Beekman 1802’s Josh Kilmer-Purcell: “Anxiety Is My Superpower.”

When josh kilmer-purcell was first diagnosed with anxiety and depression in college, a psychologist told him that he’d need to find a career that “he could handle,” one suited to his supposedly fragile temperament. I MEAN… REALLY? But it’s true. Josh felt limited in his options. But, driven by creativity and curiosity, he instead became unstoppable. “It was the reframing of saying ‘these two things that are supposed to limit me actually can fuel me.’”

Josh is a self-described anxious entrepreneur; but his anxiety hasn’t held him back. Instead it led him to have an approach to risk that built a 10 figure business, healthily. Josh and his husband, Brent Ridge, MD, co-founded the beauty and lifestyle brand Beekman 1802, which grew from a goat farm to filling shelves at Ulta and beyond, and sold for $92 million in 2021. Along the way, they won The Amazing Race and built a business around kindness. I remember watching their wonderful reality show during dark nights awake with my newborn!

“I had no role models in the corporate world, no mentors that would talk about mental differences,” Josh tells me. “I have lived my entire life with clinical depression and anxiety. Yet over time, which I think is one of the benefits of having mental differences, you accumulate experiences that inform how you interact with the world. I really did start to see anxiety as my superpower, and my depression as a way to help me empathize with consumers.”

I’ve highlighted key themes from our interview but I really hope you listen to it, because it's really a wonderful and spirited conversation!

Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s Playbook for Anxious Entrepreneurs

Kilmer-Purcell, self-described “risk-averse entrepreneur,” offers a counter-narrative to the startup myth that success requires betting everything on the line. Anxiety, caution, and even worry can be powerful strategic assets when you know how to use them. Here's his advice:

1. Redefine what it means to take risks. The entrepreneurial world celebrates boldness—“fail fast,” “risk it all.” But Josh argues that anxious people can build thriving businesses by being practical and deliberate. “Risk is measurable,” he says. “When you actually sit down and measure it instead of just contemplating it, it stops amplifying.” He calls this approach unsexy risk: slow, data-driven, and thoughtful. We anxious achievers are always looking around corners, ready for what's next. That's a smart risk strategy!

2. Find your counterbalance. Josh’s husband and co-founder, Brent, is his opposite, a magical thinker, optimist, and risk-taker. Early on, their differences sparked conflict; now, they’re the company’s secret weapon. “If you’re anxious, partner with someone who sees possibility,” Josh says. “They’ll push you to take chances you’d never risk alone—and you’ll keep them grounded.”

3. Build a ladder, not a rocket. Startups love the “shoot-for-the-moon” metaphor, but Josh prefers a ladder. Rockets explode; ladders climb steadily, one rung at a time. “We may not reach the moon,” he says, “but we’ll always be higher off the ground than when we started.”

4. Use data to calm your mind. Information doesn’t have to overwhelm you; it can be grounding. The more Josh measured, the fewer unknowns he feared. He recommends focusing not on everything that could go wrong, but on all the risks you’ve already ruled out through data and preparation. We've talked about this for years: If you're avoiding looking at key data for fear it will be bad, be brave and look. The anxiety of the unknown is worse than facing reality.

5. Give yourself grace. Even the most careful entrepreneurs sometimes avoid bad news—bank balances, sales figures, metrics that might sting. Josh admits he does, too. His rule: notice the avoidance, forgive yourself, then look anyway. “There’s always a solution in the data somewhere,” he says.

6. Put that anxiety to use and build a "nightmare board!" This is a love letter to catastrophizers everywhere- check it out:

The Power of Partnership

Josh also reminded me that anxious leaders don’t have to go it alone. “If you’re anxious, partner with someone who sees possibility. They’ll push you to take chances you’d never risk alone—and you’ll keep them grounded.”

He and Brent, who is an optimist by nature, spent years clashing, until they learned to respect each other’s perspectives. Their rule now: whoever feels the most passion about a decision gets the final vote.

Listen in to hear Josh’s story of anxiety, risk, resilience, and goats, and buy his new book, co-authored with Ridge, here.

Lots of love, Morra

P.S.: October 10 is World Mental Health Day. Do something kind for yourself.