Now live and gaining traction, Myndset is showing early demand for what founder Craig Mason calls a pressure response operating system — built to help high performers stay steady and execute in real, high-stakes moments.
Since launching Dec. 22, the Kansas City startup has attracted nearly 400 active users and 10,000 interactions, Mason told Startland News.
Rather than offering motivational content people scroll past, Myndset is designed for moments when stress is high. The app trains repeatable responses for pressure-filled situations, helping users reset, refocus, and take action when it matters most.
“We realized pretty quickly that people don’t need more inspirational quotes,” said Mason. “They need something they can use when they’re in the middle of pressure.”
That realization shifted Myndset from a general mindset app into a tool built specifically to boost performance, he said.
Using short daily reps, the platform trains users how to respond to stress, guiding them through protocols designed to help regain control and focus on what to do next.
Most performance breakdowns have less to do with talent and more to do with how people handle pressure, said Mason.
“Big moments shouldn’t feel like a coin toss,” he said. “If you train your pressure response, you can perform on command.”
Craig Mason, founder of Myndset, chats with Jill Meyer, Tech Venture Studio, and Pipeline members during a January Pipeline Happy Hour meetup at Busey Bank in Kansas City; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Interest in the approach is growing. Since August, Myndset has expanded testing and partnerships across high-pressure environments, including medical students, attorneys, athletes, veterans, and first responders.
Kansas City University medical students were among the first to test the app, helping shape the early product, Mason said. A PhD psychology program also partnered with the startup to refine language, safety guardrails, and response protocols, ensuring the app is both effective and responsible.
Athletes, attorneys, and first responders join the ecosystem
One of Myndset’s newest initiatives is the Athlete Wellness Coalition, a group of Olympic, professional, and collegiate athletes who use the app and provide ongoing feedback. The coalition serves as a real-world testing environment.
“If it doesn’t work when the lights are on, we don’t ship it,” said Mason.
The company is also working with Warriors Ascent, an organization that supports veterans and first responders. Myndset is positioned as a daily skill-building tool that complements existing mental health and wellness programs, not replaces them.
In the legal space, Myndset is preparing to launch a partnership with the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program, offering discounted access to attorneys statewide. Mason said the pressure attorneys face often mirrors what athletes and medical professionals experience, just in different settings.
Digital Sandbox KC for Q4 2025: Ian Foster, CEO of SiteScan; Piyush Bhanu, founder of Truslabs.ai; Shaniqua Jones-Williams, founder and CEO of SendBack; Mark A. Moore Jr., CEO of VR 44; Carlanda McKinney, CEO of Syd Health; Rebecca Hollis, COO of Syd Health; Trina Nudson, founder of BeAligned; Craig Mason, CEO and co-founder of Myndset; Russel Karim, CEO of SourceEazy; Jeff Miner, co-founder and Chief Performance Officer of Myndset; and Damion “Coach D” Brown, co-founder/Chief of Staff of Myndset
New features and early funding momentum
Alongside its public launch, Myndset recently released personalized “Playbooks.”
Built from a user’s completed reps and workouts, Playbooks serve as custom guides for handling specific pressure scenarios, such as moving from anxious to composed or from overwhelmed to confident. Early feedback has been strong, said Mason.
On the business side, Myndset has begun raising a pre-seed round, with early conversations under way and initial interest from angel investors. The company also earned non-dilutive funding through the Digital Sandbox KC program.
For Mason, the progress is personal. After spending time in the ICU earlier this fall, he relied on the same pressure-response tools around which Myndset is built.
“I ended up being the ultimate test user,” he said. “It helped me stay grounded and focus on what I could control during a really difficult time.”
As Myndset heads into the new year, the focus is less on chasing momentum and more on sustaining it.
“We are at the stage where we are refining the user experience so it can scale,” said Mason. “Results come from repetition, not inspiration. Our job is to make sure people know this is the place to build those reps.”
