Starting a business? Here’s 5 ways to embrace visibility and overcome self-doubt
Becoming visible is no longer optional if you want to succeed in today’s world. Whether you’re launching a creative project, starting a business or something else, your personal brand is the differentiator that creates opportunities.
Written by Bec Sands
If people don’t know about you, how can they work with you, hire you, or buy from you? And yet, so many talented, capable women remain hidden. Not because they lack expertise or they don’t have something valuable to offer. But because visibility can feel incredibly uncomfortable.
There’s an ‘ick’ factor around putting yourself out there because of a fear of judgment, being misunderstood or disliked. That’s the reality of living in a culture where women are scrutinised for their looks, how they speak, how they show up. It’s no wonder so many of us choose to stay quiet, keep our heads down, and “let the work speak for itself”. The thing is, staying invisible is not a neutral choice.
Choose to stay invisible and it’ll cost you opportunities, income and influence. Choose to stay invisible and you’re more likely to be overlooked, underpaid or unable to charge premium prices. Choose to stay invisible and get ready to experience feeling stuck or having meaningful choices removed from your life. This all comes down to a resistance that we feel when we think about moving from invisibility to visibility. I understand this resistance completely, because I’ve lived it.
I didn’t step into visibility overnight; after leaving a successful corporate PR career to start my own business, I found myself facing the same resistance I now see in my clients. It took years, but I now enjoy the work of being visible to my audience. Marketing and personal brand activities have gone from the tasks I procrastinated on, to the ones I enjoy the most.
Life happens along the way
When things go wrong, the last thing you want to do is show your face on video, speak onstage or appear in the media. It was the same for me. On paper it may look like I’ve grown my business from strength to strength since launching in 2019, but it hasn’t been linear. When Covid hit, much of my client work disappeared overnight. At the same time, my husband’s father was diagnosed with cancer and I was navigating my own women’s health issues and a difficult IVF journey, all of which caused medical PTSD and anxiety.
There were long periods where simply getting through the day felt like enough. In those moments, visibility was the last thing I wanted to do. But what I came to understand is that visibility is built slowly and it needs to start imperfectly alongside real life. When you approach visibility as a form of service and use your voice to create positive change and help others, the best kind of momentum occurs, even if it feels slow.
Visibility is the cost of doing the thing that’s in your heart
I’ve built a freedom-based business as a coach and consultant, enabling me to work from anywhere, on my own terms. The trade-off? My business requires me to be confidently visible, sharing my work, expertise and stories, as well as who I am and what I stand for. This has taken time and has been a huge growth edge for me. I see so many brilliant women stay hidden. Procrastination, self-doubt and perfectionism are protective mechanisms. Your nervous system is trying to keep you safe from perceived risks of rejection, criticism and failure. But the biggest shifts happen outside of your comfort zone. If you want to build something meaningful – a business, career, creative project or something else – you must be willing to move through that discomfort. The good news? This is a skill you can learn.
How to embrace visibility and overcome self-doubt
- Accept that fear is part of the journey.
We all feel fear, especially when doing something new or bold that’s out of our comfort zone. The key is to move forward despite the fear, not wait for it to go away. Practice, prepare, and focus on your audience, not yourself.
- Take action outside of your comfort zone. This is where growth happens.
Whether you’re launching a business, shifting careers, or speaking publicly, courage grows through action. Start small by committing to one consistent action (like one video per week) that can build visibility and confidence over time. - Stay connected to your ‘why’.
Life and business challenges will inevitably find you, but by being specific about the deeper reasons why you’re doing this, you can build a body of work that’s deeply meaningful, aligned and resistant to setbacks. - Make self-care non-negotiable.
You’ll face your inner critic when becoming visible, so nurture your mind and body daily. Small, simple habits add up: try things like taking three deep breaths when you’re feeling stressed, going for a walk outside to clear your mind and shift your energy, and getting support through coaching or therapy when needed. - Apply the rule ‘progress over perfection’.
You never need to be perfect. What matters more is the progress you make. The most powerful speakers and leaders are those who keep showing up. Confidence isn’t required before you begin, it’s the result of doing the work time and again.
The world of work has changed, and your personal brand is your new CV. You don’t need to be seen in front of an audience of millions to succeed, you just need to get in front of your ideal clients. Whether you’re working for yourself or others, you have the opportunity to be known for your expertise, your body of work and the products or offers you want to sell. But none of that happens if you stay invisible.
This is an edited extract from What You Came Here to Create (The Kind Press $32.99) by Bec Sands, an award-winning PR consultant and visibility mentor. Bec supports leading brands and ambitious women to find their voice, build authority in their field, and launch the work they came here to do.