Issue #64: Releasing the pressure of being "the expert"

Overcoming the pressure and stress that comes with being seen as an expert in your industry.

This week’s issue is brought to you by ROOTED. A quarterly membership community designed to provide women entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and support needed to prioritize rest while managing the chaos of life and business.

Every few weeks I wake up in a bit of a panic. 🥴

When I first decided to go all in on building Mind Body Brand, I knew that I would be in a space of not only starting over as an entrepreneur after closing down my previous business and taking a year off, but I would also be inserting myself into a new industry.

So much newness often brings up a lot of doubt and imposter syndrome that I have to immediately shake off before it turns into something bigger. But the biggest reason behind the anxiety that I sometimes feel is the fact that I feel pressured to show up as “the expert.”

As an ex-business coach, my entire business thrived off of being seen as a go-to source in my industry. I depended on that influence and impact to gain clients, create better content, and make more money. With so many options in that space, I had to consistently prove my knowledge so that I wouldn’t drown in a sea of other coaches. Not to mention, every piece of content, course I’ve taken, and even coaches I’ve worked with over the past 8 years has stressed the importance of positioning yourself as a leader in your industry and how your business would suffer without that perception.

The logical part of my mind fully understands the importance of showing up this way. No one is going to hire someone who they feel can’t help them. And when it comes to impact, let’s be real, the louder and more popular you seem, the more likely your business is to succeed. So I completely understand the importance of showing up confidently and sharing what you know.

But the emotional part of my mind also realizes the mental damage this can do to those who are just starting or starting over.

So let’s talk about the stress of showing up like the expert.

When you put yourself in this position, many entrepreneurs believe that showing up as an expert means showing up perfectly every day. That being the expert also means having all of the answers and having a strong opinion about what’s going on in your industry. But that isn’t realistic nor healthy. Day after day after day, those unrealistic expectations force you to put on a mask of perfection when behind closed doors you’re just trying to figure out how to stay afloat. That stress leads to overworking, not taking good care of yourself, and of course, burnout.

Showing up as an expert for someone who is just starting while you’re simultaneously learning how to build a business in the first place isn’t sustainable.

So how do you confidently show up and share what you know while also being realistic about your capacity and your actual level of expertise? Here’s what I have been focusing on as of late.

BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR LIMITS

My personal experience over the past 10 years has provided me with a lot of strategies and advice that I love to share with my audience and customers. But I am also fully aware that I don’t know everything. Being in a new industry, I have to put my ego to the side and be humble enough to let someone know when I don’t have the answers. Being honest about my limits has removed the pressure of needing to know it all which allows me to also learn and grow at my own pace.

Which brings me to my second point.

ALWAYS BE A STUDENT

Once you realize that no one knows everything, you realize that we’re all out here just trying to figure out what to do next. Instead of forcing yourself to know it all, pinpoint the areas in your industry where you want to grow and commit to learning. The more you learn and implement, you can then begin to show up for your audience in other ways.

EMBRACE FAILURE AND TRANSPARENCY

What has constantly allowed me to show up as an expert while also connecting with my audience is embracing failure and transparency. I can help my core audience with their current needs but I also make it a point to show them that I am human too. I’ve always been transparent about the failures I’ve experienced, how I’ve pivoted, and often change my mind. I believe that when we get so caught up in showing up perfectly we forget that our audience just wants a human that they can relate to. You don’t have to share all of your business but you can show your people that you’re figuring it all out just like they are. And that doesn’t make you any less of an authority.

Focusing on these three areas allows me to keep showing up for my audience while also relieving the pressure of feeling like I need to have it all figured out.

Keep showing up with confidence and sharing your expertise but try not to let the pressure of showing up as an expert cause more stress than you’re probably already experiencing.

Cheers to an incredible week!

– Alisha

Become a well-rested entrepreneur in one hour everyday.

ROOTED is a quarterly membership community that encourages women entrepreneurs to prioritize rest for one hour everyday while they manage the chaos of life and business. It's your hub for resources that fuel your well-being and elevate your business. Think curated wellness and business resources, genuine connections, and actionable strategies for making rest a priority!

Sign up for ROOTED today and get access to our community and growing resource library!

ICYMI

GOOD FINDS

📱 ‘Allegedly” putting your wet phone in a bowl of rice won’t save it. That’s according to Apple anyway. They have another solution for you. – Mashable

🌻 How creating a “Joy List” can positively impact your mental health. – The Good Trade

💰 At what point is it ok to ask the person you’re dating how much money they make? And how to make that conversation the norm. – Refinery 29

🧘🏽‍♀️ For Black women, self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. – Well & Good (written by

L'Oreal Thompson Payton

)

DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE