How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome While Launching Your Business

There are plenty of new stressors to face when you launch a new business, even if it’s not your first. Entrepreneurship requires daily decisions that can leave business owners second-guessing themselves.

No matter how much self-confidence you have, self-doubt and uncertainty are part of the process of launching your own business. Left unchecked, those feelings of uncertainty can become a cycle of negative self-talk, often referred to as impostor syndrome.

To overcome self-doubt as a small business owner or solo entrepreneur:

1. Quantify your accomplishments.

2. Practice confidence.

3. Remember your resiliency. 

4. Build a support network.

What is impostor syndrome?

Impostor syndrome is an extreme form of self-doubt about your capabilities, talent, self-worth, and success. Even the most successful entrepreneurs aren’t immune to the experience.

Even if someone seems to have a successful business from the outside—like having great client testimonials, seeing strong monthly sales, or booking speaking engagements—it’s still possible for impostor syndrome to affect them.

Since successful people are often attempting new challenges outside of their current comfort levels, it’s natural for feelings of inadequacy or fear of failure to show up as they continue to develop and strengthen new skill sets. Nearly everyone is underqualified when they first try something new. That’s why it’s essential to start, no matter how scary it may feel. 

The most important thing to remember when launching a new business is: impostor syndrome isn’t reality. The self-doubt is not reflective of who you are, and there are ways to reframe or combat those negative thoughts so that your confidence grows alongside your business. Here are four tips for fighting impostor syndrome.

1. Quantify your accomplishments

Counteract impostor syndrome by backing up your accomplishments with data. External accomplishments aren’t the only way to gauge success, but they can be a good place to start when it comes to resetting your internal dialogue. 

Try writing down some accomplishments that you’re proud of, so you have tangible reminders of your achievements and progress. Some examples are:

• Positive client testimonials

• Professional milestones

• Highest monthly revenue number

• Progress from your starting point to today

Save any compliments or praise you get from clients, peers, or customers into a file. Revisit that file when you need a little boost.

2. Practice confidence

Confidence is necessary when launching a business, but impostor syndrome drains it. You need to practice confidence to fight the negative thought process that comes with impostor syndrome.

Affirmations are a useful way to develop and reinforce your confidence. Affirmations are positive phrases you repeat to yourself (either silently or out loud) to create new core beliefs about yourself. 

If positive affirmations don’t feel authentic, neutral affirmations can be a good place to start.  Examples of neutral affirmations are:

• Today’s going to be fine.

• One foot in front of the other.

• I’m doing great.

• I’ve got this.

• I will be OK.

The idea is to remain consistent in the positive reinforcements so any thoughts driven by impostor syndrome become less frequent.

3. Remember your resiliency 

You’ve already overcome so many challenges and mistakes, and with each lesson, you’ve grown as a person and business owner. While slip-ups can often feel like setbacks, they’re an essential part of the growth process. 

Mistakes or disappointments give you takeaways to learn from. More importantly, every time you come back from a setback, you’re reminding yourself exactly how resilient, smart, and determined you are. It’s that trifecta of strength that will help you conquer impostor syndrome whenever it comes up.

4. Build a support network

Investing in relationships with other business leaders is one of the best things you can do for your mental health as an entrepreneur. Having a network of people you can turn to who are in a similar position or have been before will make you feel less alone. And reaching out to that network when you’re in doubt, even just to share, is a way to practice self-care.

If you’re not sure where to find a community, try searching social media for groups focused on specific identities. For example, you might look for groups specifically for tech startup founders. Or you could search for community groups for female entrepreneurs. If you think you’d benefit from more individualized support, you could try working with a business coach.

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This post was updated on May 10, 2023.