a few months later, on dec. 5, 2018, harding called keast.
“i can’t handle this,” keast says harding told him. “i’m thinking of doing something more permanent.”
keast knew harding had been struggling. but he misinterpreted his words. “i thought he was talking about starting a new business or taking some time off.”
a few hours later, harding died by suicide.
when the shock and grief subsided, keast was struck by how he had assumed harding would bounce back, like he always did. entrepreneurs are accustomed to rejection and uncertainty. “we’re always getting doors slammed in our faces,” says keast. “we’re the type of people who get knocked down and always get back up.”
indeed, despite all the efforts to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, many business leaders still struggle privately. they think it’s in the job description to be tough and resilient, so they’re reluctant to admit their pain. they worry others will lose confidence in them if they don’t project an image of having everything under control. and particularly during the pandemic, many leaders have focused on the mental health of their teams rather than on their own.
“entrepreneurs are deeply susceptible to mental health issues,” says keast. “so many are isolated and fighting against big odds. and they’re just not the kind of people who reach out and admit they’re struggling.”