Managing Pressure and Imposter Syndrome in Business

Speaker1: [00:00:00] Hello, hello, and welcome back to the Issue It podcast on this week's episode, we have my good friend Courtney here. Courtney is a three time business owner. She is a fellow business coach at this point in her career, and she has such amazing insight to share. We had a really, really great conversation about imposter syndrome when starting a business, not having the support of your family and friends, how to find entrepreneur friends. It was a really expansive conversation about a lot of important topics for new entrepreneurs, and I am just so excited for you guys to hear this week's episode now before we dive in. You know, we start every episode with some reminders, some updates, that kind of stuff. So first reminder, exciting thing to share is that the Abundant Business Academy is in presale right now. At the time of recording, it's a couple of weeks prior and we already have four spots locked in, as well as a couple other contracts out waiting to be signed. So this is really, really exciting to have so many spots being filled prior to the car actually even opening. So with pre enrollment, you get five hundred dollars off, plus over a thousand dollars in bonuses, including a one on one session with me, which that's unbelievable.

Speaker1: [00:01:19] Like, let's be real. That's literally insane. You can get all of that for less than a thousand dollars and walk away after 10 weeks of working together with a business making you money. Yes, please. Hello. So all the details on that will be in the show notes. So you can go check that out while you're listening, after you're listening, whatever feels good for you, but definitely give that a look. And the other thing is, as a reminder, when you screenshot that you're listening to this episode or any episode of my podcast, you tag me, you shared on Instagram tagged Courteney, too, so she knows you're listening. Her info will be in the show notes as well. You will be entered to win a coffee on me. So that's kind of fun, right? And, you know, leaving a review for the podcast puts you in the winning to get a free coffee on me as well. So there we go with that. Let's roll the tape and get into this week's episode.

Speaker2: [00:02:12] Welcome to the. If She Did

Speaker1: [00:02:14] It podcast with your host, business coach and business bestie Becky Fagan. This is your one stop shop for all things business growth, energetic alignment, strategy mindset and a fun touch of spirituality. Nothing is off limits here, and you're bound to lead every single episode inspired, excited and ready to take massive action in your business. This podcast was created to help create more badass female CEOs and help you see that business gets to be

Speaker2: [00:02:41] Simple, strategic and fun. Now let's dive in. Welcome to the podcast, Courtney. I'm so excited to have you.

Speaker3: [00:02:48] Hey, thank you for having me. I feel like we've been trying to plan this

Speaker2: [00:02:51] For so long. I'm so excited. I know we finally made it happen. Ok, so to kick things off and to introduce you to my world, I would love for us to start with you sharing your story of who you are, what you do, how you got to, where you are. Go for it at all.

Speaker3: [00:03:12] Get it all. So I don't know why. I always start like an intro with like my age and where I'm from. I don't know why, but I'm twenty eight if anyone cares. Living in Toronto and this is actually my third business I'm in, which is business coaching with an angle to marketing. I first started it was the age of 18 or 19 as a personal trainer. That's where I first started. I was like, I'm going to be an entrepreneur. I didn't want to go down the typical nine to five road. I went to school to be an archaeologist and I was like, This ain't it so started as a personal trainer when I was, I think, was 19 and then really felt that burnout of 16 hour days, I was still in the industry of kind of like trading time for money. So I was like, All right, let's venture into the online world, which at that point in my life wasn't really Instagram wasn't like that big where people were running their businesses online. And then at twenty five, I got into the health and wellness industry a little bit more and was involved in a network marketing company, which I did for about two and a half years grew really quick in that. And then again, I was like, It's good, but it just didn't feel like it was exactly where I wanted to be.

Speaker3: [00:04:19] I was a little bit closer, but just wasn't there yet. So then started this third business, which I'm now doing. Like I said, business coaching. I really like to focus on the women that are stuck in that imposter syndrome. They maybe find that they're sitting in comparison a lot. They're really in that burnout where they're just willing to give up everything to achieve your business goals because that's where I was for years and years. And now that I'm on the other side of it, I'm like, Oh, this is a breath of fresh air. I need to like, collect all of these women and be like, Let's move out of this hustle. And I think if we've learned anything in the last few years that the online space is blown up, but I think the need for women to just. Russell has also risen, so, yeah, super blessed to be able to do what I do and connect with amazing people like you and like I said, just help all of the women out of that burnout and help them with their marketing and just really leveraging their story so that imposter syndrome in comparison doesn't come up.

Speaker2: [00:05:15] Yeah, I love that. So before we dive in further, I got to know so was because I don't actually know this part of your story. So from 19 until twenty five, were you doing physical physical therapy? What the hell where did that come from? Were you doing training all of that time? Or were there other pieces of your journey in that time before you started network marketing?

Speaker3: [00:05:39] No. So it was just personal training. I did boot camps, I did working in gyms. I was also like, I personally did bikini competition. So then I started training women for like to prep for bikini competitions. So still all personal training, but I felt like I bounced around between like gyms online. I only worked with women, but yeah, it was just personal training. I started from literally zero clients had no idea how to get clients and kind of just figured it out as I as I went along. And then at twenty five, that's when the network marketing opportunity came to me and again it was in the health and wellness industry. So I'm like, this seems seems like a perfect fit. And then that's where I went from. Twenty five until twenty seven. Like, how old am I get old?

Speaker2: [00:06:24] I am. I am two all the time. That's awesome. Like, you really have been like you have grown and your businesses have grown like as the online platforms have grown.

Speaker3: [00:06:38] Yeah, it's crazy. I remember I think it was, I think Instagram, like first launched in 2011. I think it was. I've been getting my dates right and I started like doing the whole I mean, what now we would consider like being a quote unquote influencer like in two thousand, like 13 and 14 and like sharing that part of my personal training. So it's been really cool to just see the evolution of how Instagram has gone from chronological order. And like the Valencia filter that everyone use to now marketing online and actually having strategies, that was something for me when I was like deep in that, I was like, what? Like a strategy for Instagram? I was like, Just show up on your Instagram Story and talk about your like, that was my strategy. So yeah, it's been really cool to just see the evolution as my business has grown and as I've grown as an entrepreneur. And just to see all of the the new things that have come out with social media. But Instagram, I feel like, is where most of us hang out, at least.

Speaker2: [00:07:34] Yeah, it's so it's so, so interesting to see the shifts and like. But before I started my business, when I was still in school, I was doing a bit of influencing and like I wanted to be. My dream was to be a travel blogger and just singing back to how different it was back then. And in some ways it hasn't changed at all. But in other ways it's changed so much. And I remember like when they got rid of the chronological feed I had like a mental breakdown and like, now they're like bringing it back. And I have like mixed feelings about it. But that's a conversation for another day.

Speaker3: [00:08:06] Yeah, those were the days when you'd get to the end of your feed and it was like, you're all caught up. And I was like, Oh, like, I feel like I've done my social media due diligence now. I'm like, Oh my God, I don't see this girl's post posting that. I'm like, What's happening? But I know Instagram has come up with so many crazy features. Now there's like subscriptions that are coming, which I'm really excited about.

Speaker2: [00:08:24] But yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. Ok. Anyways, so let's continue. So a big thing. I know that you said that you that's important to you is talking about this idea of like kind of feeling in some ways like alone when you're starting a business and like the judgment of others. And I know that a lot of people do it that as well like being afraid to show up and start a business, even though it's what they really want. So how did you handle the I don't know, for lack of a better word backlash from others that you thought would be supportive when you were starting your businesses?

Speaker3: [00:09:00] Yeah, I will say like right off the bat, like anyone listening who's going through it, it was honestly the best learning lesson because it really helped me build a backbone and it really helped me just figure out like who I was and why I was doing this. So that was like the biggest thing that now like in hindsight, I can. I'm super grateful for the quote unquote like haters and the people that were unsupportive. But for me, like regardless of how many people, friends, family relationships that I had to kind of cycle through and grow out of, I always brought myself back to the thought of like, if I don't do this, then what? And I was just like, I wouldn't for me. Like, I would never be happy working in more of a corporate setting or the nine to five. And it was like, if I give this up, like, then what? And it was just I started to really my friends became like YouTube motivational speakers. And it just really helped me realize that even though the people in my life at that time weren't supportive, like there were other people. Out there that I could move into like those circles of people, and it just came definitely was like a lonely journey, like I don't want to take to the top because we're never we're never done growing.

Speaker3: [00:10:11] But I just use that time of being alone to really solidify, like my belief in what I was doing. And I had to pivot a million different times when businesses business wasn't going according to plan or shit hit the fan like it always does. But yeah, it was just it really helped me solidify my vision. My why? And again, like going back to like if I don't do this, like what else? And I almost looked at the people who didn't support me from a higher level rather than like coming from a place of judgment. It was just, I have, I guess, the belief that we're all on this planet in this Earth to achieve happiness, love abundance. Laughter and we all go about it in different ways, so for the people that weren't supporting me, I just said they're on their own journey, they're on their own path, but I'm not going to be the one to stop and slow down, like I'm just going to keep growing and achieving all of the things that I want. And obviously, it sounds easier said than done because it's always that that up and down of like, who's supporting me next? But as I continue to grow as a person, I started to leave behind, like I said, friend groups and relationships that just weren't at the energy I was.

Speaker3: [00:11:20] And I started to find other people that were like, Hey, like, you're an entrepreneur entrepreneur too. I'm like, Hey, like, you support me and I just continue to grow. And even now, like in the last two years, I feel like I've gone through like two friend groups because I've just continued to grow and I've said, I love you where you add and there's no bad blood, but I'm going to keep going. And I've moved into like other friend groups like even like when you and I were working together in, like the mini mine, it was like, Oh, like, here's another group of women that are at that other level. And it just always being able to like, grow into groups was like the big thing for me, which I've noticed at times. I'm like, it feels like almost like an emotional death where you're like, Is something wrong with me? Like, Why am I going through like friends like Kleenex? And it was just I was so dedicated to my growth and the people that I was spending time with maybe weren't growing at the same pace that I was, which is totally OK. But there definitely were those moments where I'm like, something wrong with me, like, why can't I keep friends like they just keep leaving? And I'm like, Oh, we're just going with it.

Speaker2: [00:12:22] I love that you say that also, because I think that there is such a. There's there's just like I'm trying to think of like the word for it, I've really been struggling with my words recently, but there's there's just this. There's this belief that we need to keep friends and stay friends with people for a long time. And if we don't, and if we quote unquote are losing friends a lot like there's something wrong with us and where the problem and I even had like a falling out with a close friend last year, and she made a comment that quite frankly, wasn't even based on anything of truth, but made a comment around, You know, I I know why you can't keep friends, and it's sad to me that you can't, you can't see it and blah blah. And like all this crazy stuff, and it's like, No, I've never. Other than that friend, like, I've never had a real like falling out with a friend where it was like an argument or a fight or like a distaste for them. It's all about growing in different directions, like 90 percent of the friends that I no longer have.

Speaker2: [00:13:22] I have so much love for and I care deeply about, and I, you know, I'll even still like, check in on them. I wouldn't say every couple of months because it's lucky if I check in on my closest friends every couple of months. I can barely send a text these days, but I still check in on them every once in a while. You know what I mean? Like, I still care about them and we're allowed to feel that way and we're allowed to, even if we don't check in on them, even if we don't have any relationship with friends that we still have love for. That's OK. And it's OK to continue to grow and make new friends. And when we make the decision to become an entrepreneur like it often happens that way. We're friends, we like, outgrow each other and it's completely normal. And so I think it's such a good point that you brought it up because I think that there are a lot of entrepreneurs that find there, like, is there something wrong with me? Like, What the hell is going on? It's true.

Speaker3: [00:14:12] It's so true. And I feel like it's not even a conversation that I see or hear a lot in the online space of. Like, it's not even like it's OK. Like, this will probably happen, like you'll probably outgrow. And I remember the hardest thing was like, like I was dating someone and he was like, high school sweetheart. Again, so much love for him. We didn't have like a bad breakup or anything, but it was I was at the point in my. I think I was like twenty four at this point and I was like, OK, I really want to go to the next level. And he just wasn't there yet. And like, that's a really hard thing, especially if finding like relationships where you're like, I can either sit and kind of be at a standstill and almost like, wait until you're ready. And there's that almost part where you want to just go to your partner and be like, Hey, like, I'm going to this next level. I see the potential I support you. Let's go together. But you can't want it for someone more than they want it for themselves. And like I said, nothing against this relationship at all. But leaving that was the hardest, but the best thing, because that's where, again, those were like the high school friends, the university friends that I was with.

Speaker3: [00:15:14] And then when him and I broke up and all of those friends kind of again went down the path of the nine to five or wanting to, like, get married and have kids and all of that stuff. At that point in their life, I was like alone. I was like, OK, now I have no boyfriend, I have no friends, and I'm like, How do I do? But in that silence, in that loneliness, it almost. I was so grateful for it because there was no noise anymore. There was no people like maybe distracting me with like, Hey, let's go out and party and do all this, or I don't really understand what you're doing. And in that silence, I really had to sit, and that's where I feel like my voice came through because there were no more outside distractions in that. And I don't want to say loneliness because it sounds so like depressing, but in that alone time, and I think that's something that all of us struggle with is just being alone and like putting your phone down, unplugging, just sitting in the silence. It's so hard. You're like, This is deafening. I need to like, pick up social media, but it's a really good skill to have because I think that's where the creativity and innovation really comes through is in those moments of being alone.

Speaker2: [00:16:19] Yeah, I completely agree. And I think that the other thing is being OK with having different like almost levels of friendship. Some of my best friends from college, I still consider them some of my best friends. They're they'll be at my wedding, they'll be in my wedding. But they we don't have a friendship where I talk about the things that I necessarily talk about with my entrepreneur friends. There's a different it's just there's different spaces. We have different our minds are opened in different ways when we're entrepreneurs and I have found that some of my friends are really they get intrigued by me and like what I believe and what I the way I see things. And they come to me when they want to explore it, which is a fun thing to do, but it's OK to have different kinds of friendships. It's so good to have friendships that you keep because you love the person and you still get along and you still have fun times together. But maybe you don't have a lot in common because you've taken different paths in life. That doesn't mean that you can't be friends anymore. But at the same time, we're always going to have friends of convenience, right? Like I used to say to my.

Speaker2: [00:17:26] It's like I loved my high school friends and we were all like, I really love them, but they were very much we were all for one another, friends of convenience. We were all kind of like the outcast that like we chose to like, step away from our old friend groups and we all kind of formed together and we loved each other and we were close. But we were very much friends of convenience, like didn't really have much in common. Like, it's just like, that's, you know, those are those are people at the time and again, maybe like once every couple of years, I'll text one of them and be like, Oh, pretty doing well. But like, we don't talk all the time anymore. Like my our families moved away, like we're not in the same space anymore, and that's OK. So anyway, I feel like we're going on a whole tangent about friendship, but I do think it's an important one. That's, like you said, not talked about a lot online, but it's hard. It can be really hard.

Speaker3: [00:18:13] Yeah, it is. And it's it is like that idea of almost being like selfish. You feel like you're being like the selfish one in the relationship or friendship or whatever the situation is. But I think part of being an entrepreneur and like having that vision, like you said, like I feel like entrepreneurs, we just think differently. We're like the unicorns of society. It's OK to tell. Yeah, like, be selfish with your goals. And I think there are times when, like you really, you really have to be selfish and just be like, I'm sorry, like, I love you, but I got to keep. I got to keep going and I got to keep growing.

Speaker2: [00:18:46] Yeah. And I think on the other side of this too, is remembering that you don't you don't have to be alone. Like, there's always people like you always have the opportunity to make friendships online. I mean, some of my best friends that I've made online came from me, like really sending a message being like, You seem cool, let's be friends.

Speaker3: [00:19:05] Like so many friends, like on social media, my mom's like, there's a there's a few girls that live in Toronto and they're also like, kind of in the early stages of their business. And we just started chatting in the summertime like I met up with them. My mom was like, like, you just met up with people online and I'm like, Yeah, I have new friends now. What is

Speaker2: [00:19:23] It? Well, it's it's so fun. I I'm like planning a trip with some of my friends, like some of my closest friends. When I was still living in Kentucky before I moved to Maryland, I met from being an entrepreneur. Like, that's how I met them, you know? So there's just so much opportunity. You just have to be willing to put yourself out there because your people are out there. It's just being willing to not hold on to friendships that aren't really alive anymore and not open to creating the new ones

Speaker3: [00:19:58] For sure, like we did. I think to that also, I got a lot of like into new circles with new entrepreneurs. When I started, like investing in my business and being involved in group programs, I was like, Oh shit, like, there's some great people in here. So that was like another thing like to get myself. I don't want to say, like, you have to pay to be in rooms with people who kind of get it. But like for me, like, I've always been big on investing in my business, and it was just like, it was so worth it. Like, No, that investment, just being in a room of being virtually in a room with other women is just so powerful. And that was like another thing. And I'll continue to pay to be in rooms with other amazing entrepreneurs because value in itself is just, yeah, like I said, no amount of money. Put a price on that. No, you know what I mean.

Speaker2: [00:20:46] That's right. It's true, though. I mean, I I look back and pretty much every single investment I've made in my business that comes with a program like a group of people, I've walked away with at least one new like really close friend and some of my best friends I've made from programs like that. So it is it really is just like, so it's so special, and I think it's just being willing to be open to that and recognizing that it's a lot more fun to go to business when you have friends around you. So be willing to make those friendships.

Speaker3: [00:21:20] And yeah, you don't have to do it alone. Like you said, you can be with, I mean, you can do it alone, but why would you want to and you can have friends?

Speaker2: [00:21:27] Exactly, exactly. And then I feel like another really big thing that you had said you love to speak on that I think comes up a lot. And I think it also mixes well with the whole friendship thing because when you don't have the people to talk to or you have people in your life that aren't supporting you, I feel like it exacerbates this feeling of imposter syndrome. So when you like and I think it happens a lot, I know a lot of people that start a business and they they question everything and they feel like they can't do something or they feel like they're not good enough. And it comes up so much, and it doesn't help when the people around you are not supporting you. Yeah, I know that imposter and what that's just like wasn't a word. It's fine. I know that imposter syndrome is something that you love talking about and you think is super important, which it absolutely is super important.

Speaker3: [00:22:22] So talk to us about it. Well, I just want to say that I'm again going into my 10th year of business and I still deal with it. So it's not like you get to a level in business where it doesn't come up, just like doubt and worry like it's there. It's kind of part of the journey. But for me, like the imposter syndrome really came from, like you said, just being around people that didn't have that belief in me. So I was like, Oh, like, am I a fraud? Like, Are they right? Like, should I have gone down this this route instead of that one? But I think for me, like the imposter syndrome, like the way that I really worked through it in the beginning was just really getting clear on like what I wanted and really sitting in allowing like my voice and my authentic authenticity to come through. I think just with women that I've worked with and just my personal experience like imposter syndrome for me came from not being myself. It was like I was so busy trying to be someone else. I was so busy trying to look like this girl on Instagram or even people pleasing, like I'm a recovering people pleaser. So trying to impress someone else who maybe doesn't support me or come across in a way where I'm like, I could do this and this is what I want. But like, I don't want to irritate this person or like trigger them. So it gets exhausting when you're trying to keep up with someone that you're not and you're not really letting like who you are come through.

Speaker3: [00:23:44] So that was a big thing, and that's something that I think all entrepreneurs that continue to work through is really standing and solidifying like who they are. And that can be hard as you're growing as well because as you become like different, you have different views. You're like, Oh, wait, like, who am I? And then from like a strategy perspective to this was a big one is I felt like an imposter, especially on my Instagram, because I had no idea, like from a strategy perspective, how to actually show up. And when I started learning marketing strategies, I was like, Oh, like, I don't have to feel like an imposter because I almost I have like a game plan. For me, that was a big one when I would just like, pick up my Instagram and be like, Oh, I've no idea what to talk today. And then that's where the debt would come in. Like, no one cares, like no one supporting me all of this stuff. But when I had strategies where I could leverage my story and my voice, it started to feel a little bit more like me. And like I said, I think leveraging like your story and what you've been through was a really big thing because the more I talk about who I am and what I've been through, like, there's not really any room for imposter syndrome when you're you're being who like your authentic self as cheesy as that sounds?

Speaker2: [00:24:53] Yeah, but but it's true. It's totally true. And I think that like, first of all, acknowledging to everybody listening that like imposter syndrome is, like you said, Courtney is so normal, and it's so it's just almost like a part of business, like it's like a building block of business. So we have to like, work through and just accept and it comes up a lot, you know? Another thing that we can touch on is like the whole idea of pivoting a lot, and I think that it all of them like circles together, because when you pivot, you then ask yourself, you like question things a lot as well. Like, I have a couple of clients who recently made like big pivots, where in some ways it's almost like they're starting their business all over. And that comes with like a bit of like a bit of like quietness before the lead. Pouring in and that can bring an imposter syndrome, so like there's so many different things that could bring in imposter syndrome, but knowing that you're not alone, I think is so important. And the other thing like this is an exercise that's always really helped me. It's like reminding myself why I am good at what I do. Who am I to do what I do and what are all the skill sets that I have? So writing out all my experience, writing out my background, writing out why I'm the right person for this role, you know, that kind of a thing and like reminding yourself as well. Like, why did you start your business in the first place? Because something that I can say is that I'm even someone that struggles with imposter syndrome and me knowing myself.

Speaker2: [00:26:30] I'm like, Obviously, I struggle with imposter syndrome. But when I think when I look back on it like something, I didn't realize how big the online industry was when I started my business. And it was definitely much smaller when I started over three years ago now, but it was still quite large and I didn't realize. And so as someone that spent years like several years as an influencer studying social media marketing for fun social media for a startup bourbon distillery, did content strategy for a company like Did All These Different Things? I walked in starting my business as a social media manager, being like, I'm a fucking expert, like, I know my shit. I'm the baddest like people lucky to have me. And then I go in and I see all these other social media managers and in my head, I'm like, It's funny, because even though I had imposter syndrome in my head, I'm like, none of them know what they're talking about, like. Like, I know what I'm talking about. Like, there's no way they all have this experience too. Like, there's just no way. And so it's knowing that like, you can be super cocky and confident and like talking in a good way, guys. I wasn't mean about it. I promise. Kept it all to myself. You can be super confident and believe in yourself and still struggle with imposter syndrome, and there's nothing wrong with you. Like, I feel like that's almost like the moral of this episode. There's nothing wrong with you. You're in trouble.

Speaker3: [00:27:49] Yeah. And I always to like, I think a lot of people and again, it's almost like narrative in the industry because everything on social media is like the shiny bells and whistles. And I love that people are now starting to open up and be like, Hey, like, this is normal. But I think especially in the beginning when I started my business, like I thought, like if I had to pivot, I was like messing up. If I felt negative emotion, that was like a big one that I think is so important. And I remember this was such a big thing that I felt in the last like two years was I had people in my ears and saw it in the industry and like mentors that said, like, you always need to be happy and positive. Like if you have negative emotion, like imposter syndrome or worry or doubt, come out. Come up, sorry. You almost need to have the ability to like like you have five seconds to complain and then you're back on track. And I was like, But before we're a CEO, like, we are humans and like emotions are information. So it's the best thing, I think, to acknowledge your emotions. Like if it's imposter syndrome, if it's comparison, if it's, oh my god, am I feeling like a failure because I have to pivot because I think the minute you actually sit and let those emotions come up, they no longer like control you.

Speaker3: [00:29:00] And I know for me, I would always like push down all of the negative emotions that I was feeling in my business. And I always use the explanation like, you know, when you're a kid and you're in the pool and you have this big beach ball and you always like, push it under the water and then you let go and it explodes up. That's what I was doing. Like the beach ball was my emotions, and I kept pushing it down and pushing it down. And then eventually, like all these emotions came up and it was like, if I just learn to feel my emotions positive or negative and be able to work through them like that was a better skill set than just avoiding. Everything like I'm an imposter syndrome, so I would either like run and hide on Instagram or I'd be like, Kate, just move through it like going Instagram like feel this awkwardness and just show up anyways. So that was a big thing. And just to your point of pivoting, I always use like weird metaphor. So we're like beach ball and water. But I always kind of like to think of my journey as an entrepreneur and even in the industry, like a river, like it's always flowing, it's always moving, and you can either swim upstream and hold on to maybe what feels comfortable or you can just let go. And I think there's that fear of what happens when I let go, what happens when I pivot? Like, You're almost stepping into the unknown.

Speaker3: [00:30:15] You're like, I don't know what's on the other side. Like if I let go and pivot and learn all these new things and feel the emotions that I need to feel like my business is going to go up in flames and like my clients are going to leave, my income's going back down to zero, which is never the case. That's just like our mind, you know, going a little crazy on us. But I think there's so much power in feeling what you need to feel and then letting go and like going with the flow of things and almost being in that messy action rather than letting imposter syndrome. Just stop you in your tracks and be like, Look, don't do anything because I've done that like so many times where I'm like, I feel like an imposter. Just put your phone down and like, when you feel better, then go going Instagram and like that. Never. That almost is just like avoiding the problem when it's just like, sit and feel what you need to feel. And every time I've done that where I'm like, I feel like an imposter, I feel like a fraud and I've sat with the emotions. I get so much clarity and then inspiration, and then it's like, OK, like, now I get it. Like, now I know what to do moving forward rather than just running and hiding.

Speaker2: [00:31:15] Yeah, no, it's so true. It's so true. And I think the other thing is knowing that pivoting it's it's another normal thing like, I can't tell you how many times I would almost say to expect at least one pivot in your first year in business, at least one pivot, whether it's burning down the offer you created in something fresh or completely shifting the way that you run your business or completely shifting what your business is like. I might be giving or coaching program that I run. It used to be for months long. I've shifted it down to 10 weeks, but it used to be four months long. And in that four month period, I had some clients pivot two to three times. Like, it's a lot, you know, and you find yourself a lot. So it's a totally normal thing to do. And knowing that like especially so like, for example, if I have a client that's going through my program or if they pivot towards the end, or even now that my program is only 10 weeks instead of four months, it's like once you learn this stuff, you know that stuff and you can apply it to anything you can use to, like, work with me again and have my support and reapplying it.

Speaker2: [00:32:25] But you also have the knowledge and expertise now to do it for yourself. So once you learn how to do it, you can and like and when I say do it, it's really like run a business, how to get clients things like that. It's like you can pivot as much as you need to pivot, and it all gets to apply again and pivoting as part of the business. I mean, I could have stayed in the comfort and continue to run my business the way I've been running it and keep my programs the same and just stick with it. Or I could have done like you said, I could have let go and that's what I chose to do and do what my heart essentially was calling me to do. And it's terrifying. Like it's the comfort of my own, of my program before was so nice because I with shortening the program, I completely shifted my strategy for the year and the price is super super low compared to what I normally charge for coaching because the goal is to help more people to reach more people, right? But that's a risk. Like, that's

Speaker3: [00:33:24] Great. It's like a mission terrifying.

Speaker2: [00:33:28] I've already at the time of this, I've already landed a client for it and I'm like, Oh my God, should I make a terrible mistake? And guys, like, I'm three years into business and I'm thinking this right because it's scary to change what you're used to, but it's part of business. We have to be willing to take risks and play with what we're feeling excited to create.

Speaker3: [00:33:51] And I think to even just thinking back to like when I like my vision, even for what I wanted for my life when I was like 19 is like so different now. And like when I first got into network marketing and like in the two years, I was involved with it again, my vision changed so much and even into like my business now, it was like, it's changed so much. Like, it's always like, Do I really like this? And there's almost I feel like that pressure of when you start a business to just be like, Go, go, go, go, go. And I think that energy doesn't allow you to be like, wait, like, do I want this? Like, does this make me happy or like, like you said, like seeing other people in the online space being like, Oh, like, this is a really great program that I created. And then you go on social. Like, oh, like hers is better, like, let me just dismiss it or like, you know what I mean, so yeah, you switch so much. And I think as we just constantly grow and evolve, like so does our vision and so does our mission and what we want to do. And like you said, it's just the ability to to step into that unknown, like the discomfort it's going to be there. I know, like if I'm super comfortable in business and I'm like, Ooh, I'm chillin, I know exactly what to do.

Speaker3: [00:35:00] I'm like, Oh, like time to learn something new. And yeah, pivoting doesn't also have to be this big, scary thing. Like I know, sometimes I think of pivoting and it's like restructure. Everything like pivoting can just be like little tweaks that you make along the way that don't have to be this big, scary thing. And sometimes you have to slow down to learn new skills to then speed up. But it really is. It's almost like a muscle like you got to use it. You've got to be able to like pivot, lean into the discomfort, feel the emotions like, oh, feeling imposter syndrome, like pivot. And it's just this cycle that almost becomes like a habit that you're like, Oh, OK, it's here, and I don't get scared of what I need to like. Pivot. I've learned that if something feels off, I just got to sit and listen to it, or if I'm feeling like an imposter and I'm like, OK, like, where am I not being me in my business? Like, where am I trying to like, look like her or this person and all of that? So I've almost made friends with my imposter syndrome and like my fear of switching gears because I'm like every time I've done it and leaned into it, it's helped who I am, how I show up and just like my business tenfold. So I'm almost like excited when I feel I'm like, woo-hoo, like we're growing.

Speaker2: [00:36:11] I love that way of looking at it. I love that. Ok, well, I can. We can keep going back and forth forever. I feel like I can continue to talk. That being said, I think that this is a good place to like. Close out the episode before we go. Are there any final thoughts you want to share with everybody? And also at the same time, I'm going to ask two questions at once. Where can we find you?

Speaker3: [00:36:37] Yes. So I hang out most on Instagram. So it is literally Courtney Dot Sedona. I do have Tiktok, but guys trying, OK? I don't even know what my Tiktok name is. I think it's the same. Courtney Courtney Dot Sedona that, yeah, like I said, that's where I hang out most. And then your first question, sorry, I got distracted with

Speaker2: [00:36:57] My

Speaker3: [00:36:58] Bad, my first watch.

Speaker2: [00:37:00] You had any any closing thoughts you want to share with everybody.

Speaker3: [00:37:05] Oh my God, so many to pick just one. I think it's just like, stick to who you are and like, allow yourself the space to sit in the discomfort when you need to. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. That was another thing where I was like, I have to do it alone. You really don't. But yeah, just really being OK with being different and like, it's OK. If you have to move through friends to grow to where you want to grow, I promise you will be in a much better space when you have women that do support you and just leveraging your story, especially if you're stuck in that imposter syndrome like write down all of the things that you've been through in life, business and not business related, because those are things that can help you just leverage your story. And when you're talking about you like, it's very hard to feel that imposter syndrome and just let go.

Speaker2: [00:37:52] What I love, I love that. Amazing. Well, Courtney, thank you so much for being here today.

Speaker3: [00:37:58] Thank you so much for having me. I'll see you on Instagram.

Speaker1: [00:38:01] Ok, y'all, I hope you enjoy this week's episode again. As a reminder, I mean, the world to me. If you'll have to review screenshots shared and tag us on Instagram and Kourtney's links will be in the show notes and the link for the Abundant Business Academy of In the Show Notes. Go apply, you guys snag your early bird or presale spot, and I will catch you next week on the issue did at podcast.

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