Hi Reader,
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Have you ever read a book that just hits you right when you need it? Like it was written just for you?

Well, for me, that book was She Means Business by Carrie Green, founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association.

There were so many golden nuggets in this book, but I thought I'd share three of the lessons that truly transformed my mindset and, in turn, my business.

1. The power of belief

Carrie talks a lot about believing in yourself first, even when the results aren't there yet.

Imposter syndrome, although not a term I particularly like or use, is often very real, whether you're starting a new business or facing a new challenge. I remember reading about how Carrie visualised success before she had it. She practised affirmations, journaling and mindset work - things I hadn't really considered before.

I'm not a particularly "woo" person, but I decided to go all in with the activities she suggested and give it a try.
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​And, let me tell you, shifting from "can I do this?" to "I WILL do this" made a huge difference.

2. Take action, even when you're not ready
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​So often this is one of the biggest reasons we stay stuck. We wait until we feel ready. But Carrie makes it super clear: you will never feel 100% ready.

There have been times in my business when, if I'd waited for:

• The perfect business plan
• An amazing website or landing page
• The confidence to call myself a business owner or speaker...

I'd still be stuck.

Reading this book gave me permission to take action before I felt ready.
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​I realised that taking messy action is often the only way to move forward.

3. Who you spend time with matters

Carrie talks about how being around positive, ambitious people completely changed her perspective. She joined communities, went to events and surrounded herself with people who lifted her up instead of holding her back.

I know from my own experience starting and running a business can feel lonely. Especially if the people around you, ie family and friends, don't get it. It's easy to doubt yourself and so often any negativity they demonstrate can really pull you down, but most of the time it's actually because they'd be too scared to do the thing you're brave enough to do!

When you have the right people in your corner, everything feels possible. So, find your tribe. Join communities, membership groups and networking groups, attend events and consider getting a mentor or coach to support your journey.

The saying "It takes a village" is often quoted when it comes to raising children and I think the same is often true when it comes to building or running a business.
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​None of us can (or should) do it entirely alone.

If you haven't read She Means Business, go grab a copy. Trust me, it's worth it.

Have a great week.
Holly x
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P.S. In the next episode of the Visionary VA Podcast (out next Thursday), I'm sharing some exciting news. So keep an eye out for that.