Dealing With Stress as a VC-Backed and Bootstrap Founder

Welcome back to “Two Adrians Walk Into a Startup…” In today’s episode, both Adrians - one a VC-backed founder and the other a bootstrapper - speak about the emotional rollercoaster of startup life, with a central focus on stress.

What you’ll hear:

• Morning routines
• Keeping habits under pressure
• Stress relief through sports or music
• Lessons from years of entrepreneurship
• How stress evolves over time
• New challenges that still linger

From looming product launches to investor expectations, product delays, and even the dreaded bureaucracy of bookkeeping—the founders unpack the everyday sources of pressure and share their personal (and sometimes unconventional) ways of coping.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Managing Entrepreneurial Stress
06:06 - From Stressful VC Start to Confidence
07:33 - AI Revolutionizes Market Dynamics
13:43 - Managing Startup Stress Tips
16:17 - Morning Exercise Routine Origins
19:03 - Stressful Startup Phase Experience
20:56 - "Entrepreneurship and Energy"
26:43 - Sports Relieve Stress
30:15 - Maintaining Habits Under Stress
33:03 - Rethinking Relaxation and Enjoyment
36:30 - "Seeking Stress Management Tips"

Adrian Spataru - Founder of Cleanvoice AI
https://www.linkedin.com/in/spataru/
https://cleanvoice.ai

Adrian Ispas - Co-Founder & CEO of Vatis Tech
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-ispas
https://vatis.tech