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When I left full-time teaching to start my tutoring business, I thought the hardest part would be finding clients. It wasn’t. The hardest part was learning to trust my own expertise enough to own what I offered.
Years later, even after working with international families and building a business that still surprises me sometimes, imposter syndrome continues to make an appearance. It shows up right before every big leap, asking the same question in slightly different words:
“Who do you think you are to do this?”
But over time, I’ve realised that’s exactly when I know I’m growing.
We often treat imposter syndrome as a warning sign: a reason to pause, to hold back, or to collect a few more credentials before taking the next step. But in truth, it’s a marker of expansion.
When I first raised my tutoring fees, I worried no one would see the value. When I began working with families overseas, I felt quietly terrified they’d realise I wasn’t as accomplished as they thought. Each new level came with that same whisper of doubt.
Then I realised something that changed everything: imposter syndrome doesn’t appear when you’re standing still. It appears when you’re stretching into something new.
It’s not a sign you’re unqualified. It’s a sign you’re becoming the person your next chapter requires.
Every time I’ve felt that familiar wobble - before launching a new offer, signing a partnership, or leading a group of tutors - it’s meant I’m operating at the edge of growth. And that’s exactly where transformation happens.
1. Anchor in service, not self-doubt.
When you focus on who you’re helping (a student preparing for a scholarship, a tutor expanding their reach, or a parent navigating a new school system) the noise quietens. The work becomes about them, not about you.
2. Normalise expansion discomfort.
If you’re moving from local tutoring to running a premium business, it should feel uncomfortable. Growth is meant to stretch you. That tension is evidence you’re evolving.
3. Collect your evidence.
Imposter syndrome thrives on stories, not facts. Counter it with truth: testimonials, results, conversations that remind you of your impact.
4. Take the next brave action.
Courage comes before clarity. Every new step, whether it's sending the proposal, launching the programme or raising your rates, builds proof that you belong in the space you’ve created.
Building a premium business has nothing to do with perfection. It’s about clarity: knowing who you are, what you offer and why it matters. It’s about making thoughtful decisions, understanding your value and communicating it with confidence.
Imposter syndrome doesn’t vanish once you reach a milestone; it simply evolves. The doubts become more subtle. Not “Am I good enough?” but “Can I sustain this?” or “What if I can’t repeat that success?” It never disappears entirely, but your relationship with it changes.
The people who continue to grow aren’t necessarily the most confident. They’re the ones who’ve learned to move forward despite the discomfort, to trust their evidence over their emotions and to treat self-doubt as a normal part of leadership rather than a reason to pause.
Perhaps you’re moving from hourly lessons to structured packages.
Perhaps you’re ready to reach international families or collaborate with educational agents.
Or perhaps, like I once was, you’re standing on the edge of something bold wondering if you’re really ready for what comes next.
If imposter syndrome is whispering that you’re not, take it as confirmation that you are.
The people who build extraordinary businesses aren’t the ones who feel certain; they’re the ones who act with quiet conviction, even when it’s uncomfortable. That’s how confidence is built. That’s how growth happens.
Because the truth is, you don’t need to feel ready.
You just need to show up.
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