# Conquering your self-doubt demons as a female SME entrepreneur Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-25 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: How Female Entrepreneurs Can Overcome Self-Doubt Meta Description: Discover how to overcome self-doubt and boost confidence in your entrepreneurial journey as a woman. Tips to enhance client relationships and business growth. URL: https://financedigest.com/conquering-your-self-doubt-demons-as-a-female-sme-entrepreneurhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-1289220657-1736815935081-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Tessah Aihara,_** _founder of SEO Mama._ Being an entrepreneur is often a lonely journey. Especially for women. Expected to display strength at all times, to demonstrate your worth as a businessperson and your suitability as a leader, any show of vulnerability is frowned upon. But self-doubt almost always creeps in. You question not only your plans and your actions, but your very validity. And this can have a hugely [detrimental impact, on your mental health](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-protect-your-employees-mental-health-while-remote-working.html "How to protect your employees’ mental health while remote working") and well-being, as well as your business, limiting client relationships and stifling growth and potential. As a female business owner, it’s really important that you are able to see the [value you bring to your clients](https://www.financedigest.com/iris-acquisition-enables-accountants-to-add-greater-value-to-their-clients.html "IRIS acquisition enables accountants to add greater value to their clients") and make this a priority for success – but how can you go about this? Are there ways to elevate self-worth? And how can you stop self-doubt from taking hold? **The problem with self-doubt and** [business potential](https://www.financedigest.com/the-real-potential-of-web-3-0-and-blockchain-for-business.html "The Real Potential of Web 3.0 and Blockchain for Business") We all suffer from self-doubt from time to time, it’s an annoying part of being human. We criticise ourselves – often verbally. Inadvertently using negative self-talk to further undermine our self-esteem. Most of the time, we [don’t even know](https://www.financedigest.com/women-in-technology-that-you-should-know-but-probably-dont.html "Women In Technology That You Should Know (But Probably Don’t)") that we’re doing it. But it still has an impact. As humans, most of us naturally focus on the negative. If there’s one bad [comment in a list](https://www.financedigest.com/volkswagens-antlitz-no-comment-on-valuation-of-porsche-listing.html "Volkswagen’s Antlitz: no comment on valuation of Porsche listing") of 10 positives, it’s that destructive remark that will draw our attention. And it will be that which we focus on when we’re trying to [sleep that night](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-shows-10-of-small-business-owners-get-less-than-4-hours-sleep-every-night-worrying-about-business-risks.html "Survey shows 10% of small business owners get less than 4 hours sleep every night, worrying about business risks"). And it’s so common that this is unlikely to be anything new to you. The problem is that if we doubt ourselves, it can be really difficult to [instil confidence](https://www.financedigest.com/instilling-customer-confidence-in-the-pandemic-era.html "Instilling customer confidence in the pandemic era") in our clients. And that’s where your business will start to suffer. Because when clients lose confidence, they inevitably take their business elsewhere. And that will trigger the cycle to start again. So, how can you nip this [negativity in the bud before it becomes](https://www.financedigest.com/myhermes-becomes-worlds-first-companyto-introduce-carbon-negative-packaging.html "myHermes Becomes World’s First CompanyTo Introduce Carbon Negative Packaging") a problem? **Seven** **tips** **for elevating your self-worth and self-belief as a female [business owner](https://www.financedigest.com/how-banks-will-evolve-to-support-small-business-owners.html "How banks will evolve to support small business owners")** Focus on the things you can do – One of the most common failings among entrepreneurs is the belief that we should be able to do everything. _Everything._ It doesn’t matter if you can pay someone to build your website, write your copy, or [manage your analytics for half the price that it would cost](https://www.financedigest.com/managing-the-cost-of-digital-transformation-with-saas-optimisation.html "Managing the Cost of Digital Transformation with SaaS Optimisation") \[in time\] for you to do it. You SHOULD be able to do it. So, you do. And then you do it… If not badly, at least at a lesser standard than the professional you didn’t want to pay on principle. Cue the negative self-talking. By focusing on what you can do well, and delegating what you can’t, you’ll reduce the potential for negativity. Recognise your success – Being a woman in [business can be really tough](https://www.financedigest.com/tough-times-and-risky-business-which-emerging-market-assets-are-a-bet-worth-taking.html "Tough times and risky business – which emerging market assets are a bet worth taking"). Facing those challenges and acknowledging your [success is a really big](https://www.financedigest.com/big-data-suggests-leicesters-football-success-could-usher-in-economic-boom.html "Big data suggests Leicester’s football success could usher in economic boom") part of improving your self-esteem. And success comes in a range of different guises. You started a business. You found funding. You employed the perfect [person for a particular role](https://www.financedigest.com/passwords-still-have-a-role-to-play-in-personal-finance.html "Passwords still have a role to play in personal finance"). You actually remembered to go [shopping AND you created](https://www.financedigest.com/increasing-trend-of-online-shopping-to-create-new-growth-opportunities-for-stretch-sleeve-and-heat-shrink-labels-market-says-tmr.html "Increasing Trend of Online Shopping to Create New Growth Opportunities for Stretch Sleeve and Heat Shrink Labels Market, Says TMR") a nutritious meal… You think the last is mockery? It’s an achievement that many entrepreneurs never attain. Choose who you [spend your time](https://www.financedigest.com/its-time-for-banks-to-spend-on-digital-mortgage-journeys.html "It’s time for banks to spend on digital mortgage journeys") with – If you’re experiencing doubts, don’t expose yourself to nay-sayers. Some [people just can’t](https://www.financedigest.com/two-in-three-people-cant-leave-their-work-emails-alone-at-home.html "Two in three people can’t leave their work emails alone at home") help being critical, the negativity comes out without effort. If talking to someone always makes you feel worse about where you are, then avoid them. At least until you’ve got the mental [strength to deal](https://www.financedigest.com/royal-mail-adds-canada-freight-strength-with-287-million-rosneau-deal.html "Royal Mail adds Canada freight strength with 7 million Rosneau deal") with them. Baby steps – We all start [businesses with big](https://www.financedigest.com/smishing-is-a-new-virus-plaguing-big-business-conversational-commerce-to-the-rescue.html "‘Smishing’ is a new ‘virus’ plaguing big business – Conversational Commerce to the rescue!") ideas and extravagant goals. The [problem is that those big](https://www.financedigest.com/with-big-bets-on-musk-these-funds-may-have-a-tesla-problem-in-23.html "With big bets on Musk, these funds may have a Tesla problem in ’23") goals are often really hard to reach. And it’s those delays that can knock your confidence the most. So, while it’s good to have a grand plan, it’s also important to focus on the shorter term too. And celebrate those small [successes as well as the large](https://www.financedigest.com/large-investment-success-for-basingstoke-cybersecurity-start-up.html "Large investment success for Basingstoke cybersecurity start-up"). Don’t try to control everything – OK, so it’s your business. You’re the boss. You say what goes. But sometimes you don’t. And that can be a good thing. Not keeping your hand on every single wheel. Not directing every single conversation. Not letting your control-freakery (you’re an entrepreneur, it comes as part and parcel) dominate. All of these things will [give you a chance to take a step back](https://www.financedigest.com/giving-the-control-of-the-payment-process-back-to-consumers.html "Giving the Control of the Payment Process Back to Consumers") and breathe. With distance comes perspective. And with perspective comes balance. Accept that you’re not perfect – We all make mistakes. Every last one of us. So, [don’t judge](https://www.financedigest.com/dont-judge-a-business-by-its-location-entrepreneurial-creativity-could-help-fix-the-fraud-industry.html "Don’t judge a business by its location: entrepreneurial creativity could help fix the fraud industry") yourself as if you should be the one and only perfect human being in existence. Once you accept your fallibility, you can start to forgive yourself for the [things that didn’t](https://www.financedigest.com/3-things-you-didnt-know-about-trading.html "3 Things you didn’t know about trading") work out, rather than dwelling on them. Confident vulnerability is [gaining traction](https://www.financedigest.com/av-power-conditioners-market-will-gain-traction-over-2026-owing-to-improvements-in-audio-and-video-quality.html "AV Power Conditioners Market Will Gain Traction Over 2026 Owing To Improvements In Audio And Video Quality"). People value your strengths more when you start to admit that you’re only human. And it can help you to stop being your own biggest critic. [Work with clients](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-barodas-new-digital-supply-chain-finance-solution-from-igtb-to-open-up-raft-of-working-capital-opportunities-for-clients-of-all-sizes.html "Bank of Baroda’s new digital Supply Chain Finance solution from iGTB to open up raft of working capital opportunities for clients of all sizes") who will elevate you – When you first start out in business, you can’t pick and choose your clients. But it doesn’t take long to differentiate between those who appreciate your efforts and those who will never be satisfied. Finding your niche and working out how to attract the right clients to your [business is integral to success](https://www.financedigest.com/acca-sets-out-magnificent-seven-attributes-vital-to-success-in-modern-business.html "ACCA Sets Out ‘Magnificent Seven’ Attributes Vital to Success in Modern Business"). But building long-term relationships with [clients who appreciate you and will elevate you is integral](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-closes-2021-with-new-google-pay-integration-150m-in-funding-and-51-increase-in-clients-yoy.html "impact.com closes 2021 with new Google Pay integration, 0M in funding and 51% increase in clients YoY") to your sanity. Being a [female entrepreneur](https://www.financedigest.com/three-ways-that-female-entrepreneurs-can-supercharge-their-hiring-process.html "Three ways that female entrepreneurs can supercharge their hiring process") will always bring challenges. Many are unavoidable. But self-doubt can be your biggest [barrier to success](https://www.financedigest.com/why-start-ups-fail-5-barriers-to-business-success-and-how-to-overcome-them.html "Why start-ups fail: 5 barriers to business success and how to overcome them"). Understanding how to [deal with it is the first step towards](https://www.financedigest.com/twitter-shares-cruise-towards-musks-offer-price-as-deal-deadline-looms.html "Twitter shares cruise towards Musk’s offer price as deal deadline looms") creating a brighter future for yourself and your business. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---