Hi Reader,

I'm writing this sitting in an airport lounge in Houston, watching the boarding gates cycle through cities I'll never see on this trip. There's something about airports that always puts me in a reflective mood, maybe it's the in-between-ness of it, neither here nor there, just...moving. I've been thinking about where I am in life right now.

I'm on my way to Miami for the Teachable Collective experience, a two-day, invite-only gathering where top creators from Teachable (the platform I use to teach my business-building program for VAs & freelancers, the Virtual Excellence Academy) come together to share what's working, what's not, and where this whole industry is headed. It's small, it's intentional, and it's a little surreal to be in the room. Follow along on my Instagram stories here, I'll be sharing bits and pieces as it happens.

Fifteen-year-old me could not have dreamed this up. Not the event, or the program, not any of it. Back then, "success" just looked like getting out of the rather rough area of London I grew up in. Nowhere in that picture was an airport lounge in Houston, a business built from a laptop, community around the world, or a room full of people who teach for a living the way I do.

And that's the thing about plans: we make them, we dream them, and then life goes and does its own thing anyway. A lot of people take that as proof it's not worth trying. "If it's going to turn out differently than I planned, why bother planning at all?" I hear that a lot, actually. From students and friends. Sometimes from the voice in my own head at 2 am.

But I think it's the opposite. Make the plans. Take the action. Life can't rearrange itself around steps you never took. The detours only exist because you moved in the first place. Every single "wildly different than expected" turn in my business came after I did something, not before. You gotta take steps that allow for magic to happen.

‼️ A quick pause: You may have noticed a few sponsored slots in my newsletter lately. This is new and exciting for me. I only feature publications, products, or people I read, use, and love, like below, and I get paid when you click - even if you don’t sign up! So, if you have a second, a simple click on the ad below directly supports my independent writing and free resources. Thank you 😊

Now, I'll be honest: some days, putting yourself out there as a business owner feels completely exhausting and not worth it. It can be hard. The self-doubt. ESPECIALLY if you veer on the anxious side, like myself. 😅 There are the long days that don't end when you close the laptop. The overthinking. The need to say YES to this business, and this life, over and over, even on the days you don't feel like it. Even when you feel like an imposter. Nobody tells you that the hardest part of entrepreneurship isn't the strategy, but the stamina, the ability to just. Stick. With. It. You need strategies and support to keep moving forward instead of white-knuckling it every time.

Here are 4 strategies that work for me when self-doubt pops up:

➡️ Expecting the trigger (and remembering corporate is worse): I remind myself my brain is going to freak out over a "no" no matter what, that's just how brains work. No matter how much positive feedback I get, one tiny bit of less-than-perfect feedback feels so much more weighted. But I try to zoom out, at least in my own business, a (potential) client ghosting doesn't come with a passive-aggressive manager or toxic office politics attached. I've had both. I know which one I'd choose.

➡️ Separating my worth from the work: I force myself to separate a flopped post or a rejected proposal from my actual value. A "no thank you" is just data. It's not a referendum on whether I'm cut out for this. I used to spiral over every unanswered DM or lost sale. Now I remind myself: the work is not me, even when it feels like it is.

➡️ Building a buffer for the panic: I give myself permission to step away for a few hours when a piece of feedback or a slow week sends me into a tizzy, instead of forcing myself to push through it. Sometimes the most productive thing I can do is close the laptop and go for a walk (or take a loooong shower, my guilty pleasure 😏). The business is still there when I get back.

➡️ Creating repeatable systems: I take the guesswork out of pitching and client onboarding so I'm not relying on pure confidence every single time I put myself out there. Systems hold the line when motivation doesn't show up, and motivation doesn't show up consistently or on your ideal schedule for a lot of us!

Managing a business when your brain treats every minor setback like a house on fire can be exhausting. But you don't have to figure it out alone.

If you're trying to build a business that respects your energy, protects your peace, and helps you land clients without burning yourself out, you can skip the guesswork I learned the hard way.

I'm hosting a free live training to walk you through the exact steps to start your biz & land your first client, no prior experience needed 👇

Can't wait to see you there,
Hannah

P.S. If you're reading this from your own version of an airport lounge, mid-transition, unsure what's next, that's usually exactly when the good stuff starts. Hit reply and tell me where you're at. I read every single one. (And don't forget to sign up for the masterclass in ONE WEEK, even if you are unsure if freelancing is for you... let's find out!)