A Little Imposter Syndrome
Shall I add producer to my resume?
The taping started late so we had fun taking pictures around the studio
I may want to be a camera woman in my next life.
Relaunching QueensConnected at the start of the year has been incredibly fulfilling. I’ve loved planning this year’s events, coming up with new offerings, bringing people together, and spending time in community. Each of these activities has brought me joy and been deeply rewarding.
Like many other business owners, the most difficult aspect for me is marketing myself and promoting QueensConnected’s events and services. Putting myself out there is uncomfortable—especially as an introvert, which might surprise some people. Self-doubt can easily creep in, and I start to wonder what others might think of me or my social media posts. Imposter syndrome usually follows, and I begin to feel underqualified to be writing about or discussing any given topic.
My second biggest worry is coming across as an annoying salesperson, pestering people to make a purchase. These are my greatest entrepreneurial struggles.
Getting Out of My Comfort Zone
This past Tuesday, Suzan Richards—who will be leading the dance and movement segments at the UsNow 2025 Conference—invited me to discuss QueensConnected on the Rogers TV Caribbean Calendar program. I was so honored to be invited and accepted the offer, despite feeling nervous. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the conference and share what QueensConnected is all about.
The conversation was meant to be natural, and I attended the taping without knowing the questions in advance—which I felt was best, though also nerve-wracking. In my role as a Health Equity Specialist, I’m used to preparing and rehearsing for every presentation or training I deliver ahead of time. The idea of speaking and being recorded in the moment, to be broadcast to a larger audience afterward, made me anxious.
Post Taping
Overall, the experience was surprisingly enjoyable and genuinely interesting. Both Suzan and the producer said the session went well and that I was clearly passionate about QueensConnected.
However, if I’m honest, I had quite a bit of self-doubt right after the taping as I replayed my words in my mind. I worried about how viewers might perceive my comments—would they critique my statements or question my knowledge?
I could feel my thoughts beginning to spiral, which usually leads to feelings of defeat, incompetence, and regret. But I made a deliberate choice to interrupt that mental tape and extend grace and compassion to myself. Many of us hold ourselves to such high standards of excellence that it becomes exhausting and even crippling. I reminded myself that I was present in the moment and truly enjoyed the experience and opportunity. Of course, there were things I forgot to say or wished I’d phrased differently, but overall, I’m choosing to hold onto the joy I felt immediately after the session.
Lessons Learned
This experience taught me that I need to do more of these things—to step outside my comfort zone, build my marketing skills, and become more confident talking about myself and QueensConnected.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the episode, which airs this Sunday on Rogers 22 at 11 a.m. I’ll also add the online link to this post once it’s made public.
And don’t forget—tickets for the UsNow 2025: Black Women & Femmes Health Conference are still available. Prices go up on September 24, so don’t delay in purchasing your ticket!