My days as a consultant are different than I expected. Let’s be real – I had no idea what to expect when I went out on my own. People tell you the scary stuff. Honestly, I said some of these to myself. And I undoubtedly said it to other entrepreneurs. (Sorry trailblazers. I now know the error of my ways.)
Unsolicited Advice
“Make sure you have savings because money isn’t guaranteed.”
“You sure you want to risk the security of a steady paycheck?”
“There’s a lot of competition out there. What makes you special?”
As a tenured sales professional, I understand. We strategize, look at the competition, and make plans for revenue. In the travel industry, the sales roles I held were not commission-based. That was beautiful for someone like me who builds long lasting relationships, acts as a trusted advisor, and likes to plan ahead. To be transparent, commission creates anxiety in me that I’m not into. On the flip side, it meant the entrepreneur lifestyle would be a massive shift outside of my comfort zone. Or so I thought.
Imposter Syndrome
Then come inquiries that make you question your decision, your experience, your value.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“Will people pay for that?”
“I just don’t understand. How many clients have you secured?”
“Are you making money? Enough money? More than what you were making before?”
These feed into what’s known as Imposter Syndrome. Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes coined this term in 1978. It’s the feeling that you are unworthy of your job or accomplishments. I’m sure I saw this on social media once or twice before, but it didn’t stay with me until I made the leap of trust to start Inspired Journey Consulting. Because once you’re out there with no “big name” behind you, it’s like being naked in public when everyone around you is fully clothed. Those probing questions can seep under your skin and into your brain. You start to ask yourself, “Am I good enough? What is my value?” And as a business owner, there is no time or space for anything negative in this brain. It’s meant for brilliance, creativity, and forward-moving action.
Consulting Within
Some may say these questions come from “haters”. People trying to keep you down and fueled by envy or insecurity. Maybe, but I prefer a positive and empathetic view of the world. I believe most of this comes from a good place. Sometimes others have underlying fears that they didn’t know existed. That’s the reality for most of us. I’ve learned to take a step back, think about my reaction, and understand why someone else’s words caused discomfort. This has as much to do with me as it does with the outside world. I can always be better than I was the day before.
What about the role society plays? Lack of representation is subtly at play. Because we are challenged to imagine what we haven’t seen or experienced. Instead, we hear stories like these:
“The only financially successful entrepreneurs have generational wealth.”
“New business owners without the financial support of a spouse or family go years without proper income until things are stable.”
Christelle Chopard, founder of The Dharmi Method, was my life coach. She came into my world when I needed clarity in my career. Christelle encouraged me to start my own business. In return, I gave her all of my fear. I’ll never forget how she tasked me to find entrepreneurs that broke the cycle of the stories I always heard. That was powerful.
Consultant Life: Hidden Gems
What the majority didn’t boast about was a key skillset a strong sales professional brings: calculated risk. This is an amazing superpower and important as an entrepreneur. It’s best accessed from a place of calm, confidence, and trust in your intuition. When fear comes to play, the calculated part of the equation leaves the room. Inspired Journey has been in business for a year. In this short time, I made decisions that were good for the future of the company and terrifying to many. I intentionally describe my strategic move to start this consulting business as a “leap of trust”. Because I trust myself.
Another surprise bonus? The network I quickly built as an entrepreneur. The irony of spending my career in travel was not seeing how big the world was outside of the industry. Entrepreneurs are a community of courageous individuals ready to own their potential. Personally, I believe that the energy you put into the world is what you get back. I’m grateful for the beautiful energy returned.
Consultant life looks different. And that’s a good thing. I’m breaking the cycle I was in for 18 years and living a new dream. Some days, I have to check my Imposter Syndrome. Journaling is one of my favorite methods to get to the root of the issue. Every time I write it down, there is a freeing moment getting the noise out of my head. Today I wrote a list of what the first 21 days of the month have looked like. I needed to see my accomplishments on paper. Then I stepped back into my power.
The Vision for Change
One thing this consultant does for her clients is show up. That means networking, webinars, retreats, panel discussions, trainings, and engaging on five social media platforms. I’m looking at your competition, the industry, other industries, and holistically finding the qualified guest, traveler, client. That gives you back time and decreases stress (similar to the wonders of working with a travel advisor).
Could I have taken a more traditional route or stayed in the corporate world? Perhaps. But I’ve found my voice and my authentic self is a disruptor. I want to do things differently and encourage others to do the same. Inspired Journey’s vision is to positively impact change. To create a world where marginalized people feel empowered to be their authentic selves. Where traveling is a tool for inclusion. To enhance cultural wellness in the travel industry. And grow emotional intelligence, healing, and self-care for a kinder humanity. Will you join me on this journey?