Whether due to a lack of appreciation, shame, disbelief, or simply overly packed schedules, if Entrepreneurs weren’t available to participate in activities and initiatives related to this issue, the program wouldn’t see the expected engagement.

Throughout the months of TARGET, the program we designed in partnership with Fidelidade, we grappled with this question and tried to adapt it to the conditions we found within our audience. We moved many activities online, meeting those who don’t have time to leave their screens, increased the number of sessions for the most sought-after dynamics, and opened spots to the broader Ecosystem, beyond our Community. And we shifted our mindset. We realized that, more than just promoting these initiatives, we needed to understand why they were not being 100% utilized.

This became the theme for the event we promoted at Rentrée, when Casa do Impacto came back to life, with work, a fast pace, and packed agendas during the most overwhelming phase of the year, when everyone is looking to seize every remaining opportunity to create Impact.

We created a relaxed event to take the weight off this topic, and in an informal way, we brought together Entrepreneurship Hubs and Impact Entrepreneurs to talk about Well-being from the perspective of the Entrepreneur, the motivations that lead them to seek solutions to achieve that balance, and the barriers that still hinder the first steps. Fidelidade endorsed the initiative, and its Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sónia Marianinho, joined Gustavo Freitas, Director of the Innovation and Knowledge Transfer Unit of the Entrepreneurship and Social Economy Department at Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa to inaugurate the event.

Who better to talk about all these Impact-related issues than those who live it and make it happen daily? Who better than our Entrepreneurs and the TARGET professionals who work so closely with them and understand their challenges? In a discussion centered around how to “Find balance in the era of ‘I have no time for anything,’” we brought together Bernardo Branco Gonçalves – Founder & CEO of MyPolis, Elena Parras Durán – Founder & CEO of 55+, Mariana Madeira Rodrigues – Former CEO of Terra dos Sonhos, Isabel Costa Macedo – Yoga Instructor, Marta Ganso – Executive & Life Coach, and Palma Michel – Mindful Leadership Advisor & Transformative Coach. Through their experiences, we aimed to find positive triggers that make Mental Health and Well-being a priority on the agenda.

Because we believe in data and facts that prove this need and in engaging, empathetic, and challenging oratory, we invited Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of Partners in Neuroscience Lisbon, Gustavo Jesus, to open this panel by demystifying the “State of Mental Health in Companies” and trying to understand why taking the first step is so difficult. In a relaxed, uncomplicated, and provocative manner, Gustavo presented us with valuable insights to consider in the debate that he himself moderated.

Just days before World Mental Health Day, we decided to listen to the Community, meet them where they are, and show that we are available and attentive. Regardless of each person’s availability, timing, or willingness to engage with Mental Health and Well-being, Casa do Impacto continues to work to provide the best conditions and opportunities to ensure everyone’s personal and professional balance, within the fast-paced environment that characterizes the sector. This remains at the top of our Agenda priorities.

We believe that it’s not possible to make an Impact if the weight of the jersey that Impact Entrepreneurs wear every day is too heavy. Sometimes, you need to take off the jersey in order to wear it again with renewed purpose. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to what works for you and your Well-being, and neither are the triggers the same for everyone, nor the strategies used to address them.

There is always room in the agenda to prioritize the Well-being of Impact Entrepreneurs, and if we can do it while networking with new faces and toasting with The Browers Company, everything becomes lighter, as it should.

And you? Will you schedule your Well-being or are you going to cancel again?

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