Building self-trust when your next business decision takes you into unfamiliar territory
She wanted to grow the business on her own terms. That meant buying her partner out.
She was already an established, successful business owner. Still, taking full ownership brought questions she couldn’t yet answer.
How would she manage the lawyers and stressful conversations? What would the change mean for the team? How would she handle all of it while continuing to run the business?
She also worried about what might surprise her once her partner left. Did she know everything her partner was doing? What if she discovered something she couldn’t handle?
Each practical concern brought her back to a more personal question: could she trust herself to handle whatever came next?
I know what it’s like to question yourself in unfamiliar territory. One of those moments came during a product launch in France.
I remember leaving a meeting, struggling with the language and feeling awful about how it had gone. We had a full week of meetings ahead. How was I going to lead those conversations if we could barely understand each other?
I had to change how I approached it: lean on the salesperson traveling with me and let myself have a little fun with it. It was still challenging, but we finished the week with partnerships in place to move forward.
That experience taught me to pay attention to how I treat myself under pressure and who I turn to for support. One difficult meeting can quickly become a reason to question whether we’re capable of handling the next one.
As her coach, I brought that perspective to our work together. Alongside the practical questions surrounding the buyout, we paid attention to how she spoke to herself when doubts came.
She learned to offer herself support and perspective in those moments. Over time, she began to trust herself to work through the hard parts and ask for help, without letting doubts or setbacks undermine her confidence in her ability to lead.
Before beginning the buyout, she had to step into full ownership in her heart and mind. There would still be unanswered questions and difficult conversations. She could approach them knowing she could learn, make decisions and get support along the way.
Growing the business on her terms also meant growing into the responsibility of leading it.
Having the right people in our corner matters, too. For me, that includes people like Jen Benford✨ who support me and keep me accountable.
What helps you trust yourself when a business decision takes you into unfamiliar territory?
Originally published on Inner Edge Coaching on Substack, November 10, 2026.
