After enduring persistent digestive problems since her youth and trying various conventional treatments, Schaper finally found relief with functional mushrooms and decided to continue on that path. She partnered with a co-founder to launch SuperMush, offering a range of sugar-free mushroom-infused gummies, mints, and mouth sprays designed to boost energy, concentration, and relaxation.

However, as the business expanded, so did the stress levels. “The irony is we’re developing a mental health brand,” said Schaper, “yet striving to preserve our own mental well-being while growing and expanding a consumer packaged goods company is quite daunting.”

Schaper was recently featured on Entrepreneur Therapy, a program by Amazon Business, where she shared her insights with Dr. Drew and Kim Perell on managing anxiety and maintaining peace as she scales a wellness brand in a fiercely competitive market.

The first problem? Finding balance between the creative side she loves and the operational demands of a startup trying to grow fast. “We’ve now had to shift completely into like operations spreadsheet mode,” she said. “It’s been dominating our time.”

Perell suggested that it might be time to consider hiring someone whose strength is in backend operations. “That person will be a game changer in your business,” she told Schaper. “It may mean giving something up, but it will allow you to do your best work.”

Dr. Drew honed in on Schaper’s stress level. “You gloss it over with that beautiful smile,” he told her, “but it’s going to catch up with you.” He encouraged her to find a real way to relieve the pressure—whether that’s boxing, therapy, or talking to a close friend.

Schaper agreed that the emotional ups and downs of entrepreneurship can be discouraging, especially when the grind doesn’t always lead to immediate results. “I could work 80 hours a week and get zero investment checks,” she said. “Then the next week, I work three hours and get a million dollars.”

But she left the session with a new perspective. “I love what they shared,” she said. “And I have some good, clear takeaways.”

Entrepreneur Therapy is presented by Amazon Business. Smart business buying starts with Amazon Business. Learn more.