Why I Didn't Think I Was Meant to Run a Business

For any woman who’s ever underestimated what she brings to the table.

I never imagined myself owning or running a business. I was an artist, a producer, a teacher. An employee.

Even though my dad owned his own security company, we never talked about business. Not the hustle. Not the strategy. Not the risk. So I never saw it as an option for me.

And I think a lot of women will understand that. We're raised to be measured. To be grateful. To stay in the lane of employment where ambition is acceptable, but only if it serves someone else's vision. Etched into my brain is “Don’t take up too much space!”.

I worked in media for over 15 years. In my 20’s, I hit KPIs, delivered campaigns, led teams. But every time I tried to take up more space, to move beyond my role, to pitch myself for something bigger, I was seen as someone to manage, not promote.

And the worst part of it all? For years, I internalised that.

I assumed other people were smarter. That I was replaceable. That I should be lucky to just be in the room. That my ideas will never really contribute to any high level change. I became jaded.

It wasn't until I left that system in my 30’s and started consulting independently that I realised how valuable my skills actually were. The way I solve problems. The way I think about people and power and story. The clarity I bring to things that feel complex to others.

What I was bringing to the table were services other people needed. I was in shock.

But because no one had ever told me they werebusiness-worthy, I didn't know how to see them that way.

A mentor once asked me:What's your financial goal?

I froze.

Because for so long I hadn't thought about what I wanted. I operated on the basis of what I could get away with asking for. Setting a fatass ambitious financial goal wasn’t in my DNA. In my head, it was what the bros do.

So if you're a woman sitting on the edge of something bigger, here's what helped me:

Start by naming what you're already doing.If people already ask you for your brain, your insight, your taste, you're further along than you think. You're just not charging for it yet.

Talk to people who've made the leap.Especially women and people of colour. They're the ones who'll tell you the truth about how hard- and possible- it really is.

Structure creates freedom. You don't need a five-year plan, but you do need to set up your time, pricing, and communication. Otherwise you'll rebuild the same burnout you're trying to escape.

Move before you're ready. You'll never feel "qualified enough" to own your value. But the work and the worth becomes clearer once you're in motion.

What held me back wasn't a lack of ability or capacity. What held me back was the belief that I wasn't meantfor business.

But I was. I am. And if any part of this feels familiar, maybe you are too.