How to feel more confident as a small business owner

Confidence doesn’t magically arrive one day with a business milestone or follower count. It’s something you build, over time, in small moments, through messy action.

And as a small business owner, it can feel especially hard to hold onto confidence when:

• You’re doing everything solo

• You’re making decisions on your own

• You’re showing up online and wondering, “Does anyone even care?”

But I promise, whilst it seems like there’s tons of people out there that are just super confident, confidence is actually learnable. And it doesn’t require you to be louder, bolder, or more polished. It requires you to trust yourself more often than not.

In this blog, I’ll share practical ways to feel more confident as a small business owner, even when imposter syndrome, uncertainty, and comparisonitis are all in the mix.

The confidence myths that hold us back

Let’s start by busting a few unhelpful beliefs:

Myth: Confidence means never doubting yourself.
Truth: Confidence means taking action even when you doubt yourself.

Myth: You either have it or you don’t.
Truth: Confidence is a skill you build like any other, with practice.

Myth: You need to feel confident before you do the scary thing.
Truth: Confidence often comes after you do it, not before.

How confidence looks different for small business owners

You don’t have a manager giving you feedback. You don’t have quarterly reviews or a team hyping you up in meetings. You’re the one setting goals and evaluating progress.

That means you need to:

• Create your own evidence of success

• Reflect on what’s working

• Hold space for doubt and keep going anyway

Three ways to build confidence in your business

1. Get clear on what you’re actually good at

Confidence doesn’t come from trying to be good at everything. It comes from owning what’s yours.

Try this:

• List the parts of your work that come easily to you

• Ask past clients what they valued most

• Reflect on feedback that felt affirming (and why)

Build your business around your strengths, not your weaknesses.

2. Start showing up before you feel ready

Confidence grows through action. Start small:

• Post something personal or reflective

• Record a short story or Reel

• Send the pitch that’s been sitting in your drafts

You don’t have to feel ready. You just have to feel willing.

3. Surround yourself with people who believe in you

Community matters. Whether it’s a mentor, a peer group, or a biz bestie in your DMs, being seen by others reminds you who you are.

Let them reflect back your progress, even when you can’t see it clearly yourself.

A journaling prompt to come back to anytime

“What would I do today if I trusted myself just 5% more?”

Let that version of you take the next small step.

You don’t need to be fearless, just facing forwards

Confidence isn’t about certainty. It’s about movement. You don’t have to wait until you’re sure. You just need to trust yourself enough to try.

Want support building confidence while building a business that fits your life?

Come to Office Hours. It’s my monthly mentoring space for small business owners who want strategic guidance and space to grow their self-trust.

You’ve got everything you need, you might just need a little reminder.