This week, I had another client on a call looking for help from a business coach. She had been thinking about launching her business idea for the past four years. Still in full-time employment, she kept postponing it, but the idea never went away. So she booked a call. “If I don’t do something about it now, it will never happen.” So what was it that took her so long? Fear and overwhelm, mainly. Not knowing where to start, but also, the fear of stepping out into the world as a solo entrepreneur, with all eyes on her. How do you deal with this fear when becoming a creative business owner?
Dealing with fear as a new business owner
It’s very safe; turning up at work, doing the job, knowing what to expect, and getting a paycheck every month. It is stable, is it secure. Running your own business is not like that, at all, especially as a startup. You may not have any income at all the first months. It will certainly take a while replacing your full-time income, if ever. So why do we jump into entrepreneurship, then?
Because we have a fire in our belly, and we cannot extinguish it! It is a calling, a deep desire, a dream we want to make happen. But when launching is suddenly a real option, it can feel scary. It is no longer a dream or a ‘one day I may do this’ thing…. you are actually doing it.
Why do we feel scared when we are manifesting our dreams?
It can feel very scary manifesting your dreams. Not because you don’t want it, but because your mind suddenly starts to kick into ‘let me keep you safe’ action. It is normal. Are you sure you want to do this? It might not work! What if it all fails? You will probably fail anyway, don’t even bother. What makes you think you are actually capable? The mind throws all of those self-doubts at you, and it drives you crazy.
I am a coach, but also a singer-songwriter. I have been in bands all my life, but this year I have decided to go solo. And you know what? I am scared! Being in a band is safe, I feel protected by the musicians around me. I can make a mistake, and no one really notices. If I am playing by myself on stage, I am suddenly very exposed and vulnerable. Any mistake is clearly down to me. It would be much safer being in a band. But I feel a very, very strong calling to go solo, and record a solo album this year. And so, I am facing my fears, and focus on the excitement instead of the imposter syndrome.
The example above is exactly the same feeling of someone leaving the comfort and protection of employment, going out into the world as a solo entrepreneur. The bucks stops with them. And all eyes are on you. How do you prevent yourself from being paralysed by fear of failure?
What to do to feel more confident as a new entrepreneur
One of the mistakes I made in the past while starting up my own businesses, is doing everything alone, and not asking for help. I wish I had had a mentor in the early days, just someone to bounce ideas off, and to keep me sane. You need a team. And if you cannot afford a team, or a coach, then become part of networks of other business owners, to feel more supported and to have people you can ask for advice.
The other mistake I see people make all of the time, which adds to the feeling of overwhelm and panic, is to not have a clear strategy, and not making a solid plan.
Preparation is everything. Remember your show-and-tell presentations at school years ago, and how nervous you used to feel standing in front of an audience all by yourself? These presentations went incredibly well…but only if you had prepared for them, and if you knew what your key message was.
If you prepare well while launching your business, and have a clear plan you can stick to, you feel stronger in yourself. You know what steps to take next, what actions to take. You know your values, your brand identity, AND your key message. You know who your target audience is, what they need, and what your offer to them is. Without these foundation blocks, your business will be wobbly, and your show-and-tell will be a disaster.
So what to do about fear as a creative business owner?
If you have read this far, and you recognise yourself in my words, then I invite you to book a free 20 minute call with me to discuss your next steps.
I work with people just like you, and I am the queen of clarity. We’ll create a plan, figure out your next steps, and we can see how I can help you further.
