Crystal's Notes 9 May

I get asked a lot: what are some of the most important things you need to become an entrepreneur?

People expect me to say capital, a business plan, or the right market timing. And yes, those things matter.

But the first thing I always say is this: get the right people around you.

Not like-minded people. Right-minded people.

Everyone tells you to find your tribe, to surround yourself with like-minded people. But nobody tells you that the wrong tribe will keep you exactly where you are.

Like-minded people share your current beliefs, your current limitations, your current ceiling. They validate where you are. And while that feels comfortable, comfort is not the same as growth.

Right-minded people challenge your assumptions. They've already done what you're trying to do, or they're further along the path than you. Their success and confidence pulls you into an upward spiral, not a downward one. Being around them quietly expands what you believe is possible for yourself.

And that last part matters more than most people realise.

Psychologist Albert Bandura spent decades studying what he called self-efficacy: your belief in your own ability to succeed. His research found that this belief is one of the strongest predictors of whether you will actually attempt something, persist through difficulty, and ultimately achieve it. In other words, what you believe is possible for you has a direct and measurable impact on what becomes possible.

So the question isn't just who is in your corner. It's who is in your corner that genuinely believes in what you're building, who has done hard things themselves, and who raises your sense of what's achievable just by being in the room.

Because so much of building something from scratch is a mindset battle. There will be people in your life, sometimes the ones closest to you, who will project their own fears onto your dreams. Who will call it risky, unrealistic, irresponsible. And if you're not firmly rooted in yourself, in your why, your values, and your sense of what you're capable of, those voices will win.

That's why confidence isn't a nice-to-have for entrepreneurs. It's the foundation. Without it, the first difficult moment will send you spiralling. With it, you can navigate uncertainty, hold your ground, and keep going when it gets hard.

This is exactly what we build in Deep Human Confidence. Whether you're asking for a raise, stepping into a leadership role, or deciding it's finally time to strike out on your own, we give you the tools to root yourself deeply in who you are. To speak from that place. To lead from that place. And to stop waiting for permission to pursue what you already know you're capable of.

You can find all the details here.

Much love,

Crystal