We recently connected with Deborah Lansdowne and have shared our conversation below.
Deborah, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
How I Managed Impostor Syndrome and Built Resilience
When I was promoted to Branch Operations Manager at Siemens Telecommunications, I felt a surge of pride — quickly followed by fear. My new role required relocating from Northern Virginia to Schaumburg, Illinois. I had hoped for the Atlanta position: warm weather, familiar culture, and a management team that looked like me. Instead, I was headed north, to a branch that was ranked 32 out of 32, with a team that resented having an African American woman as their manager.
It was my first leadership role at that level, and I questioned whether I truly belonged there. I remember sitting in my new office that first week, staring out at the snow-covered parking lot, wondering if I had made a mistake. But quitting wasn’t an option.
I began by doing what I knew best — taking control of the numbers. I reviewed every budget line, every expense, and started cutting unnecessary costs. Financial discipline was something I could control when people and perceptions weren’t. Over time, I found allies. Out of five managers, two began to trust me. Together, we made small, consistent improvements — in processes, accountability, and morale.
Still, there were moments of doubt — meetings where I was ignored, ideas dismissed, and decisions second-guessed. But I learned to prepare twice as hard, to let results speak louder than assumptions. I also sought mentorship from the Sales Branch Manager in Chicago, who saw my effort and offered guidance.
By the end of two years, our branch climbed from last place to #2 out of 32 nationwide. I received the Circle of Excellence Award twice and, more importantly, proved to myself that my leadership didn’t depend on anyone’s comfort with who I was — it depended on my competence, consistency, and courage.
That experience taught me to see impostor syndrome as a sign of growth, not inadequacy. I didn’t just manage a struggling branch — I learned to manage my own self-doubt and transform it into discipline, empathy, and resilience.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
About My Work and What Excites Me Most
I’m the owner of A Pinch of Time Virtual Business Services, a company that provides professional virtual assistant support to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and growing organizations. Our mission is simple but powerful — to help business owners gain back time and generate value by focusing on the work that truly moves their business forward.
What excites me most is how we’ve evolved beyond traditional virtual assistant services. We recently developed a proprietary process called the CEO Strategic Assessment Tool, which helps us evaluate where a business owner fits within our CEO Strategic Maturity Model — a framework we designed to identify the systems, habits, and strategic needs of leaders at different growth stages.
This approach allows us to deliver support that’s not one-size-fits-all but truly strategic and scalable. It’s also opened doors to tiered service levels that align with client maturity and created a career path for our virtual assistants, helping them grow from task-based roles into strategic business partners.
We’re currently expanding this model across industries and plan to launch workshops that teach business owners how to delegate effectively, build operational infrastructure, and transition from “doing it all” to leading with clarity and confidence.
At A Pinch of Time, we believe that time is a business owner’s most valuable asset — and our purpose is to help them protect and multiply it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three Qualities That Shaped My Journey
Looking back, the three qualities that have had the greatest impact on my journey are resilience, strategic thinking, and relationship-building.
Resilience was the foundation. Early in my career, I faced challenges that tested my confidence and leadership — moments when I was the only one in the room who looked like me or questioned whether I belonged there. Learning to push forward, focus on performance, and not perception taught me that resilience isn’t about toughness; it’s about persistence and perspective.
Strategic thinking came next. As my responsibilities grew, I realized that working harder wasn’t enough — I had to work smarter. That’s what led to the creation of our CEO Strategic Assessment Tool and Maturity Model at A Pinch of Time. They help both business owners and virtual assistants think beyond daily tasks and focus on long-term growth and operational excellence.
Finally, relationship-building has been my superpower. Whether managing a team, partnering with clients, or mentoring virtual assistants, success has always come down to building trust and communicating clearly. People perform at their best when they feel seen, supported, and valued.
For anyone early in their journey, my advice is this: embrace the hard lessons — they’re building your resilience. Be curious and intentional — that’s how you sharpen your strategy. And nurture every connection — because the right relationships will open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Spendmore time with my family and friends, travel extensively around the world – my bucket list.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.apinchoftime.com
- Instagram: apinchoftimellc
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/Deborah-lansdowne
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
