Balancing business and self: why wellbeing is every entrepreneur’s best investment

Watch the highlights from our Make Wellbeing Your Business event above.

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Yvonne Sampson, Head of Enterprise at GM Business Growth Hub, explores the vital role of wellbeing in entrepreneurship and how prioritising personal health can help business owners across Greater Manchester build stronger, more sustainable enterprises.

Wellbeing is often sidelined in the pursuit of success. Yet, at Enterprising You’s recent ‘Make Wellbeing Your Business’ event, the message was clear: wellbeing isn't just a personal responsibility - it's a business one too.

Why does wellbeing matter?

Entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and self-employed individuals are the lifeblood of small business economies. But without a focus on their own mental and physical health, the very businesses they build are at risk.

‘Make Wellbeing Your Business’ was designed specifically for the self-employed across Greater Manchester and highlighted one resounding truth: the wellbeing of business owners drives the wellbeing of their business. Attendees participated in a day full of workshops and conversations, each geared toward equipping them with the tools needed to build not just a sustainable business but a sustainable lifestyle.

My story: wellbeing as a business imperative

My journey is one that resonates with many self-employed individuals. After an unexpected redundancy, followed by the tragic loss of my husband, I was left raising my young daughter while trying to build and manage my business. It didn’t take long to realise that if I neglected my own wellbeing, everything else would crumble. I had to look after myself before I could look after my business.

Yvonne Sampson speaking at Make Wellbeing Your Business

Being self-employed comes with immense freedom but also overwhelming responsibility. So it’s no wonder that, according to Founder Reports, 87.7% of entrepreneurs struggle with at least one mental health issue. There is no buffer, no ‘sick leave,’ no backup that you have in an ordinary job. The weight of financial pressures, client demands, and personal expectations can lead to disastrous consequences. 45.8% of entrepreneurs struggle with high stress, 34.4% of entrepreneurs experience burnout, and 50.2% of entrepreneurs struggle with anxiety.

For those like me, these challenges are compounded by the realities of running a business while juggling family commitments and responsibilities. As great as having your own business can be, it can also be isolating. Yet it was my toughest moments that made me appreciate the value of wellbeing. Whether it was a simple self-care routine or a trip to the hairdresser, focusing on myself made me a better business owner and mother. Focusing on myself was the best thing I could have done.

Strategies for wellbeing

In a survey of 227 entrepreneurs from 46 different countries, only 18.5% of respondents said they were aware of mental health resources specifically tailored for entrepreneurs and business owners. It’s clear this community needs access to resources and support.

The recent ‘Make Wellbeing Your Business’ event provided practical, actionable steps for entrepreneurs to integrate wellbeing into their daily routines through a series of workshops. The Self-Awareness workshop urged participants to check their own “fitness for purpose” by understanding what makes them tick and how they could adjust their approach as their business grows.

Shifting your mindset can also have profound effects on both personal and professional outcomes. Mindset Matters was a workshop filled with positivity, resilience, and motivational strategies. It’s often our internal thought patterns, not external factors, that hold us back, and attendees learned simple techniques to stay focused, positive, and goal oriented.

The SKAR framework was another workshop that offered practical advice to self-employed individuals. It focused on mapping out the skills, knowledge, attitude, and routines necessary for the next phase of a business journey. Using this model has helped countless businesses to regain control during a time when their business had been overwhelmed by the impacts of COVID-19.

And it’s not all about skills and strategies. Fostering the power of creative and physical outlets can combat isolation and foster a connection with yourself. Workshops like Clay Play and Therapy through Art helped attendees tap into their artistic side. For the self-employed, loneliness is an ever-present threat, but the experiences shared in these sessions helped entrepreneurs reconnect with their inner creativity, reducing feelings of isolation and stress.

Some of the workshop sessions at Make Wellbeing Your Business

Wellbeing is a business strategy

One of my greatest lessons has been the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. During my time as a business coach and later as Head of Enterprise at GM Business Growth Hub, I saw firsthand how crucial it was for self-employed individuals to have access to a strong support system.

EnterprisingYou is a programme delivered by GM Business Growth hub, tailored to support those with a budding business idea, those ready to start a business or established self-employed individuals, freelancers and gig economy workers in Greater Manchester. Through the programme, entrepreneurs are offered not only advisors but cheerleaders - people who help them through difficult times and celebrate their wins.

As we’ve seen during the pandemic, the value of these networks cannot be overstated. Despite the immense pressures, only 3% of the self-employed who engaged with EnterprisingYou closed their businesses. It was this community spirit and access to support that allowed them to stay the course.

The “Make Wellbeing Your Business” event was more than just a day of workshops, it was a reminder that self-employed individuals need to be just as intentional about their wellbeing as they are about their business strategies.

When we invest in ourselves, we’re investing in our businesses. Wellbeing isn’t something we fit around work—it’s what makes the work possible.