The Invisible Work: Why Nonprofit Founders Need Support Too
We all think we know how burnout happens, right? I certainly thought I did. With eight years of experience working in restaurants and five years as a makeup artist, I believed I had learned everything about managing stress and delegating tasks.
But when I launched sheRebuilds, my nonprofit project supporting women who survived domestic violence, I realized how quickly things can spiral. I didn’t expect the journey to be easy, but I truly thought I could handle everything on my own. At first, I did: I built the website, managed social media, and searched for collaborations all while holding down a full-time job.
Like many nonprofit founders, I carried an unspoken assumption: “I’m doing something good for others, so surely others will support me in return.” When that belief collided with reality, burnout arrived faster than I imagined.
The Weight of “No”
Most of my days were consumed by creating content, editing videos, and chasing partnerships. I lived inside LinkedIn, sending dozens of connection requests and messages to anyone who might support our mission.
The reality? Silence. Messages ignored. Proposals unanswered. No judgment I understand that our project is small, with no big track record yet. But what cut the deepest wasn’t rejection, it was broken promises.
Twice, I went through the full cycle: an enthusiastic video call, detailed planning, and confirmed dates for collaboration posts. Twice, the posts never appeared. My reminders were read but ignored. Was I sad? No I was furious. And beneath the anger came the creeping thought: “Maybe nothing will work out. Maybe this project isn’t needed.” That was my first clear warning sign of burnout.
The Pressure We Put on Ourselves
The second factor was internal. I pressured myself to make sheRebuilds “work” immediately. I woke up checking my phone, hoping overnight the number of followers had grown and women had signed up by the thousands. Of course, reality was different.
Our mission is clear: to help women regain confidence and freedom through financial independence writing strong CVs, building LinkedIn profiles, preparing for interviews. I spent nights reading statistics about gender inequality and stories of women being asked illegal, demeaning questions at job interviews. I had faced those questions myself not long ago.
Add to this the painful reality of researching domestic violence cases worldwide, and the emotional toll became overwhelming.
Hitting the Wall
Burnout didn’t come overnight. It built up slowly. I started doing less and less, without even realizing it. For over a month, I was barely moving the project forward. Only later did I admit what was happening: I had completely run out of energy.
Recognizing it was the first step. The next was choosing recovery.
Steps Toward Recovery
- Permission to rest: I allowed myself time to pause, without guilt. I only did what I was truly able to do.
- Acknowledging progress: I reminded myself that I wasn’t alone. We already had a small volunteer team psychologists, a coach, and a content creator so sheRebuilds was still moving, even without me.
- Learning to delegate: For too long, I thought no one could understand my project as well as I did. Spoiler: I was wrong. Delegation isn’t just possible it’s necessary.
- Building routines: I started taking walks with my dog, exercising, reading, and yes, enjoying a bubble bath once a week.
Almost two months later, I slowly began to feel myself again. That’s when I discovered a volunteer-matching platform. I posted a role, expecting little. To my surprise, five women applied within days. In interviews with them talented marketers I finally saw my project through someone else’s eyes. Their encouragement and ideas reminded me of sheRebuilds’ real value.
New Eyes, New Strength
Today, our small but growing team includes a marketer, a designer, and soon, a video editor. Each person dedicates just 5–6 hours a week, working with joy instead of stress. And I can focus on other critical parts of the project.
If I want sheRebuilds to be sustainable, I need to care for myself first. After all, every flight safety card reminds us: “Put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.”
Community and partnerships are resources not only for the women we support, but also for the people who run these projects.
sheRebuilds began as a place of strength for women rebuilding their lives after violence. But this journey taught me, as a founder, a lesson I hadn’t expected: for a project to truly thrive, we must also protect the well-being of those who create it.
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Anna is the founder of SheRebuilds. With years of experience in social initiatives and a strong commitment to women’s empowerment, Anna previously volunteered with a project assisting survivors of domestic violence. Now, she strives to create a space where every woman can find a path to a new life. Her goal is to help women gain confidence, professional skills, and independence. Anna believes that even the smallest step can lead to significant change.
SheRebuilds is an international project for women who have experienced domestic violence. We provide psychological support and help them build a new life through education and career development: we prepare for interviews, create LinkedIn profiles, and support confident first steps into work. All our services are online and completely free.
Follow SheRebuilds on Instagram and LinkedIn.