Getting Real About Imposter Syndrome

I need to get real about something that I believe every entrepreneur faces at some point: imposter syndrome.

For years, I’ve worked hard in different fields, chasing dreams that have taken me down winding paths. When I was younger, I wanted to be a dancer so badly that I poured everything into it. Life had other plans, and while I didn’t end up on the pro-level stage, I learned that it was okay to pivot. Later, my focus shifted to singing and art. Quickly, I realized I preferred those as forms of worship and self-expression, as well as ways to release the inner landscapes of my heart rather than something to commercialize.

At 24, I realized I had a passion for business and over time, this passion grew stronger. I devoured books, podcasts, and videos. I went to every webinar and conference I could, sometimes on my own, sometimes through my employers. Due to the need to pay rent, I took a job working with a nonprofit and focused my career on fundraising, grants, and strategy, but business was always close to my heart.

Then came a moment that changed everything. At my last job, growth wasn’t encouraged unless it was in one narrow, controlled direction. One wrong move, and suddenly I was out. It’s hard not to take something like that personally. But in that moment, I put everything I had into building Fuel and Inspire.

And you know what? I discovered something beautiful, that I love educating people about fundraising, branding, and strategy. People ask me all the time: What’s a grant? How does the process work? What are my chances? That curiosity is why I built this company, to be a guide, to offer clarity, and to help people access funding so they can do the work that matters.

Recently, someone followed me on social media and told me it was an honor to follow someone with my experience. I was humbled. Me? Really? I thought. Because if you knew the criticism I’ve faced in the past few years, the clients who screamed or chastised me out of their own frustration, you’d know why I felt unworthy of those words. So often, it wasn’t my work that was the problem, it was budgets, management, or expectations beyond anyone’s control. Still, those experiences gave me scars that I now count as blessings.

Because here’s the truth, I want to take every painful moment and turn it into gold and lessons that help small businesses, nonprofits, students, artists, and changemakers excel without the same headaches.

When I look in the mirror, I sometimes still see that teenager who struggled with family problems, who didn’t like what she saw, who dreamed big but doubted herself. But now I also see a woman with battle scars, resilience, and a calling to help others rise above their own struggles.

Here’s my reminder for you today. Never think you are not enough. You are beautifully and wonderfully made. The dreams on your heart are there for a reason. It’s time for you, and for me, to shine.

If you want to learn more about your personal brand, check out: Branding: How You Show Up Matters More Than You Think