Lindsay Blakeley is the managing editor of Inc.com and LA’s Inc. bureau chief. I met Lindsay at an investor-hosted dinner in Beverly Hills a couple of years ago. We realized we had a shared curiosity regarding the human side of startup life. That curiosity resulted in a piece in this September’s Inc. but also in an ongoing conversation around topics surrounding the founder journey. Many of the founders I spend time with as a coach face shared challenges including depression, anxiety, burnout, and questions of whether they are enough (themes I too faced in my own time as a founder and CEO).

Lindsay has spoken with hundreds of founders over her years as a reporter. She is therefore in an interesting position to help us normalize parts of the founder experience that can be hard to see clearly in our own heads. Lindsay also shares some practical advice on how to connect with reporters and share your own story in an authentic way.