Brilliant Business Beautiful Life Podcast

36: Fearless Founders: Stories of Courageous Females in Business

• Samantha Bell

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Have you ever stood at the edge of a dream, heart pounding with the thrill of potential yet anchored by a tug of fear? Join me, Samantha Bell, on a revelatory adventure as we navigate the often-unspoken fears that accompany the journey of female entrepreneurship. In a raw and candid conversation, we peel back the layers of trepidation that lurk behind business decisions and personal growth. From the paralyzing fear of the unknown to the secret apprehensions of success, this episode of the Brilliant Business, Beautiful Life podcast is an exploration into how fear can shape us, for better or worse.

Listen closely as I share my own tales of terror—those childhood monsters in the dark have nothing on the real-life ghouls of self-doubt and judgment that haunt many a founder's footsteps. Yet, with every story of struggle comes a tale of triumph, as we learn that these ghosts of fear can be our greatest teachers, pushing us toward growth and bravery. Discover how embracing fear can lead to an empowering transformation, enabling you to craft not just a successful business, but a life brimming with beauty and confidence. 


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Samantha Bell:

Today we're discovering fearless founders, stories of courageous females in business. But we dive deep into an emotion that's very familiar to us all, especially in the realm of entrepreneurship fear. But, more importantly, we're exploring how to walk through fear with grapes and emerge stronger on the other side. Welcome to the Brilliant Business, Beautiful Life podcast, where we share simple, actionable strategies, plus the mindset and wellness practices you need to build the business and life you love. Head to 16thavecreative. com/playbook and download your free guide to design the business and life you deserve. Today I'm your host, Samantha Bell, and this is the Brilliant Business, Beautiful Life podcast. Are you ready for the business and life of your dreams? Let's get started.

Samantha Bell:

Fear is a rite of passage in the entrepreneurial world and is just as much a part of entrepreneurship as innovation and resilience are. It's that quiet voice that questions every decision, sits on our shoulder, never leaves us alone. It's the shadow of doubt that follows every step forward into the unknown, as we chase our dreams and build our empires from mere ideas. But here's the thing Fear is not unique to you or to me. It's a universal experience for every single female business owner. Fear in business isn't just about the fear of failure. It's also the fear of judgment, the fear of not being good enough, doubt, questioning our self worth, and sometimes it's actually the fear of success itself. Recognizing, acknowledging these fears is the first step towards overcoming them, and then we can look at our fears not as stop signs but as signposts guiding us towards areas where we need to grow, because we're usually most fearful of what's unknown, what we haven't done before, what we don't enjoy doing or what we feel we're not very good at Now.

Samantha Bell:

I have a strong relationship with fear. I remember being a little girl imagining monsters flying around in the dark in my bedroom or the boogeyman trying to grab my feet if I put them to the floor in the middle of the night, and back then those fears were so real to me that they paralysed me and trapped me in my bed, hiding under the sheets at nighttime. Obviously, many, many years have passed and I'm no longer scared of things that go bump in the night, but the one constant through life is feeling scared or fearful of new situations. At times Now I've had to train myself to use my fears to make me grow, to make me be brave, rather than holding me back Things like being scared of roller coasters. I was petrified of roller coasters, so I made it my mission to conquer that fear. So I made myself go on them, experience all the G forces, all the imagined terrors of what it would be like, and eventually I realized that my self-talk, my fear, was far worse than the actual ride. And now I love roller coasters. They still frighten me, but it's in a really energizing, fun way and I always feel so brave and so proud of myself for getting on there when the ride stops.

Samantha Bell:

And facing fears in business is very similar. It's usually us playing out our worst case scenarios and considering other people's opinions. That heightens our fear, sometimes to the point of making us incapable of making even the most simple decisions. It can be really debilitating and that's when you need to switch off the negative talk and start thinking best case scenario, and when you do that it becomes easier to take little steps forwards and eventually you can take the huge strides you need to grow and succeed in your business Now, before I started my business, I was incredibly fearful of a lot of things Not having the right kind of business experience, fear that I would fail, fear that people would laugh at me, fear my partner wouldn't support me, fear I'd go broke, fear that I just wasn't good enough.

Samantha Bell:

And the only way I conquered those fears was to not listen to them and to just start to look them in the eye, feel the fear and do it anyway. And the amazing thing was that when I did start, all those fears they weren't as scary anymore. I had more confidence in myself and my ability and I was able to focus on my vision and allowed that to drive me forwards, rather than fear killing my potential and holding me back. Now I want to share with you the stories of incredible women who, like you and me, faced their fears head on. Now, these fearless founders did not let the voices of doubt drown out their dreams. Instead, they listened, they acknowledged and they chose to rise above the fear Tori Birch.

Samantha Bell:

Tori began her fashion career working for several high profile brands, including Polo, ralph Lauren and Vera Wang, and she launched her own label in 2004 with a small boutique in Manhattan's Nalita neighborhood and entering that competitive fashion industry with a new brand. Can you imagine how scary and daunting that would have been. So she would have been feeling all those fears, and her courage likely stemmed from all the extensive experience she had in the industry and her unique vision for creating accessible, high end fashion. Her brand gained immediate recognition for its classic yet bohemian style. Emphasizing digital marketing and direct-to-consumer sales helped Tori to become a global brand. So she was up against some amazing competitors who were dominating across the globe, and then she started with her own little store. And now look at her. That's what happens when you face your fears.

Samantha Bell:

Ariana Huffington another person I talk about often. She co-founded the Huffington Post in 2005. And it was an online news platform that combined blogging and professional reporting. Now transitioning from a political commentator to a digital entrepreneur, she faced the challenge of legitimizing online news, but her courage and vision for a new media model was instrumental in overcoming all the skepticism and all the surrounding fears that she would have been feeling, and the Huffington Post very quickly became one of the most read news websites in the world, leading to AOL buying it out in 2011, and then launched Thrive Global, focusing on wellness and productivity. So you can see, big, amazing things can happen from the very small steps at the beginning.

Samantha Bell:

Someone that is not so much in business but we're all very familiar with, and our kids will certainly know, is JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, and she thought of that idea on a train back in 1990. She had so many personal challenges and financial difficulties and people saying no, and what are you doing? But she did it anyway. She had so many rejections from publishers and she was really scared that her book would never see the light of day, but her perseverance and her belief in her stories potential kept her going. And then the rest was history, a global phenomenon leaning to a series of bestselling books, films and a massive fan. Following, vera Wang entered the fashion industry and started her own business at 40 with her first bridal boutique. Before that she was a figure skater and journalist, and so transitioning careers at 40, especially into the world of high fashion, was a very bold move. But it was her passion for design and her experience in the fashion industry that gave her the courage to pursue going down this new path, and her innovative and elegant designs quickly set her apart in the bridal industry, leading to expansion into ready-to-wear home decor and making her a very prominent figure in the fashion industry.

Samantha Bell:

So you can see that there's lots of women who have overcome setbacks and fears and just latched onto the courage behind the fear to make themselves move forwards and not get stuck and held back by the fear, because fear is very, very powerful. All of these women, they all face their fears head on and turned them into the catalysts for growth and for success. So how do you move from feeling paralyzed, from being stuck and held back by your fear that very powerful, strong emotion to taking action? How do we shift from fear-holding us back to staring it down and cutting the cords that are keeping us stuck? But here are some strategies that have worked for many people, including myself, and they start small. The first is to embrace small victories and break down your big goals into small, achievable steps. Seek out mentorship, connect with the women who've walked the path before you, people that can provide you with valuable insights and reassurance.

Samantha Bell:

And this is probably the most important thing, fear is a negative mindset. You want to shift that, get rid of your negative mindset and instead nurture a positive mindset. And remember our thoughts shape our reality. So if you stay stuck in fear, if you stay in that negative space telling yourself, you can't or you're not strong enough or you're not smart enough, or whatever. The negative thought is that's going to become your reality and it will never happen. If you shift that into the positive mindset area of yes, it is possible. I just maybe need to learn some more, I need to practice some more, I need to step outside of my comfort zone All of those things they're going to help you move forwards.

Samantha Bell:

So, as we wrap up today's episode, I just want you to remember that the essence of entrepreneurship isn't in never feeling fear, but it's in learning to dance with the fear, in using fear as a tool for growth, letting it guide you to areas where you can become stronger and more resilient. So embrace your fears, because they are actually the gatekeepers of your greatest achievements. Now, before we part ways today, I have a small request. I would love for you to share your story of overcoming fear with us. So comment below or head over to our socials and send me a DM, because I am so curious to learn your story of how you have overcome fear, and then we can create a tapestry of courage that inspires us all. Now, if you found today's episode uplifting or a little bit supportive, why don't you consider subscribing so you can get more content that's designed to support you in building the business and life you love? In next week's episode, we'll be exploring juggling business and wellness so you can enjoy a beautiful balance in your life.

Samantha Bell:

Now. It's an episode you won't want to miss, especially if you're striving for harmony between your professional ambitions and your personal wellbeing. It's quite often quite a struggle, so thank you so much for tuning in today to the Brilliant Business, beautiful Life podcast. Here's to facing our fears and forging paths of courage instead. Until next time, keep shining bright and remember you are capable of extraordinary things. Thanks so much for listening. I'd love to know your biggest takeaway from today's episode, so leave me a comment below or send a DM on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button wherever you listen to the Brilliant Business, beautiful Life podcast, and feel free to share it with someone else who'll love it too. I look forward to seeing you for the next episode and remember the time is now for your Brilliant Business and the beautiful life you adore.