Moving out of the realm of employment into self employment can be hugely intimidating. Suddenly you find yourself at networking events where everyone runs their own business – they are the bosses of their domains and seem so in control and in top of it all. Major intimidation!

As an employee, I always saw the boss as someone who was making a lot of money off me, who could see the big picture and who lived a life of a successful entrepreneur. Sure, I was fairly young back when I was employed, but I’m sure many people still see their bosses, or other people who run their own businesses, as a completely different breed.

And in many ways they are! But now, so are you!
When you set up your own business, you should wear the stamp of “self employed” with pride. Only certain types can take the leap into running their own business. And fewer again can make it work.
When you attend networking events, training events, meet someone else who runs their own business, remember that they started where you are now. They were a beginner once too.

When I meet someone who has just started up their own business, I see someone fresh and energised, terrified and excited all at once. Someone with so much to learn and so much to experience. So many lessons will be headed their way. I know that many feel like a fish out of water – but they are swimming frantically. I admire them and am thrilled for them. I am sure many other business owners feel the same.

Now, when I attend an event, the fact that the people are self employed doesn’t phase me in the slightest – they are my crowd now. But I still find people whose work I realy admire and I get the odd business crush. And this is great – 11 years into business and I still have people who I get intimidated by.
Intimidation is important – own it! You are around someone (or someones) who are achieving things that you yourself want to achieve. These people will be your goal posts as you grow in your business. If you ever attend an event and don’t have someone there who intimidates you (for the right reasons – I’m not talking about being overbearing or bullying, I’m talking about because they are amazing) you need to get yourself to another event and find someone else who is rocking it better than you. Always remain a little uncomfortable, because being complacent can be dangerous in business.

And if that’s not enough to help you relax a bit in this new self-employed world – just remember that most of the businesss owners in the room are playing at ducks – calm appearance above the water, but treading frantically underneath. Make it your mission to focus on building an inspiring and supportive community around you, and don’t worry about or assume that everyone else has it all in control.

But then again, you could just imagine everyone in their underwear if that works for you!