6. Behind the Scenes
The Mental Load of Owning a Business
Shifting Ground series
This article is part of our Shifting Ground series, where we’re sharing what we’re seeing and hearing from SME owners across Aotearoa in 2025. The landscape is changing fast, and through this series, we’re exploring the key issues and opportunities shaping New Zealand’s small business community right now.
There’s one issue we hear about from SME owners that doesn’t always make the headlines, but it comes up in almost every conversation we have. It’s not about technology. Or financials. Or strategy. It’s about the mental and emotional load of running a business right now.
At RegenerationHQ, through our work with owners and teams around the country, we’ve seen first-hand just how heavy this load has become for many people. The last few years have left many owners tired, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally.
The truth is, most business owners aren’t just managing a business. They’re carrying a complex mix of responsibility, uncertainty and care, for their people, their families, their customers, their communities.
In this sixth article in our Shifting Ground series, we’re taking a closer look at the human side of business ownership in 2025, the pressures, the risks and the ways owners are learning to build more compassionate and sustainable ways of working.
The Weight of Responsibility
When we ask SME owners what’s hardest about business life right now, the answers often come back to responsibility
responsibility for keeping staff employed and supported
responsibility for meeting customer expectations
responsibility for keeping suppliers paid
responsibility for family income and stability
responsibility for the future of the business itself
Just as importantly, the responsibility many owners feel to lead with integrity and care in a world that feels increasingly complex. That weight has grown heavier through years of disruption, from COVID to inflation to climate events.
As one owner told us recently “I’m carrying more than I used to. And it’s not always obvious to anyone else.”
Financial Strain Adds Emotional Strain
In earlier articles in this series, we explored how financial pressures are shaping the SME landscape. What we’ve seen is that financial strain doesn’t stay on the balance sheet, it quickly becomes an emotional and mental burden.
Worry about cashflow keeps owners awake at night. Hard decisions about staffing weigh heavily. The personal financial risks some owners are taking, putting homes or savings on the line, add to the stress and the uncertainty is relentless. Business owners are incredibly resilient, but resilience is a finite resource. Without support and space to recharge, it can wear down.
The Isolation of Leadership
One of the things we hear most often is how isolating business ownership can feel. Owners are expected to be strong for their teams, reassuring for their customers, confident for their suppliers and funders.
But who supports the owner? We often meet owners who feel they have no space to talk honestly about how they’re coping. Family may not fully understand. Staff can’t carry that load. Fellow owners may be facing their own struggles.
The result is that many owners put their wellbeing last, soldiering on until the cracks start to show.
The Culture of “Pushing Through”
The SME community in Aotearoa has a proud culture of grit and determination. That’s a strength, but it can also be a trap. We hear it often “I just have to push through.”
But endless pushing through isn’t sustainable. It leads to burnout, strained relationships and diminished decision-making and it sends an unhelpful message to staff, that looking after your wellbeing isn’t a priority.
The most successful and resilient businesses we see are led by owners who recognise this and who model healthier ways of working.
What We’re Seeing That Helps
Encouragingly, we are seeing more SME owners take proactive steps to protect their mental wellbeing and build healthier business cultures.
Here are some practical things we’re seeing work -
Peer groups Regular, trusted conversations with other business owners, where the human side of leadership is openly discussed.
Professional support More owners are accessing resources like First Steps NZ or working with business mentors who also focus on wellbeing.
Setting boundaries Owners are learning to model sustainable work habits, taking breaks, setting clear expectations about availability and encouraging staff to do the same.
Being open Leaders who share honestly (without oversharing) about the challenges they face help normalise healthy conversations in their teams.
Compassion and forgiveness Owners who embrace a culture of forgiveness, for themselves and their people, build workplaces where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not causes for shame or burnout.
The Role of Regeneration
At RegenerationHQ, we believe that regenerating a business isn’t just about its financial health or environmental impact. It’s also about regenerating the human energy and relationships that sustain it. That starts with the owner.
A burned-out owner can’t build a thriving, fair, purposeful business. But an owner who leads with compassion, including for themselves, can create an organisation where people can flourish, even in tough times.
We often say this to owners “You are allowed to need support. You are allowed to take care of yourself. That’s not weakness, that’s leadership.”
What We’re Learning
Here are some key lessons we’re taking away from these conversations with owners -
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Owners need to prioritise their own wellbeing if they want their businesses to thrive.
Isolation is a risk factor. Regular connection with peers and trusted advisors is vital.
Workplace culture starts at the top. Owners who lead with compassion and forgiveness foster more resilient, human workplaces.
Progress is possible. Even small shifts, more honest conversations, clearer boundaries, time to recharge, can make a big difference.
A Closing Word
As we almost wrap up this Shifting Ground series, we want to acknowledge the unseen work so many SME owners are doing every day, not just to keep their businesses afloat, but to care for their people, their communities and themselves.
Running a business in 2025 is not for the faint-hearted. But it can be an immensely purposeful and regenerative path, if we approach it with fairness, compassion and connection.
We’ll continue to share ideas, stories and support, because in the end, no owner should have to carry this load alone.
Next and final article - 6 Things We Learned
Stay Connected
If you’d like to follow this series and be part of the conversation about building a better SME support system for Aotearoa, or you’d like a quiet conversation about how to impact your business results now, here’s how to get hold of us –
📞 Phone +64 275 665 682
✉️ Email john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz
🌐 Contact Form www.regenerationhq.co.nz/contact
If you’d like to read more RegenerationHQ thinking on SME business and other things, go here – www.regenerationhq.co.nz/articlesoverview
🔹 RegenerationHQ Ltd - Business Problems Solved Sensibly.
Supporting NZ SME Owners to Exit Well, Lead Better and Build Business Value.