The foundation of Founders Rehab is rooted in our founder’s experience of overcoming entrepreneurial struggles. 

Ester had always been a driven entrepreneur, thriving on challenges and pouring her passion into every new venture. Her first two startups did well, earning her recognition in tech circles, and she really thought she made it. But after the excitement wore off, she found herself stuck in the grind—working harder through every problem and burning out without realizing it. Her third startup showed promise at first, but the pressure took over. Long hours, sleepless nights, and constant problem-solving wore her down. When the business failed, she was shocked to see how much she had sacrificed. The loss was tough, but the loneliness of being a struggling founder was even worse.

In the aftermath, Ester realized how common these struggles were among founders, yet no one was talking about them—burnout, mental health issues and personal sacrifices were inevitable parts of the entrepreneurial journey. Moreover, they were encouraged and celebrated by the tech community. She decided that there needed to be another way and started working on a concept towards sustainable entrepreneurship.

The more she learned, the more she recognized how widespread the struggle was, despite the success-driven façades. Ester spent the next seven years researching and immersing herself in all aspects of sustainable entrepreneurship, including:

• Launching startup accelerators and teaching entrepreneurship at Parsons to test methods of sustainable entrepreneurship in real time; 

• Obtaining a degree in behavioral neuroscience and running neuroscience-based training on habit formation and rewiring your brain to founders and Fortune 100 executives;

• Learning and implementing meditation and mindfulness practices into her life, including attending 11 Vipassanas, and teaching meditation at a buddhist center in NYC;

• Creating and implementing blueprints of organizational processes and systems as an advisor to 11 startups at different stages; 

• Working with multiple nutrition specialists, Ayurvedic practitioners and Dao trainers to focus on rebalancing her health and restoring her overall well-being, and more…

She then went back to startup life, supporting the co-founders in balancing their personal and professional lives by implementing her learnings. The success of this experience in addition to previous tests confirmed that her approach worked. 

All the knowledge, the team of experts discovered along the way, and the group of experienced founders who’ve been through it all came together to form who we are today—a culmination of years of growth and learning. 

Founders Rehab isn’t just a platform of resources but serves as a robust, supportive, no-nonsense community where founders can connect, share and heal. It has become the space Ester wished had existed when she needed it most—helping others recover from burnout, regain balance and find sustainability in their entrepreneurial journeys. 

Hope to have you join us!