Are You Selling Lemonade Without A Licence In Your Business?

5MinuteBiz

If you’re in the UK, you won’t have missed this story from last week – a 5-year-old girl being slapped with a £150 fine by her local Council for selling lemonade ‘without a trading licence’. She was described as distraught in the media, as she and her father, Andre Spicer, were given a filmed lecture by the local Council’s enforcement officials, as the pair sought to capitalise on the thousands of music festival fans walking past their lemonade stand in Tower Hamlets, London.

The Council later apologised for their heavy-handedness and revoked the fine, which was appropriate, given how the enforcement officers had behaved. No child should be reduced to tears by a Council official. However, the father legally needed a street trading licence and, given that Andre Spicer is a Professor of Business Studies at Cass Business School at City University London, surely he should have known better than most of us that this was the case?

Yes, we want to entertain our children in the holidays and, yes, encouraging their entrepreneurial spirit is a wonderful thing to do. But there are good reasons why street trading licences are needed – and they are intended to protect the public. At the barest minimum level, customers have a right to know that the ingredients used in what they are buying are safe, that the kitchen was clean enough, that everything has been properly stored, so it’s safe for you to buy.

Professor Spicer has been everywhere in the media this past week, defending his choices – even blaming his daughter: “Really, it was my daughter’s suggestion.” Fine. But as a parent, we’re legally responsible for our children when they’re five. For good reason.

Is The Law An Ass On This?

You could argue that there couldn’t possibly be any harm in a five year-old girl selling lemonade from a stand outside her house. And I really see the point on that. But where do we draw the line? 8 year-olds? 14 year-olds? Or the 17-year-olds who fit the minimum age required to have a licence?

And the fact is that it wasn’t a 5-year-old girl doing this. I have a 5-year-old and the complexity of this kind of project is something way beyond children of that age. They’re great at ideas, but it was the little girl’s father who took action on the project, who just happens to be a Professor of Business Studies. Surely he’s someone who must reasonably have know that there are rules for this kind of thing?

On a wider scale, those who are trading illegally have a competitive advantage over those who are paying the fees and putting in the effort to comply with the law. Unrepentant, despite knowing he has broken the law, Professor Spicer says, “I’d encourage other people to go and do it as well. It’s a great way to spend a bit of time with the kids in the holidays, and they might learn something.”

The government website on this makes it clear that the fine for trading without a licence can be up to £1,000, so Professor Spicer’s attitude seems pretty irresponsible to me.

I’m not trying to be a killjoy on this, but I’m not seeing Professor Spicer either trying to change these laws or offering to pay people’s fines. He’s actively encouraging people to break the law. As a Professor of Business Studies, he’s got huge influence. And that comes with a responsibility.

I have seen so many business friends bust a gut to try to comply with laws like these that seeing someone advocating ignoring the rules makes me want to stop up to protect these tiny business owners.

But it raises the bigger issue for those of us running businesses: are we breaking the law, too?

There’s a difference between a hobby and a business. One is for fun, the other makes money. And if money is changing hands, there are laws we have to comply with, to avoid trading illegally. Those laws are there not just to protect consumers, but also the businesses. And they provide the framework upon which to build a thriving business that we love. Note: these examples are for information only. If you need legal advice, please contact your chosen legal professional!

[Tweet “4 ways #smallbusinesses are breaking UK law today: #entrepreneur”]

Here are four legal requirements I have seen small businesses breaking, even in the past week:

1. Not being registered to run a business.

When I started co-running the EU VAT Action Campaign (latest update here), I came across thousands of people who were running businesses, but who weren’t registered. I still come across it, daily. It’s a legal requirement in the UK to either register as some form of company (typically limited company) with Companies House or to register as self-employed, with HMRC, the UK tax authority.

Both of these will require you to produce trading accounts and to complete some form of tax return at the end of each financial year.

2. Your website must include your contact details.

Your business contact details must, legally, be ‘easily found’ by a visiting customer. This means your registered address and some kind of customer services number, not an anonymous ‘contact us’ form or, even worse, as I saw this morning, a link to your Facebook page, instead of contact details. If you’re a limited company then, by law you must include your limited company number, which country of the UK you are registered in, and your registered company address, in an easy-to-find way on your website. Most of us choose to include this in the footer.

It’s really rare to find these details on small business websites, even those running a Limited Company. If you’re stuck on the legal side of your website, Heather Burns has plenty of great information to help you.

3. You must provide invoices or receipts.

These need to include your trading name / Limited Company number (& the rest of the details, above), what was bought, how much was paid, when, by whom, who the seller was and sometimes additional details, too. Relying on PayPal to do this for you is a high-risk strategy.

4. You need a business bank account if you’re a Limited Company.

Yes, they cost a little money, but that is part of running a business. If you’re not planning to make enough money to cover the £5 per month fees, then you shouldn’t be setting up a business.

In the UK, you are invalidating the terms of your personal bank account if you use it for business. For sole traders, it’s best to check the Ts & Cs. The amount it will cost you is easily saved in time when preparing your business’s annual accounts, because you’re not sifting through personal vs business transactions. And many banks offer initial free banking for new customers.

It’s also a really sensible idea to keep your business and personal cash separate, even as a sole trader, otherwise you can really struggle to keep track of which is which and you risk ending up with an end-of-year tax bill, having already spent the dosh.

There’s a huge risk to you of not doing this:

A friend of mine is about to have to sue a contractor he hired, to get his money back, because the contractor didn’t provide the agreed service. The contractor, who owns a Limited Company, took payment to their personal bank account and didn’t mention their Limited Company details on their website – and they didn’t provide an invoice or receipt with those details. As a result, my friend is having to sue the contractor as an ‘individual’, rather than their Limited Company. This means any County Court Judgement will count against the business owner, personally, not their business, and it could make it hard for them to obtain credit (think mobile phone upgrade) or even pass referencing for renting a home or getting a mortgage, for the next six years. It also means that any business insurance they might have will be invalidated for this claim.

All because he didn’t comply with three of these four simple rules.

Why Do We Break The Rules?

Usually it’s because we don’t realise they’re there. But that’s the difference between running an expensive hobby and stepping into you CEO shoes – actually running a business. There are plenty of places where we can check whether our latest brilliant ideas will bring us legal obligations. And we need to do that, before we press ‘go’ on even the most exciting new project.

Running a business brings responsibilities. You can’t just whack up high-ticket coaching programmes to fund your ‘freedom lifestyle’ and hope you’ll get away with not doing the admin to meet your legal obligations. It’s up to us to be proactive, to find out what those rules are and to make sure we’re sticking to them.

And if you’re not an admin / detail person, then you need to hire someone who is.

We need to be grown ups about this.

[Tweet “Why do so many #smallbiz owners break the law, without realising, every day? #entrepreneur”]

Having spent the past 15+ years mentoring entrepreneurs, business leaders and passionate world-changers, there’s one common difference between those who make a success of their business and those who will never make it past the ‘freaked out freelancer’ stage:

Successful business people wear a CEO hat and treat their business like a business, not a hobby. They take responsibility for their business decisions and they make sure they are compliant with the rules and regulations required by law.

Time for some fierce truth here:

I sometimes wonder if it’s because we’re scared – we haven’t really committed to running a successful business? That ignoring the law means we’re somehow just ‘playing’ business, like we played ‘shop’ in primary school?

If The Rules Are Wrong, Get Them Changed

Our campaigning on the new Digital VAT rules that came in in 2015 (accidentally leaving millions of micro businesses trading illegally) shows that you CAN change the law: the legislation for a threshold and simplifications is currently progressing through the European Council. We were told by the EU Commission and the UK Government that we achieved something impossible.

Instead of getting people angry and rebelling, we worked incredibly hard to channel the anger and frustration into positive action. That is the reason why the campaign was so successful.

If we did it, so can you. Both the UK Government and the European Commission tell us we have changed the way they work with micro businesses. So changing the law is easier now than it was 2 1/2 years ago.

[Tweet “If business laws are broken, don’t ignore them, change them. Lessons from a lemonade stand. #entrepreneur #smallbiz”]

If you want to rebel, turn that into a positive force for change. Work with your local Council to understand the ‘why’ behind the ‘rules’. Help them to see how small changes could help businesses to grow and survive. Find out if there’s a mid-ground that might allow kids to sell lemonade on street corners. Work with your MP, your MEPs, your regulatory body, your local Chamber of Commerce – or even set up a full-blown campaign.

But encouraging others just to break the rules helps no one, in the long run, and it can damage both the rule-breakers and those working hard to trade within the law.

What’s Your View?

Do you think it’s unfair that people need a street trading licence to sell lemonade to festival-goers in the UK?

Should young children (and, by implication their parents) be exempt from these rules?

How do you feel about a company when you can’t find their contact details on their website?

Have you spotted any other common traps that we should know about? Let’s help make sure we’re all staying on the right side of the law.

Why do you think so many people fall foul of these four simple business rules?

I’d love to hear from you, via the comments.

Clare Josa

Author of Dare To Dream Bigger

Mentor To Passionate World-Changers

How To Overcome Secret Nerves About Networking Events – AKA Networking Tips For Introverts

Articles

Do you ever feel nervous about networking events? You know you ‘have to’ do them, but you secretly dread them and feel a huge sense of relief, once they’re over?

Or maybe you get there and scan round the room at everyone else looking so confident and like they belong and you secretly feel like a fraud, scared in case someone ‘finds you out’?

Or maybe you make your way through it, but you struggle with the small-talk and kick yourself afterwards, as you remember all the things you wish you had said?

I’ve worn those t-shirts in the past. I know how hard it can feel. And in the past 15+ years of mentoring entrepreneurs and passionate world-changers, I have seen, first-hand, how those secret networking fears can cause us to fumble introductions, forget names, clam up with embarrassment or even risk damaging your business by not going at all.

I’m going to a 3-day live event this week – Chris Ducker’s Youpreneur Summit. And, in the months since I booked my ticket (my second time for this conference), I have noticed how the idea of networking with fellow entrepeneurs (super-scary attack-creatures, obviously!) can make people feel apprehensive.

It takes guts to go to a big event that’s all about taking inspired action towards your dreams. Because ‘fake it till you make it’ doesn’t cut it any more.

The days of us being able to ‘pretend’ and ‘bluff’ our way through networking meetings are over.

Believe me – I love being on stage, but mingling with people afterwards? That’s much harder!

How Do Really You Feel About Networking?

If you’re anything like most of us, in the run-up to the event, you’ll be comparing yourself with the others who are attending, assuming they are all somehow cleverer, more confident or more ‘deserving’ of being there than you are.

Your inner critic might be pointing out, every few minutes, all the reasons why you’re not good enough to be there, how you might embarrass yourself, or why you’re wasting your time and money. And what if – heavens forbid – nobody likes you? And you stand in the corner on your own for the whole event? Ok, for some of us that’s simultaneously our worst nightmare and our dream outcome. 😉

If this resonates with you, then whatever it is that makes you nervous about networking, I’ve got two important messages for you today:

You are totally normal. There is nothing wrong with you!
Most of the people in the room will have experienced some kind of networking nerves. But they, like you, aren’t letting it show on the outside. We don’t pick up badges at the door saying, “I secretly hate networking, even though I like people!”
It doesn’t have to be that way – when you know how to ‘do’ networking in a way that works for you.
Just because some people are big and bold and super-confident, it doesn’t mean that’s the only way to network. When you find the way that works for you, you might even start to enjoy it.

There are two main reasons why we end up dreading big events, conferences or business networking.

It might be because you’re an introverted entrepreneur or because you’re running a dose of Imposter Syndrome (fear of feeling like a fraud) – or a bit of both.

I’m going to be publishing a book on overcoming Imposter Syndrome in 2019. (Need urgent answers? Got Dare To Dream Bigger? Check out page 191 in the hardback edition. Search for “It’s time to stop feeling like a fraud” if you have the Kindle edition).

So for now, let’s look at whether or not you’re an introverted entrepreneur and what that means you bring to the party. Because yes, you might loathe networking, but you have some hidden talents that extroverted entrepreneurs have to work hard at, but which come naturally to you.

What Is An ‘Introverted Entrepreneur’?

Now, in this context, ‘introverted’ doesn’t mean ‘shy’ and ‘extroverted’ doesn’t mean ‘out-going’. It’s about where you get your energy from. Good old Carl Jung.

Does being around a group of people top up your inner batteries or does it drain you faster than a sink hole in a lake?

Do you love small-talk and mingling or would you rather scrub the networking event’s toilets, without gloves?

At the end of a busy day, if someone suggests a big group of you going to the bar, do you grab your coat, yelling, “Which one?!” or do you quietly sneak out the back way, hoping no one will notice?

Introverted entrepreneurs often struggle with networking because we feel overwhelmed by the energy of so many people, especially if it’s in a noisy place. We tend to be more sensitive to emotions and we can spot a ‘fake’ a mile off. So small-talk and niceties make us want to run. We’d much rather be part of a more intimate group of people where we can connect more deeply, get to know each other and make the most of our superhuman listening skills. Ok, so I’m generalising, but you get my drift?

Extroverted entrepreneurs love going out and meeting people – the more the merrier. If there’s a 2-day conference, they’ll be the ones organising the middle-night party, because they know how much it will boost their energy. It’s not about shy vs gregarious, but they are happier around people than reading a book in their hotel room. And they’re the ones that the event organiser has to kick out of the door, at the end of the day.

Fact: most networking events are designed to appeal to extroverted entrepreneurs and business owners, which is why we introverts can struggle with them – even dread them or avoid them completely.

But Introverted Entrepreneurs Have An Advantage – Three, In Fact

If you’re an introverted entrepreneur, then there are three hidden strengths that you bring to a networking event that extroverted entrepreneurs can find quite difficult.

Want to find out what they are? And how they can boost your confidence and effectiveness at networking events, helping you to ditch your networking nerves?

Are you more of an introverted or extroverted entrepreneur?

Hundreds of small business owners just like you have found this free quiz really useful. And when you’ve done it, there’s a short video training to reveal your 3 hidden strengths, if you’re an introverted entrepreneur.

Take the quiz now:

[thrive_link color=’orange’ link=’https://clarejosa.com/introvertedentrepreneursclub/iequiz/’ target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ align=’aligncenter’]Am I An Introverted Entrepreneur?[/thrive_link]

And then pop back here to let me know, via the comments, which of these 3 hidden strengths you’re going to make the most of at your next networking event.

I’d love to hear from you!

Clare Josa, Author | Speaker | ‘Inside Work’ Mentor To Entrepreneurs & Passionate World-Changers

P.S. Are you going to Chris Ducker’s Youpreneur Summit in 2018? Let me know via the comments and make sure you find me during one of the networking breaks. I’d love to see you. xx Clare

Love Podcasts? Here’s A Recent Episode:

[smart_track_player url=”https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/dtdbpodcast/dtdbpodcast038.mp3″ tweet_text=”Free For Exposure? Is ‘Giving On Empty’ Killing Your Business?” hashtag=”entrepreneur, #smallbiz, #solopreneur” twitter_username=”clare_josa” ]

Are You An Introverted Entrepreneur? And Why Should You Care?

Articles

Well, are you an introverted entrepreneur? I’m curious!

We’re not talking shy vs out-going here. We’re talking in the Carl Jung sense, about where you get your energy from.

Are you a social butterfly who loves nothing more at the end of the day than to go out with a group of friends?
Or do you value your battery-recharging quiet time, with a good book or a few loved-ones, to help you relax and unwind?
Or a bit of both?

Why Should You Care?

Because depending on your preference (and neuroscientists have shown it’s hard-wired in your brain), you need to take different approaches to running your business. You’ll have different strengths and face different challenges. And if you’re ‘somewhere in between’ you get the best – and hardest – of both worlds.

Being an introverted entrepreneur can make ‘standard’ business strategy really hard work. But it can have its benefits, too.

If you keep running your business – doing your best – but not knowing whether you’re an introverted entrepreneur or extroverted entrepreneur, you’re likely to get hit-and-miss results.

Want To Find Out Which One You Are?

I’ve created a quick quiz for you – based on psychology and neuroscience – that means you’re just 11 questions away from finding out the truth.

Plus, if you do turn out to be an introverted entrepreneur, there’s a bonus video for you on 3 hidden strengths you might not realise you have – and how you can use them to grow your business.

Want To Take The Quiz?

[thrive_link color=’orange’ link=’www.clarejosa.com/introvertquiz/’ target=’_self’ size=’medium’ align=’aligncenter’]Take The Quiz Now[/thrive_link]

If you find it useful, please share it with any business friends who might enjoy it, too.

And make sure you pop by the Dare To Dream Bigger Facebook group, to let me know your results – and whether you learn anything from the video.

With love, Namaste,

Clare x

Clare Josa, Author of Dare To Dream Bigger, Speaker, ‘Inside Work’ Mentor To Entrepreneurs & Passionate World-Changers

The Hidden Dangers Of Asking For Feedback? AKA How To Pick Up The Pieces Of Your Shattered Self-Esteem! DTDB036

Grow, Podcasts

Asking for feedback? We all know it’s a good idea. But what happens if a client comes back with a self-esteem-shattering humdinger? How do you pick up the pieces? And how can you train your clients to give you feedback that is useful, actionable and leaves you both feeling great, even if there are things to improve?

All of that – and more – is yours in episode 36 of the Dare To Dream Bigger podcast.

Because whilst it’s lovely to wake up to a surprise testimonial or spontaneous ‘thank you’ email from a happy client, listener, reader or supplier, that’s not always how business rocks, even when you’ve done your best.

Have you ever had business ‘feedback’ that knocked you for six? That threatened to shake the foundations of your self-confidence? That felt out-of-kilter with how you see yourself? That tempted you to change who you are, to somehow try to please that other person?

It’s surprisingly common in the business world, especially with trolls and angry-people hiding behind the anonymity of the internet. And when you throw in a generous dollop of ‘comparisonitis’, where we’re subconsciously comparing our every move to the glossy photos of others that fill our social media newsfeed, it can be hard to get to the end of an entrepreneurial week with your self-belief still intact.

In today’s Dare To Dream Bigger podcast episode:

I’m going to take you through why asking for feedback is essential to growing your business
but also how to spot the potential risks, before you take action you’ll later regret
and how to pick up the pieces, if that feedback leaves you reeling
I’ve been through the mill, myself, on this in the past couple of weeks and I’ll share with you what I have learned from that experience – and the number one test you should put any feedback through, before you accept it as your new Gospel Truth
You’re going to get wisdom from Juliet McKenna, Seth Godin, Mansukh Patel and even Oprah
… As well as learning why most of the feedback we receive in our business – or life in general – is neither valid nor useful. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of asking for feedback, but it hurt, then the resources for today’s episode give you the full how-to for putting yourself back together again and moving on.

And if you want to find out how to get feedback from your Dream Audience that leaves both you and them feeling great, I’ve got my favourite 5 customer feedback questions, waiting for you, further down this page.

Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

[smart_track_player url=”https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/dtdbpodcast/dtdbpodcast036a.mp3″ tweet_text=”The dangers of asking for feedback from your clients? ” hashtag=”entrepreneur” twitter_username=”clare_josa” ]

Tweetables:

[Tweet “You can’t control the stories other people are telling themselves about you. #entrepreneur”]

[Tweet “Whether you love me or you hate me, my response is the same. Mansukh Patel. #entrepreneur”]

[Tweet “”All criticism is borne of someone else’s pain.” Native American Saying #entrepreneur #feedback”]

[page_section color=’#d9b451′ textstyle=’light’ position=’default’ id=’feedback’]

Asking For Feedback?

Free workbook: 5 Feedback Questions That Will Leave You And Your Customers Feeling Great (Even If There’s Room For Improvement)

P.S. I used to be Head of Market Research for an international household brand – so you’re getting some real gems in here.

Download Your FREE Workbook

5 FEEDBACK QUESTIONS THAT LEAVE YOU & YOUR CUSTOMERS FEELING GREAT

Even if there's room for improvement!

Here you are! Click the image / link to view online or right click and choose ‘save as’ (or similar) to download it, so you’ve got it ready, whenever you need it.

Click to read online. Right click to download.

And I’d love to hear how you get on with this. Let me know via the comments.

x Clare

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More Resources:

Video: How to handle energy vampires without resorting to wooden stakes or strings of garlic – watch it now
Alison Jones’ podcast interview with Seth Godin: listen to it here
How to handle haters and trolls? See page 196 of Dare To Dream Bigger for my 5-step strategy
How to ditch limiting beliefs in under 5 minutes – get started now with this video training – this link brings you it for just £10, instead of £75. I want to make it a no-brainer for you, because the more limiting beliefs you ditch, the fewer ‘buttons’ there are for feedback to press!
EFT (‘tapping’) for letting go of painful feedback – free video training
My ‘cutting ties’ technique, for moving on, once you’re ready to let go – article

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I’d love to hear from you!

“]

I’d love to hear what you go and do with this stuff – let me know, via the comments! Which actions could you take, to help make sure the feedback you get is actionable and useful? Are there any old blocks or limiting beliefs you might want to clear, so that ‘feedback’ doesn’t hit you as hard next time?

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Found this useful? Please share!

Help me to keep the Dare to Dream Bigger podcast ad-free – the way you want it to be – by spreading the word – and maybe even buying the Dare To Dream Bigger book. 😉 If you found this episode useful, someone else will, too. Who do you know who might love it? Which social media business and entrepreneur groups could you share it in? I’d love to help as many people around the world as possible with this.

And future episodes of the Dare To Dream Bigger podcast are going to be covering more on this topic, so make sure you have subscribed, to catch each instalment. We’re going to be talking soon about how to be who you really are and stop trying to please everyone… Got a question you want me to cover on this? Let me know via the comments. It would be great to hear from you.

Thank you!

With love, Namaste,

Author, Speaker, ‘Inside Work’ Mentor To Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners & Passionate World-Changers

Want More? Here Are The Latest Episodes Of The Dare To Dream Bigger Podcast:

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And if you enjoyed today’s episode, make sure you’re getting my weekly newsletter, for inspiration and insider secrets from 15+ years of ‘inside work’ mentoring entrepreneurs, small business owners and passionate world-changers. I’d love to share it with you:

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How Could Autumn Leaves Help You Grow Your Business (Even If You’re Not A Gardener)?

Podcasts

What could your business possibly have to learn from autumn leaves? And why on earth should you ‘autumnify’ your business?

How might that help you to set yourself free from the exhaustion of ‘busyness’ – and even let go of projects (or people!) who are draining your batteries and have out-stayed their welcome?

All of this – and more – is yours in today’s Dare To Dream Bigger podcast episode:

How might that help you to set yourself free from the exhaustion of ‘busyness’ – and even let go of projects (or people!) who are draining your batteries and have out-stayed their welcome?

All of this – and more – is yours in today’s Dare To Dream Bigger podcast episode:

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.dancinginyoursoulshoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DTDBpodcast028-2.mp3″ tweet_text=”Is it time to ‘autumnify’ your business?” hashtag=”entrepreneur” ]

Tweetable:

[Tweet “What does your business need to learn from autumn leaves? Is it time to ‘autumnify’?”]

[thrive_text_block color=”orange” headline=”

I’d love to hear from you!

“]
When you’ve listened to today’s episode, I’d love to hear from you, via the comments:

How might it feel to ‘autumnify’ your business – and your life – this autumn? What would you love to let go of? How could you go with the flow and gather your harvest?

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Found this useful? Please share!

Thank you!

With love, Namaste,

Author, Speaker, ‘Inside Work’ Mentor To Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners & Passionate World-Changers

Want More? Here Are The Latest Episodes Of The Dare To Dream Bigger Podcast:

Enjoyed This? Want More?

Catch Each Episode:

What’s The Real Cost Of Imposter Syndrome?

5MinuteBiz

I was working with a client recently who has been running their own business for many years. They felt frustrated at how they were able to quickly grow to a certain level, but then always got stuck, no matter what kind of project they were working on.

Their Facebook groups never grew beyond a certain size. Their courses never had more than a certain number of students. They always reached the same, familiar old point in a corporate pitch and the emails would dry up. Their competitors seemed to be enjoying huge success. But despite doing all the right things, this person wasn’t getting the results they knew they deserved.

Why?

Imposter Syndrome. They felt like a fraud. The crazy thing is that this person is hugely talented. And – even more crazily – nearly every successful business owner and executive I have ever worked with has been held back by this pattern.

5 Early Warning Signs That You’re Suffering From Imposter Syndrome

I have been working with entrepreneurs and business executives on this since 2002, and here are some of the essential early warning signs for Imposter Syndrome, which mean you can get playing with the techniques I taught you as soon as possible, before Imposter Syndrome escalates and causes major damage.

Do you ever find yourself thinking things like…?

“I’m a fraud!”
“They’re going to catch me out!”
“They’re onto me!”
“Who am I, to…?”
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not really good at what I do. It’s just a sham. And one day they’ll find out.”
“I wish I could do it like he / she does…”

Yes? Then Imposter Syndrome is silently sabotaging your success.

The problem is…

Whether you believe you’re good enough, or you believe you’re not, you’re right.

… because we get – or unconsciously create – what we believe, even if we don’t consciously realise that we believe it.

Your brain has filters that are governed by your beliefs, so that you don’t get overwhelmed by the gazillion bits of information flying around in its subconscious awareness at any point in time. So, for example, if you believe you’re rubbish at presenting, you’ll spot the feedback from the audience that confirms this.

Similarly, that’s how we accidentally create self-imposed glass ceilings and self-sabotage behaviour.

I’m curious: what has Imposter Syndrome been costing you?

Which opportunities have you turned down?
Which projects did you not start – or not compete?
How many hours have you lost due to stress or worry or emotions linked to your negative self-talk?
How many times have you felt demoralised, by comparing yourself to others and deciding that they are better than you?

If you were to tally up the cost, I’m guessing it’s much bigger than you would like.

And just imagine, if you do nothing and keep running this pattern, how much will that cost you, over the coming months and years?

The world needs your Light now, whether or not you’re running Imposter Syndrome!

And even if you now WISH you had done something about your Inner Critic years ago, remember that:

The second best time to plant an oak tree is today.

And it’s not just about you! Here are 3 reasons why your Dream Customers WISH you would deal with your Inner Critic and Imposter Syndrome:

Negative self-talk keeps you stuck playing small, when they need you most, which means that many of your Dream Customers will be missing out on you completely:
You can’t do your best work – in flow and connected with your inner genius – if you’re reciting mantras about how rubbish you are
They want and need to believe in you, so that they can believe in themselves and the transformation you provide, whatever that is. That can’t happen unless you believe in yourself.

The great news is:

All of these stories about what we can or can’t achieve – or who we can or can’t be – are just thoughts. They’re not the Truth. They are simply symptoms of an inner critic – a disempowering internal dialogue – that is scared of either failure or success. And that’s ok.

What can you do?

Well, to start with: put a name to it. It takes the power out of the internal dialogue: “Oh – that’s just Imposter Syndrome come out to play.”

Can you feel the relief?

It takes the drama, emotions and potential victimhood out of the discussion. It stops the story in its tracks. It sets you free to make other choices.

Here’s another top tip:

This one’s from the world of yoga. Movement is the key to change. You can’t shift anything by standing still.

Want to sort out your inner critic and shift your internal dialogue? Then move – physically! Take action. Stop being stuck. You will never set yourself free from Imposter Syndrome by sitting at your desk and worrying.

Forget the old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.”

If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something different.

The bottom line? Thousands of my clients, students and readers over the past 10+ years have proved to me that you CAN choose which thoughts to feed. You CAN set yourself free from Imposter Syndrome. And you can even tame your inner critic – retraining it to become your biggest cheerleader.

I would love to teach you how – guiding you through, step by step.

How about we get started with Imposter Syndrome first? Right now?

I have seen so many people suffer from Imposter Syndrome – and I’ve been on the receiving end of it myself. So I have pulled together the gems from thousands of people’s journeys – the common thread techniques I have used to help them – and combined them into a process that takes less than 10 minutes to go through.

And it’s yours – as my gift – because the world needs your Light today, not when you’re ‘finally feeling ready’.

Register now to get instant access to this transformational video training – as my gift.

I can’t wait to hear what you choose to create and who you choose to be, once you have been through the Imposter Syndrome training.

See you on the ‘other side’!

With love, Namaste,

P.S. If you know anyone else who would love to ditch Imposter Syndrome, please share this article with them, so that they can sign up for the free course, too.