Cat Burton
Goth Boss Studios
Cat Burton (Goth Boss Studios) has spent 17 years in the games industry. She’s founded studios, led teams, raised two seven-figure funding rounds and worked on games and products used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. While building games and businesses, she’s experienced many common leadership struggles such as burnout, imposter syndrome and questioning whether a life & career in games can be sustainable. Now Cat works as a coach, advisor and confidante to founders and leaders who want to build successful studios without burning themselves (or their teams) out in the process.
Cat Burton is speaking at the following session/s
Burnout: An honest chat about the causes, symptoms and recovery
Burnout is a very common yet often hidden issue in the games industry. Many founders and senior leaders experience burnout multiple times, usually in silence while pretending they're fine. When you're under constant pressure, feel like you can't switch off or aren't able to prioritise your own needs, burnout becomes almost inevitable. But you can avoid it if you catch it early enough and make positive changes.
This roundtable creates a safe space for games leaders to share authentic experiences of burnout, stress and exhaustion. It's a chance for you to let your mask down for a moment and speak honestly without judgement or the need to perform. We will normalise these experiences and help you recognise signs of burnout in yourself and others.
Rather than offering generic advice, the discussion will focus on practical, experience-led insights:
- What burnout actually feels like before it becomes unavoidable
- Why people commonly ignore or rationalise the signals
- What has genuinely helped with recovery and prevention.
You'll learn why you need to look after yourself in order to be a good leader for your team and the hidden cost of “just pushing through”.
My goal is to help you feel less alone in your struggles and leave with tools you can apply immediately in your own life and studio.
Session Takeaway
How to recognise burnout signals in yourself or your team.
Practical tips for recovery and prevention.
Reassurance that burnout is unfortunately common and you're not alone if you're struggling with it.
Session speakers
