In this episode we hear from Amanda McKenna who, as a former co-founder and Board Director of two self-started digital agencies, shares how feeling like she didn't belong in entrepreneurship affected her confidence, how people who don't fit the entrepreneurial stereotype will experience this more acutely and ways we can all tackle this head on.

In Amanda’s TED Talk she refers to the Allison Rose review and the extraordinary statistic that there are 1.1 million missing female-founded businesses in the U.K. That is £250 billion of value could be added to the economy if women started and scaled businesses to the same extent as men.  

Amanda’s advice:

• When you’re starting out, do the scariest thing; the sense of achievement will give you resilience and confidence
• Challenge yourself to write your business plan in detail
• Sound board with people who work differently to you
• When you make a business plan, plan for your own self-care in tandem
• Think early on about what you want to get out of this, for yourself
• Imposter syndrome is prevalent with entrepreneurs, plan how to manage this. Getting a coach could be a solution 
• Keep focussed on the bigger picture
• Always find time to talk to people in and around your sector for inspiration
• Make sure the people you employ share your beliefs and aims for the business
• Allow employees to be good at what they do; don’t try to control everything, give people space

If you'd like to contact Amanda she can be reached  via LinkedIn or on Twitter @AmandaMcKenna_

Head over to Speakpipe to leave your voice note for future guests too.
Links:

• LastPass the password keeping site that syncs between devices. 
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• I use Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory to create this podcast series as well as their super simple hosting platform.
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

Thank you for listening.  I would also be delighted if you could rate, review and share this podcast with anyone else who may be starting a company as it helps other people find it. Hosted by Juliet Fallowfield, founder of PR for startups advisory Fallow, Field & Mason, How To Start Up hopes to bring you confidence, encouragement and reassurance that you’re on the right track.

Recorded and produce by Juliet Fallowfield, edited by Emma Dewhurst in  2021.
MUSIC CREDIT  Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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