Confidently Imperfect: Growing Confident As a Small Business Owner Despite Imposter Syndrome and the Curse of Comparing

First off: Oh, my goodness; I'm writing a blog.

I tried this once...a long time ago, when people weren't as familiar with the term 'blog' and not in the habit of regurgitating every thought over social media.

The focus of this new (debatably) improved post is the same as it was 12 years ago. Acne. Blemishes. Skin imperfections. Oh my.

No, wait wait...a new player has entered the arena.

Confidence.

The dreaded 'c' word.

That desired quality hard to attain.

Because in this age of social media, our imperfections are spotlighted like never before. From our teeth to our hair to our weight to our home, we put ourselves out there. Unfortunately, there are repercussions. We start comparing. Oh goodness, another 'c' word. We start comparing ourselves to standards that may or may not be real. Whether it's the real deal or straight-up fake, it sure does hit us in our feelings. Right in the confidence. There are days of despair - weeks, even: how do we improve our confidence when we feel we cannot live up to the standards that social media tells us we have to live by? Influencers say, hey, you need to use this product in order to improve our look. AI use has skyrocketed because we may feel that since we are inadequate in some areas, that a machine can do it better. (I'm speaking from personal experience in regards to my other hobby.) Now, Mineral29 Organics, my skin care business, has been around for more than 6 years. And I have felt every feeling when it comes to improving my products, improving my presence on social media, improving my look. I have done the comparing, repeatedly. With comparing comes the feeling of inadequacy; and with inadequacy comes a confidence dive. That maybe the influencers are right -their products are better. Maybe my makeup does suck. My skin isn't that great looking - maybe I should use a filter. All these thoughts intrude upon my already susceptible mind, a mind so vulnerable because as a small business featuring beyond clean makeup and skin care, I am a guppy swimming with sharks. But if a video I make goes viral, then there is the flip side of the coin - imposter syndrome. I'm not nearly as good as I think I am. And then comes the desire to isolate...to hide in hopes that when I pop back up from my cubby there will be people saying, 'hey, we missed you!' to give my confidence a jump start. All the habits - from jumping down the rabbit hole to creating a plethora of new products that no one will ever buy; even thinking that last statement stems from waning confidence. So how do I deal? How can I focus on confidence when I'm cursed with comparing myself to other small businesses (or even big businesses) while quieting the whispers of imposter syndrome?

Cause as a small biz CEO, I must.

Well, I've decided to start over.

I see where the limbo bar is...and you know what? I'm not going under it.

I'm going around it.

Because there is more than one way to get from point A to point B.

And my goal is to not contort my mental health in order to reach it.

I scratched my old website. Dumped my old Instagram account. Got rid of products that I no longer use and slimmed down my selections.

New website. New Instagram. New focused products. New influencer partnership in the works.

With each step of renew and regrowth, the goal is to increase my confidence, to be confidently imperfect.

Do I formulate and handmake my own beautiful skin care? I sure do.

Do I formulate and handmake my own foundation and mascara, eyeliner, too?

I sure do. (Lemme see AI pick up a stick blender and accomplish that!)

And my skin, despite my mid-forties trying to sabotage it, glows amazingly.

Yet, even as I type this, my imposter syndrome is whispering in my ear. You're not as good as you think you are. You're a phony. No one really likes your products. Just wait for the collapse. But Imma tamp it down. Not gonna let the swing shift of uncertainty to imposter syndrome take me down a trail that led my business to dysfunction. I guess the point of this regurgitation...the point of these jumbled thoughts...the advice I'm taking to heart is: I'm going to embrace being confidently imperfect.

None of us are perfect. Our confidence will fluctuate. It will ebb and flow. It will be influenced. And it will take a hit. It will stumble. But you know you. And you know what you can do. Take a break, take a reset. Quiet the AI ads...the influencer talk...the constant pressure to look and act a certain way to get views and likes, to make them 6-figures or to work that side hustle. Take a breath. Start over. And embrace your imperfections. Think about all the things you've accomplished despite them.

And when you're confident with them. they become your super power. Own it.

About the author

Hi there, I'm Billie. I've been hand making skin care and make up for problematic, specifically acne-prone skin, professionally for almost 7 years. I've been fighting dastardly comedones for going on 30-plus. While I'm not fighting bad bacteria, I am homeschooling my *gulp* teenage son and arguing with my keeshond doggie. Or I'm writing new songs to perform for friends. I also take much joy in keeping my spirituality strong - which helps me survive the teenager and the doggie, among other things.

I live in the beautiful PNW