Stepping Up When You Feel Like a Fraud

It's easy to think you're alone in the entrepreneurial and leadership world, feeling stuck and isolated. But in the last Office Hours was a powerful reminder that you're not. We welcomed new members into a brave space where we got real about the most common challenge in leadership: impostor syndrome.

From stepping into board roles to a career transition, we explored the inner critic that holds you back and how it shows up in your body. This session wasn't just about feeling better; it was about taking action anyway. We dug into what it really looks like to step through fear and start building the confidence that you're capable of doing great things.

Join Our New Casual Community Platform

It's time for a shift.

We've loved building The Foundation community with you on Facebook, but as we grow, we need a platform that can grow with us. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we are moving our community home and shifting our name from The Foundation to Casual.

This new platform is a space where we can:

• Host all of our Office Hours events and recordings

• Share resources and recaps

• Connect in a focused, distraction-free environment

We will officially sunset the Facebook group on October 17th, 2025.

Your next step is to join our new community platform to make sure you don't miss any of the powerful conversations, insights, and connections that happen in Casual.

Top Insights & Action Steps

1. You're Not Alone in Feeling Not Good Enough

A member shared their challenge about getting their Toastmasters club members re-engaged after a summer lull, revealing a deeper fear that they might not be capable of leading the group to success. This is a common feeling, especially when we step into new leadership roles.

Insight: The knot in your stomach, the fear of rejection, and the feeling that you're not good enough are normal human experiences. As a member put it, "that knot never goes away". Embrace it as a sign that you care and are ready to be of service, not as a sign that you should quit.

Try this / Ask yourself: Notice the next time that "knot" shows up in your body. Where do you feel it? Instead of pushing it away, ask yourself: "What is this feeling trying to tell me?"

2. Walk the Walk to Rally the Troops

A member expressed a desire to get their club members engaged without "nagging" them. The group guided them to see that the most effective way to inspire commitment is to demonstrate it yourself.

Insight: Your own commitment and courage are the most powerful calls to action. The best way to lead is to "walk the walk" by doing the very thing you're asking of others.

Try this / Ask yourself: What's one thing you've been asking your team to do that you haven't been doing yourself? Take a step this week to lead by example.

3. You're Not "Trying" You're in the Process of Doing

The group used language to shift a member’s perspective from “trying” to fill the agenda to being “in the process” of doing it, a powerful reframe that our resident coach, Trent Janisch, expanded on.

Insight: The word "trying" infuses your nervous system with the essence of struggle. When you say, "I'm in the process of doing this," you replace struggle with inevitability and forward momentum.

Try this / Ask yourself: Where are you "trying" in your life right now? This week, swap out the word "trying" for "in the process of" and notice how it changes your feeling and your motivation.

4. Choose Who Sits in the Captain's Chair

Your inner voices: fear, doubt, drive, confidence are like a board of directors. They all want a say, but you get to choose who sits in the captain’s chair.

Insight: The goal isn't to silence the doubt, but to decide which voice gets to lead the meeting in your head.

Try this / Ask yourself: What would it feel like to thank the part of you that's afraid, and then intentionally hand the captain's seat back to the part of you that wants to serve and do good work?

Next Casual Office Hours

Running a business can feel overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting. You’re putting in the effort, but sometimes it feels like you’re spinning your wheels, stuck in a process that isn’t working, second-guessing your decisions, and wondering if you’re the only one struggling.

Growth feels better together.

Friday, Sept 19th at 11:00 AM PST: 
You’ll leave each session with:

• 💡 Fresh clarity on your toughest challenges

• 🤝 Connection to a community that truly has your back

• 🚀 The confidence to take meaningful next steps in business and life

Coaching Nudge:

What if all the fear and doubt you feel is just a younger version of yourself, stuck in an old story? Your emotions are like a "soundtrack" playing in the background. You don’t have to dance to that music. Instead of fighting it, acknowledge that part of you with love and compassion, knowing that you’re not alone and you’re capable of stepping up regardless of how you feel inside. You get to decide who is in the "captain's seat".

💬 Bonus reflection - Take it Further:

What if that "younger version" of you is a leader, too? The one who feels the doubt and the fear isn't just an obstacle to overcome, instead it’s a part of you that’s trying to keep you safe.

Instead of seeing it as a weakness, what if you saw it as a deeply caring part of your system? This week, when that feeling of doubt comes up, what would it look like to lean in and thank it for trying to protect you? What would it feel like to then take one brave step forward anyway?

💥 Are You In The Casual Community Channels?

We’ve added a couple of new ways for you to stay connected in between calls:

✅ Join the Casual Community
Keep the conversation going, ask questions, and share wins with other leaders in the Foundation community.

Let’s keep it going.
✅ Share your thoughts from this session in the Facebook group.
✅ Missed it? Don’t worry — the next one’s coming up soon.
✅ Got a challenge? Put your hand up for the hot seat.

Clarity is kind. And momentum compounds.

Hot Seat Volunteers Needed

If you’re interested in the hot seat this week, we’d love to hear from you. It’s a great way to get focused feedback and insights on a challenge you’re tackling. Please respond to this email!

💬 Bring a Friend Who’d Love This

Know someone who’s growing a business, could use some fresh energy, or just needs to connect with people who get it?

Invite them to join Office Hours.
It’s a great way to introduce them to the Foundation and give them a taste of what this community is all about.

Let’s keep building beyond limits—together.

We’d Love Your Feedback

Help us keep improving our sessions by sharing your thoughts in this quick, 3-question survey: Meeting Feedback Survey.