How to Gain the Confidence You Need to Succeed as a Female Business Owner
It wasn't until recently that I realised a huge impact of the work I do with small business owners is building their confidence. All the time, I see female founders face unique challenges that often stem from a lack of visibility and confidence. This blog explores how confidence (or a lack of!) can significantly impact your journey as a female founder as well as giving you some clear, actionable tips on how to build your confidence. It’s time to let your confidence shine so that you and your business get the visibility you deserve!
Why Confidence is Crucial When Running Your Own Business
We’ve all been there when our confidence and limiting beliefs mean we question ourselves as business owners. What if no-one buys my new product or signs up to a new service? What if people think I’m not qualified enough to do this job? What if someone thinks I charge too much? Too little? The what ifs go on….
I’m yet to meet a female founder who hasn’t felt some sort of imposter syndrome at some point in their career. It happens to almost all of us. And sometimes, the fear of getting something wrong means we stall all together. So how is it that some of us can seemingly brush the lack of confidence to one side and push through our imposter syndrome to create the successful businesses that you may see today?
A certain amount of all of this is faking it until you make it when it comes to appearing confident. The actions you take will shape your mindset and eventually, the evidence you’ve been looking for to validate your credentials will all be there for you to see.
As soon as you know that you have value to add (which is almost certainly sooner than you think), make sure you show up for yourself! I was terrified to book my first speaking event over 18 months ago, but I made sure I was prepared, went along and now regularly book speaking events as an expert in my industry of helping business owners gain the visibility they deserve. Whilst you might not be quite ready for that, know that if I can do it, so can you!
In the meantime, here are our top tips for how to gain the confidence you need to succeed as a female business owner.
How to Transform Your Confidence as a Small Business Owner
Having now gone through two complete cycles of the Your AJency visibility challenge, I have noticed more than ever the incredible confidence transformations women go through after working with them. Successful female business owners who were letting their fear of showing their face on social media who now are booking their first speaking gigs, increasing sales and growing communities they are proud of. By addressing the confidence issues that were at the root of their fear, these women not only increased their sales and revenue but more importantly, found renewed joy in their work.
What You Can Do Today to Boost Your Confidence
1. Define Your Audience:
Understanding and addressing your ideal audience is the first step towards boosting your confidence. Knowing who your ideal clients are and showing them how/why you’re the person to help is crucial. This isn't just about demographics, but also about focusing on their problems and how you’ll solve them. By delving deep into this, you’ll ensure you’re showing up online in the right places so they can find you! You should even go as far as making an actual client avatar. Give them a name, interests, fears, a lifestyle and an age and show up for them across all of your content!
2. Simplify Your Message:
A clear and concise business statement is one of your most powerful tools. Ask for feedback from others to ensure your message is clear, especially to those unfamiliar with your work. I did this prior to an “Eyes on You” day and asked a total of 5 people to tell me what the client did. The fact that they were confused and unclear, despite some of them knowing the client well, meant that the business statement had room for improvement. Why not give it a try? People can’t and won’t buy from you if they don’t know what you do.
3. Own Your Expertise:
Expertise evolves, so it's essential to periodically review and refine your self-description. Create three pinned posts highlighting who you are, what you do, and why you are the right person for your service. They act as a mini website on Instagram and are powerful. See what mine are here.
4. Charge Your Worth
In the process of refining and reviewing, don’t be afraid to review your pricing structures. Charge what you are worth! Following an ‘Eyes on You’ Day with one of my clients, she increased her prices by 133% and guess what…she signed up a client almost straight away who never even questioned the price tag. If you are clear in what you’re offering and can really help someone, your expertise are priceless.
Show Up Online to Show Up In-Person!
The three pinned posts play a vital role in establishing your authority online and showing your audience who you are at a glance. They can serve as the foundation for boosting your visibility. Once this is set up, pair it with your killer bio or introduction and you’ll start to see a shift in your confidence. Believe it or not but it will help you start to show up offline too. If you have a profile you’re proud of, you can easily share it at in-person networking events and show off what you do to others. Having that shopfront (website and social channels ) is so important in boosting your confidence in showing up in other ways.
Should I Hire a Business Coach to Boost My Confidence?
Of course there are amazing business coaches and mentors who are able to help you build your confidence and grow your business. But make sure you do your research and look for people who will be a good chemistry fit for you. Finding someone who “gets” you and your business is one of the most important factors when looking to work with an expert.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some incredible professionals over the last year who have had a huge impact on my business, particularly with branding and PR professionals. The role of experts is hugely valuable and I now work very closely in collaboration with a variety of industry experts when I’m working with my own clients. If your budget allows for it, investing in yourself and your business is a worthy business expense!
In the first instance, and if you’re just starting out in your business journey, the process of building your confidence is definitely something you can attempt yourself. Expertise has transformative power, but sometimes, starting on your own can lead to unexpected breakthroughs.
Building confidence is a journey, not an overnight feat. I hope this blog serves as a nudge for all of you female founders struggling with confidence.
Take these prompts to heart and start your journey towards increased confidence and success. Remember, you've got this and if you are looking for someone to be there by your side, I would love to talk.
The easiest way to do this is to join my visibility challenge, a group of fellow female founders looking to increase their visibility and presence to start getting the sales they deserve. The waitlist is now open for my April challenge.
