediate Emotional & Mental State:
Opportunistic and somewhat relieved—the founder sees a shortcut to success without fully considering ethical implications.

Short-Term Consequences:

Rapid Financial or Reputational Boost – By pivoting to a less responsible business model (e.g., selling user data, aggressive upselling), the founder may secure needed capital and temporarily be seen as a savvy entrepreneur navigating a setback into a new market opportunity, boosting their personal brand while potentially compromising long-term ethical considerations.

Long-Term Consequences:

Negative Social Impact – If the pivot compromises ethical standards, it could lead to backlash or legal challenges, erode authenticity by alienating long-term supporters and ethical customers, and invite regulatory scrutiny due to exploitative practices, ultimately tarnishing the founder’s reputation.

Good for Both the Founder and Society

“This setback is a chance to refine our mission and come back stronger, in a way that serves our users better.”

Immediate Emotional & Mental State:
Initial disappointment but quickly followed by a sense of resolve and determination. Purposeful optimism motivates the founder to rally the team, communicate transparently, and seek aligned partnerships.

Short-Term Consequences: Positive Team Morale – Employees feel inspired as the founder handles the crisis with composure and empathy, proactively seeking mission-aligned partners and fostering resilience within the team by learning from setbacks and improving processes.

Long-Term Consequences:

Sustainable Growth – Ethical practices lead to a loyal user base and like-minded investors, while transparency earns respect from the startup community and regulators. As a result, the company refines its products to better serve users while maintaining integrity, creating a greater social impact in the long run.

The Bigger Picture

By crafting meaning-giving narratives like this, founders exercise an immensely powerful capability. You’re combining your intellect, leadership, and the collective impact of your team, technology, and customers. While change is a universal constant, as Logan Roy told us, today’s challenges are uniquely global and deeply linked to the narratives we construct.

Consider climate change—a crisis threatening countless life forms, not just humans. Addressing it requires coordinated global action, and the stories we tell about climate events shape our response. We can dismiss floods and wildfires as isolated incidents, or we can weave them into a larger narrative about an accelerating crisis—one that a select few empowered individuals have the opportunity to confront.

Similarly, the threat to democracy posed by authoritarian regimes is not just about political maneuvering; it’s about narrative control. We can succumb to divisive, corrosive narratives that aim to fragment societies, or we can reinforce the meaning and value found in democratic institutions, strengthening collective resilience against misinformation and polarisation. 

Find Inspiration For Your Story

To find lasting motivation and a sense of direction in an unpredictable world, tech founders and leaders need a structured approach to meaning and values. Here’s how:

1. Reconnect With Your Core Values

• Your values are your internal compass. They shape how you make decisions, what you prioritize, and where you derive meaning.
• Ask yourself: What do I actually care about beyond revenue and growth? What kind of impact do I want to have on my customers, my team, and the world?
• If unsure, reflect on past moments when you felt most alive and fulfilled. What were you doing? Who were you with? Why did it matter?

2. Define Your Personal and Professional Purpose

• Purpose isn’t just a grand mission statement, it’s a practical, guiding principle for your work.
• A helpful framework: If I could only work on one thing for the next five years, what problem would I be obsessed with solving?
• Align your company’s vision with a personal sense of purpose. When the two are disconnected, motivation crumbles.

3. Zoom Out From Short-Term Urgency to Long-Term Thinking

• Founders often operate in ‘firefighting mode,’ reacting to problems as they arise. But meaning comes from proactive, intentional action.
• Schedule time to step back—whether through quarterly personal reflections, an annual retreat, or simply blocking out deep thinking time.
• Consider the 10-Year Test: Will this decision matter in 10 years? Will I regret not focusing on something bigger?

4. Embrace Meaning Beyond Work

• While your startup is a huge part of your identity, meaning comes from multiple sources—relationships, personal growth, creativity, and experiences.
• Make space for things that energize you outside of work. Investing in personal meaning strengthens professional resilience.

5. Build a “Meaning Practice” Into Your Leadership

• Leadership isn’t just about execution; it’s about creating a sense of purpose for your team.
• Regularly communicate the why behind your company’s work. People don’t just follow strategies; they follow a mission.
• Encourage your team to reflect on their own values and how their work aligns with them. A purpose-driven team is far more motivated than one simply chasing targets.

Meaning Is the Key To Global Flourishing

Startup founders have a unique ability and responsibility to create meaning by weaving narratives that bring about positive change. This extends to more than paying lip service to a quaint mission statement.

A founder’s responsibility is to create clarity in the chaos of their work, leading to positive outcomes for themselves, their families, friends, team members, shareholders, customers, and the broader society. By embracing this responsibility, founders can shape narratives that inspire action, drive ethical success, and contribute to meaningful progress for humanity.

Join the Conversation

This conversation first took shape at an Ascend Dinner, where founders gathered to explore the deeper layers of leadership beyond metrics and growth. These intimate dinners create space for high-caliber discussions on meaning, ethics, and long-term impact—conversations that rarely happen in the daily grind of startup life. If you’re a founder looking to engage in thought-provoking dialogue with peers who care about more than just valuations, join us at the next Ascend Dinner and be part of a community redefining what it means to build with purpose.

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