8 Things You Need to Get Over As a Business Owner
Here's what I've noticed after working with business owners for a long time: the strategic problems are rarely the actual problem. Someone comes in convinced they need a better Instagram strategy, or a new offer, or a cleaner website (and sometimes they do). But underneath most of those surface-level fixes is something deeper. A pattern around visibility, or pricing, or asking for what they need, that no content calendar or shiny new app is going to solve.
I've worked with people just starting out and people who've been at it for years. Different industries, different revenue, different goals. And the same handful of things keeps coming up. These things don’t come up with every client, but over time, patterns emerge.
The tricky part is that none of this shows up on a marketing audit. You can have a solid strategy, a clear offer, a functional website, and still be undermining yourself in ways that are hard to see from the inside. That's not a criticism. It's just how it works.
The good news is that none of it is permanent, and old patterns can be reprogrammed once we know what they are.
Here are eight things business owners need to get over if they want to grow a sustainable business they love.
Being Afraid to Take Up Space
Fear of taking up space means different things to different people.
No, you’re not required to make every post about your offer. But never mentioning your business at all, or staying silent when someone is looking for exactly what you do, not sharing wins you’re excited about because you’re worried someone will see it as bragging?
Your business takes up a significant portion of your life. You're allowed to let that be visible (and you’re allowed to be proud of it!)
Not Setting Goals Because You're Afraid You Won't Reach Them
Yeah, goals are scary. But goals are direction and your business needs a direction or it will spin around in circles.
The fun part is that YOU get to set your goals. Whether that means income, new connections, items shipped, appointments booked, or maybe something entirely different – you’re the boss of your business so set goals you’re excited to reach not just the ones everyone else is setting.
Not charging the prices you need to charge
Look, I can’t tell you what your price should be. But I can tell you that if you are charging too little you are setting yourself up for frustration and burn out. Been there, done that (more than once because sometimes lessons take time to sink in).
What does it look like to charge the price you need?
It means having time to do your work well rather than constantly rushing. It means having space to build good relationships with your clients.
It means covering BOTH your expenses and your time, not just one or the other. It means not negotiating (unless that’s your thing) or finding imaginary discounts to give to potential clients because you’re worried someone will say no.
Not asking for what you want
Yes, having those hard conversations is difficult. Do you know what else is difficult? Putting up with things because it feels easier than speaking out.
A lot of us carry conditioning around asking for help - that it signals incompetence, or that we should just be able to handle it. That training doesn't disappear when you start a business. It just finds new places to show up (over and over!).
When we overlay that lifelong training with running a business, we can find ourselves doing all the work of our business and then some instead of reaching out for help. Be brave – ask for what you want.
Being afraid of being “salesy” to the point of never promoting yourself
This is likely the one I hear most often. There is something so fundamentally frustrating to me about the fear some business owners have around being considered “sales-y” – especially when I fall into it myself (I’m not even going to pretend to be perfect here).
Picture yourself as an average white dude named Chad – would he have any hesitation to tell someone about his new project or offer? Would Chad pause before sending that email? He would not.
I'm not suggesting you become Chad. But being aware of the fear of being perceived as pushy often falls much harder on people who were taught to be likable and quiet first and effective second. Talking about your work isn't an imposition. It's how people find out you exist.
Worrying you aren’t hustling enough
This is another Chad issue. There is a “hustle til it hurts” mentality that works for some (and if that’s you – awesome, own it).
Do you know what makes it hard to hustle in your business? A baby who doesn’t sleep through the night, working alternate shifts with your partner to make your dreams happen, caring for a loved one on top of everything else you do, health issues others may not see, and so many other things that Chad “I live on Red Bull and 3 hours of sleep so I can hustle harder” may never have to deal with.
If you’re feeling bad because you’re not hustling as hard as your Instagram feed tells you everyone else is hustling, just remember how many filters there are on Instagram and how much planning goes into those perfect grids. That’s their “best of” reel – you’re not even seeing the outtakes, let alone the whole picture.
Want to be inspired by someone? Great. But don’t let their life keep you from focusing on yours.
Not wanting to admit that you want success and money
Repeat after me “Money is awesome.” Did you feel a little weird? That’s ok. Money can bring up all kinds of issues and baggage – even stuff we didn’t know we had buried!
Expecting to be paid for doing work, even work you love and enjoy is not a bad thing. Having money doesn’t make you a bad or selfish person. It makes you someone who can cover your bills and handle your responsibilities. In no way is that a bad thing.
Success and the recognition of your peers, friends, and family? Being proud of what you’ve created and how you run your business? Also not bad things.
Side note: If you are looking at other businesses and mentally tearing them down for having success, money, or recognition? Stop it. Stay in your own lane. We need community that will build each other up and celebrate each other. Be someone else’s cheerleader and let them cheer for you.
Getting Stuck in Your Comfort Zone
I’m a Taurus, so I’m basically terrible at getting outside my comfort zone. I like to dig in and get comfy, but that doesn’t serve me, my business, or the people I want to help.
If you find yourself pulling back from trying new things or putting yourself “out there” – try the smallest step you can take.
I know, I know - comfort is safe and cozy. It's also a place you can stay so long that it starts to feel like the only option.
The thing about doing the scary thing is that you rarely feel ready first. Sometimes you just have to go for it.
The connection between everything on this list is that playing small doesn't work when you run a business. There are a million decisions you need to make and own, and being the smallest, least intrusive version of yourself isn't going to do you any favors.
And one of the funny things about owning a business is that it can feel like you're stuck in a loop of endless personal development. We unlearn and relearn how to stand up for ourselves over and over. It shows up every time you set a price, ask for something, or stay quiet when you shouldn't.
By the way, nobody taught Chad (directly or indirectly) to take up less space or worry if his last email came across as too much.
You’ve already done the hard thing of starting and running a business. Now its time to get out of your own way.
