Removing The Secret Doubt: Fear In Business
- Nicola Kinnard-Comedie MSc, BHSAI Int. SM | NKC Equestrian Training
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Fear is an inevitable part of running a business. Running your equestrian business is very different to working for someone else. Your business stops with you. Whether you are a trainer, barn owner, equine bodyworker, or have any other type of equestrian business, fear can hold you back from taking the necessary steps to grow and succeed.
It also takes the joy and fun out of your business. Recognizing and addressing these fears is crucial to long-term success, and avoiding stress and burnout.
Here are the most common fears that I see in my work supporting equestrian business owners, and some strategies to overcome them:
1. Fear of Failure
Failure can be daunting, particularly in an industry where you might have made a significant financial investment to get started, and your reputations can feel at stake. After all, everyone knows everyone in the horsey world!
The thought of not securing enough clients, struggling to make ends meet, or having a new product launch fall short can be overwhelming. However, in my experience every equestrian has experienced ‘failure’ in some form, and has bounced back from it. The ‘failure’ could be ‘failing’ to catch your horse one day, or load them in a float. Equestrians are generally with failure, and it is more likely to be one of the other fears that are currently stopping you from taking action, marketing your products or services or really stepping into your power.
How to Overcome It:
Play the fear out to the end: Your subconscious mind will imagine some dreadful scenario, but allowing yourself to play the fear out to the end is really helpful- then you can see what solutions you would put in place. Humans are excellent at solving problems, and it is useful to show your brain that even in the worst case you’d come up with a plan.
Celebrate small wins: Recognizing progress, even in small steps, helps build confidence and resilience, so start celebrating a win for each day.
2. Fear of Judgment and Rejection
Many equestrian professionals hesitate to market themselves, raise their rates, become more visible, or launch new offers due to a fear of criticism from clients, peers, or the industry at large. Whether it’s a social media post that doesn’t get enough engagement or a negative review, fear of judgment can lead to self-doubt and inaction.
How to Overcome It:
Realise that most people are too busy with their own lives to notice what you are doing.
Reframe sales into serving and supporting, and see how you are doing horses and their owners a disservice by not marketing your products and services.
Build a supportive network: Surround yourself with like-minded equestrian professionals who are going to cheer you on.
3. Fear of Success
While it may seem counterintuitive, some equestrian business owners fear the responsibilities and expectations that come with success, although they might not be consciously aware of this. More clients, higher demand, increased responsibility and greater recognition can feel overwhelming, especially if you doubt your ability to sustain it.
Ask yourself this powerful question…
“If I had [insert your current business goal] how would I feel?” I’m sure your answer is “Great”… but there might well also be a small voice of ‘But I’d have to work more…” Lean into what your concerns about success are to help you navigate these.
How to Overcome It:
Prepare for growth: Put systems in place to handle increased workload and client demand efficiently. Look at what you can delete, automate or delegate.
Trust yourself: Reflect on past accomplishments to reinforce your confidence.
Grow a team: You don’t have to do everything alone. Hiring staff, or outsourcing a small task to a freelancer or virtual assistant can ease the pressure on you, and free you up as the business owner to support your clients more and lead your company.
4. Fear of Failure After Success
Even after achieving milestones, some business owners fear losing everything they’ve built, and I call this a sneaky fear. The idea of having ‘everything’ and losing it is enough to stop people taking action and moving their business forward.
How to Overcome It:
Focus on long-term planning: Diversify income streams and develop an offer suite in your business that new clients can naturally move through to create stability.
Develop resilience: Provide your subconscious mind with evidence of how you have achieved success in the past, and continued to build on this.
Final Thoughts
Fear is natural, but it should not control your decisions or prevent you from reaching your goals. By recognizing your fears and implementing proactive strategies, you can turn apprehension into action. Running an equestrian business requires courage, but with the right mindset and support system, you can push past doubts and build a thriving, sustainable career. Embrace the journey, learn from the challenges, and ride forward with confidence!
If you’d like some help with developing a strong mindset for business growth, or you’d like some strategy ideas to move your business forward, Equestrian Business Magazine owners can grab themselves a free business strategy call with Nicola by scanning the QR code.
Nicola Kinnard-Comedie (Msc, BHSAI Int. SM)
is the owner and founder of NKC Equestrian Training, delivering horse care training to horse owners and business and mindset coaching to equine practitioners.
Nicola is a qualified riding instructor and has over 20 years industry experience, and now uses her coaching skills to assist equine practitioners. Nicola decided to combine her experience of equestrian science, sales and marketing, and teach this to others. Nicola works with veterinary physiotherapists, massage therapists, osteopaths and other equestrians across the world to help them build their dream business. Nicola's work focuses on harnessing the power of your mindset, together with cutting edge marketing strategies to support equestrian business owners to realise the business of their dreams.
You can find out more about Nicola here: www.nkcequestrian.com
This article is from the April issue of Equine Business Magazine
Comentarios