I was in a start-up (as an expensive hire) some years ago where each day was horrible, and I thought I was suffering terrible 'flu. The day the board flew in t

I was in a start-up (as an expensive hire) some years ago where each day was horrible, and I thought I was suffering terrible 'flu. The day the board flew in to fire me* and I stepped out into the sunshine the 'flu lifted instantly. Stress not 'flu in other words, which is I suspect is where you are. The crying was probably good, and supports my suggestion! And when you're that deep in stress it's even more difficult than usual to see a way out, to be rational, to separate the short-term from the long-term. I wasn't even a founder, and I have been founder of a handful of start-ups now, all with their bad moments. Can you ease off a bit, get someone else to help out, and get through acquisition? That is, a less binary view than you suggest. I don't think the buyer is likely to want either a dead company or a walking-dead company with a burnt-out founder. Even the big boys get overwhelmed and stressed out from time to time and have to take a break: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-lloyds-idUKTRE7A10Y620111102 http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-lloyds-idUKTRE7A10Y62011110... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8959785/Antonio-Horta-Osorio-the-bank-chief-who-just-could-not-switch-off.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfina... And all these years later he's steered Lloyds back into profit and the UK government just disposed of its final shares, also at a nominal profit. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It is probably not an oncoming train. But you need to give yourself a chance to get some perspective. *I did point out as a contractor that all they had to do was pay me up to the end of the day and say goodbye and I'd be happy. And I got to leave at noon. Bonus half day. The company did less well, but that's another story...