10 Ways To Build Up Confidence As A Business Owner

Building confidence as a small business owner is necessary for success. It's normal to face doubts and challenges, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can boost your confidence and thrive as an entrepreneur. Every day as a business owner I am learning new things about myself - sometimes good and sometimes – reflective. 

I get asked often how do you release imposter syndrome, or how do you get over mistakes you’ve made - and the simple answer is that every day, with every mistake comes an opportunity to build up my confidence muscles. 

Try these 10 ways to build up your confidence:

Know Your Strengths:

Take a moment to reflect on your strengths and skills - what you bring to the table! And YOU bring a lot to the table - if you aren’t sure what that is - you have to actually show up to the tables first. In order to discover strengths - you have to try new things! And ask yourself -  what sets ME apart from others in my industry? Make a list - what are you good at? Are you a rock start at organizing events? Are you A+ when it comes to hitting deadlines. Are your social media skills out of this world?  Is it standing in front of a room and speaking? Are you patient? Whatever it is - make a list and look at it when you come across “doubt."

Set Realistic Financial Goals:

Break down your business goals into smaller, achievable milestones. Setting realistic goals allows you to track progress and experience small wins along the way - every sale matters. Each small win will boost your confidence and motivate you to keep pushing forward. For example - if you are in your first month of business & your goal is to make $10,000 but your product is $100. That would mean – you have to get in front of a LOT of eyes to hit your goal. Be honest with yourself - honesty builds up confidence! If you don’t have an email list yet, or a Facebook page setup - getting 100 sales will be a bit difficult. What if you acknowledge with yourself that things take time and it is your FIRST month of business. You can shift this goal to say - within 10 weeks I want to see a steady incline in leads AND income. I can reach 10 sales a week at $100, which means I’m bringing in $1000 a week. Doesn’t that feel more attainable? 

Be A Beginner:

It’s okay to be a ‘starter’. As long as you own that and acknowledge that everyday you will learn something new. A great way to build confidence - is to remind yourself you are starting, or re-starting. It’s also okay to tell your audience, hey I’m starting – and I'm learning so be patient with me! People appreciate honesty! Also by owning that you are a beginner you can release imposter syndrome - you are YOU, and your business is allowed to be where it’s at!  

See Challenges as Opportunities:

Every day in business you get a choice - to see a conversation or situation as a hurdle or to see it as an exciting opportunity to grow. Let’s say someone asks you for a refund - and immediately your heart starts to race you feel bad and you want to get defensive. Instead - see it as an opportunity to look at WHERE your process has gaps and where you can improve. Sure not every refund request is valid - but if someone is honest and tells you why they are asking for one - you can only improve! By seeing opportunities instead of ‘negatives’, your confidence in responding and handling situations increases!

Ask Your Customers for Feedback:

Feedback, whether positive or constructive, provides valuable insights into your business. Embrace feedback as a tool for improvement and growth. The truth is this one is hard.. and before it builds confidence it can send you into a spiral - but eventually after you take feedback as an opportunity - your confidence starts to grow every time someone provides you with some. Hearing feedback is tough - but there’s ways to ask for it. Here’s a great example - last week during a Marketing Lounge call we had a few extra minutes and I openly asked - what would you like to see done better in the lounge but also what do you like? Immediately people started with what they liked – the community, the classes, the guidance and me. Then I asked – but are you seeing the e-mails because I noticed you asked for the link? That opened up for some real feedback - that they wished there was a calendar of events instead of a list of events. PERFECT. Now does it mean I have to spend some time adjusting our product - yes, but will it mean that our customers know we’re listening - YES. By having me open myself and business up for feedback - I build up confidence because my PRODUCT becomes better. 

Surround Yourself with Supportive People:

Build your community. Surround yourself with a supportive network of peers, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs. Share your challenges and successes with PEOPLE WHO LIFT YOU UP and encourage you but will be honest as well. I taught last week that sometimes we have to ‘steal’ confidence from our peers. Which means – if I’m having a bad week it really helps to be around some confident people! They remind me WHY I started and who I aspire to be. Being around confidence - gives me confidence. Being around negativity - gives me negativity ;) 

Establish Boundaries:

Take breaks, exercise, eat healthily, and get enough rest. A healthy body and mind contribute to increased confidence and productivity. I can speak from experience and from the heart on this one. When I keep saying ‘yes’ at 7pm, 9pm, even 1am to client requests - I start to slip into a pretty negative spiral that then — does a number on my confidence. But when I establish boundaries with my clients and myself - I feel confident in my YES and confident in my NO’s. 

Celebrate ALL Things:

Everything is a big deal as a business owner! Started the Instagram account - celebrate, booked a lead - celebrate, getting interviewed on a podcast - celebrate. When you celebrate things – you give yourself CONFIDENCE. How would you celebrate someone else? Do the same for YOU! 

Do More of What Scares You:

Want to build up confidence every day - do one tiny thing that scares you. Pull the bandaid - email that person, pitch to that person, increase your prices by a little bit – every time you do one thing that feels scary you’ll start to notice it WORKS OUT!  Earlier this year I kept hosting classes, 1 off teachings and getting people to pay per class - but we had to market SO much for these individual classes, and I knew I had to do something scary: start a membership. Now I felt ‘behind’ on this & super scared that only 1-2 people would sign up but we launched, and saw over 30 people join within the first few weeks. I pulled the band-aid and put myself out there and it worked! 

Alter-Ego:

This one is…. strange but it works for me every.single.time. If I'm feeling a little bit off - or am walking into a room where I feel like I may not belong (right??) I have to step into a DIFFERENT version of myself. Not someone who I am not – but I have to give myself a pep talk. Now – I step into my “what would Arlene Dickinson do” or “What would Taylor Swift do” OR “what would my MOM do” and my entire confidence shifts. When they say fake it until you make it - this is what they mean. YOU know you have it in you - but sometimes certain situations or people can make you feel intimidated so walk into the room knowing you belong, you’re proud – and find an alter-ego ;) 

By implementing these strategies, even one at a time over time - you can build up confidence as a small business owner believe in yourself, stay persistent, and celebrate every milestone on your journey to success. And to be transparent - if you don’t – find people who believe in you – until you finally do ;)