Don’t be so dramatic

The Governor will save you and your company

One thing I’ve been incredibly intentional about for the past year and a half—both in business and in life—is operating with what I call a governor.

For the past year and a half, I’ve been operating with what I call a governor. Think of it like a superhero movie meets a car engine.

In every great superhero film, there’s that moment where the hero discovers their power—but also realizes they need to control it. Without boundaries, strength becomes chaos. The same goes for entrepreneurship: you can’t just let your emotions run unchecked, because they’ll take you down with them. I’m in the middle of the Throne of Glass series and Aelin’s struggle with fire is basically what I’m referring to.

That’s where the “governor” comes in. In cars, a governor (or speed limiter) is a device built into the engine that keeps you from going past a certain speed, no matter how hard you slam the pedal. It’s not there to ruin the ride—it’s there to protect the engine and keep everything running at its best.

That’s what I’ve had to install for myself.

Because here’s the reality: building a company comes with wild swings. You can experience the best and worst moments of your week, sometimes even your day, back-to-back. An amazing influencer shoutout arrives in your inbox, and an hour later, so does a painful email about a production delay. The highs can feel like invincibility, and the lows can feel like the brand is over.

In my early years, I wasn’t the best leader in those moments. I let my emotions run the show—soaring when things went right, spiraling when something went wrong. It made everything feel like life or death. But leadership, especially entrepreneurial leadership, demands level-headedness. Without it, you can’t execute strategy. You can’t build with vision. You’re just reacting.

Think of it like watching someone at the airport completely lose it over a TSA delay. They’re not crazy; they’re just tired, stressed, and out of their comfort zone. That’s entrepreneurship if you don’t regulate yourself.

So I installed a governor. Not in a way that makes me numb—wins are still celebrated, setbacks are still felt. But everything is moderated. A great PR moment doesn’t mean we’re set for the next 20 years. A negative comment doesn’t mean the brand is doomed. It’s just the next step forward: execute the launch, move production, keep building.

And here’s what I’ve realized: my tone sets the tone. We’re a young team. If I’m erratic, they’ll feel erratic. If I’m steady, they’ll feel steady. Leadership is less about what you say and more about how you show up—your energy is contagious.

That means moderating both extremes. It’s not enough to only rein in the lows. If I let myself soar to cloud nine every time something exciting happens, then I’m teaching myself—and my team—that the lows should be equally dramatic. So both ends get balanced.

Of course, we still celebrate. My husband and I have a tradition of buying each other little stuffed animals as “trophies” for big wins. Sometimes we order a cheese pizza from Regina or a Monica’s Italian sub (plus the Tuukka if we’re going big) to mark our best sales day yet. Those small rituals keep the joy alive without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Because the truth is, no one is right 100% of the time. No brand runs perfectly. Issues are not the end of the story—they’re simply part of it. And when you approach it all with a governor, you can keep making the next right decision with clarity, strategy, and strength.

In short: I’ve learned how to be less dramatic—and in doing so, I’ve become a much better leader.

-Jen DeAngelis McNamara

Founder & CEO

1987