skip selling yourself short

You have so much value to offer.

SO 👏 MUCH 👏 VALUE 👏

Stop discounting yourself this week and every week. You won’t win any medals for being modest, especially if you’re trying to make a living.

If folks ask you to do work for free, make it a hard “no.”

The next time you promote your stuff, be real. Don’t hide behind stock photos or borrowed words. Say what you do and who you really are as a business owner.

Above all, speak up about what you do when someone asks you.

Case in point: When I worked in Chicago’s tech hub, 1871, a revered venture capitalist had an office near my desk. He made sure to meet everyone on the floor. I introduced myself as a mere small business owner that “did some writing” to support women entrepreneurs. Then I let him talk. Years later, after expanding my company into a global brand in 30+ cities, he regularly stopped by my seat to ask me, “How’s the blog coming?”

Case in point: An event planner asked me to recommend professional speakers for her next event. Eager to help, I sent her a list of my favorites, hoping my actions would inspire her to consider me as well. I mean, she’d asked a professional speaker for referrals. Guess what happens when you don’t directly ask to be considered? (Fun fact! She never hired me.)

I could go on. I have so many cases in points.

When you find yourself second-guessing what you’re doing and why you’re doing it and who do you think you really are, please remember that the rest of us are likely doing the same thing. So if you can’t do it for yourself, do it for the rest of us.

jill

p.s. Selling yourself short? Please reply and share why. Simply voicing your thoughts to someone else can help shift your perspective.