BoldJourney is all about helping our audience and community level up by learning from the experiences of others. One of the most important topics we’ve been focused on sharing insights and lessons on is confidence building and self-esteem. Below, you’ll find some brilliant entrepreneurs and creatives sharing their perspectives and advice.

Marina Ingvarsson

My confidence developed through embracing challenges that initially scared me and learning from every failure. I realized that waiting to feel “ready” was holding me back, so I started saying yes to opportunities outside my comfort zone. Each small success built on the last one. Read More>>

Farah ‘Firefly’ Mitha

Honestly… I didn’t always have it. In fact, for most of my life, I silently battled what I now call an “invisible dis-ease”: the deep, painful belief that I wasn’t good enough.
From a young age, I became obsessed with being “better” — smarter, thinner, prettier, nicer — anything that might make me feel like I was finally enough. I thought if I got perfect grades and never made mistakes, I’d earn my worth. But all of that striving was coming from a place of fear, not love. Read More>>

Rachel Paes

I firstly understand that I’m extremely lucky that my parents helped me to begin my journey with healthy self-esteem. They always made me and my siblings feel like we were important and gave us the best opportunities to shine, each in our own light. Growing older though, many things can knock your self esteem. I remember really having to hone in on this quality when I got into my mid twenties and became a model. After getting signed to my first modeling agency, I remember getting rejection after rejection.  Read More>>

Kim Belverud

I developed my confidence and self-esteem simply by showing up and doing the thing. There is always going to be some amount of fear in doing something new. For me, once I was able to push beyond that fear, I found that even if I failed, I could pivot, try something new and find success in the unexpected. I had to take chances. I haven’t always been good at doing that because of my desire to succeed and fear of failure. But I’m also very stubborn, so that helps in keeping me going when I would otherwise want to quit. The confidence was built over time once I kept showing up and believed in what I was doing. Read More>>

Erin Micozzi

My confidence has developed with age and experience. I did not have a linear path as a professional artist – I took time off from making art, I worked in many different roles and my journey has led me down a range of career paths, many of which were not centered in creativity. Although many of these roles were not my “dream job”, I am grateful for each experience. With each new role I grew – I learned how to use my voice, advocate for myself, pivot and adapt. I learned how to work with people, remain accountable, and multitask. Read More>>

Stephanie Robilio

My confidence and self-esteem weren’t things I was born with – they were built. And for a long time, they were missing. I spent years silently struggling with my mental health, battling intrusive thoughts, perfectionism, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and this constant feeling that I wasn’t enough unless I was performing, fixing, or doing. Read More>>

Fayha Sheikh

A lot of my confidence and self-esteem comes from watching my parents, who immigrated to this country with very little but never gave up on building a better life. Their work ethic, resilience, and the way they created opportunities from nothing shaped my mindset. Seeing them face challenges with determination gave me the courage to start my dessert business, take risks, and believe in myself even when things felt uncertain. Read More>>

Tammy Jones

My confidence was first shaped in love—pure, affirming love that I experienced both at home and within my church. I grew up in a large family, but never felt lost in the crowd. I was seen. I was valued. And I was consistently reminded of who I was and who I was meant to be. My father, especially, poured into me with pride and constant affirmations. He told me often how proud he was of me, and those words took root. This sense of belonging, of being part of something greater, was a powerful force in shaping my confidence. Read More>>

Angela Wei

I used to be quite insecure in high school, especially as a student who was more specialized in certain subjects compared to the straight-A kids. That insecurity followed me all the way through college applications, until I experienced, for the first time, what it felt like to be truly seen and recognized for something I was good at. That external validation pulled me out of years of self-doubt and underestimating myself. Read More>>

Kendra Swalls

Confidence is always something I have struggled with both personally and professionally. However, over the last several years I have started working on ways to boost my confidence that have proven to be really helpful. One in particular is to focus on my growth. It’s so easy to get caught up in comparing yourself and your business to what others are doing and get lost in the imposter syndrome feelings.  Read More>>

Dana Spanierman

Becoming a confident and self-assured female entrepreneur didn’t happen overnight—it was a journey of growth, resilience, and self-discovery. In the early stages,

I built my confidence by taking consistent action, celebrating small wins, learning from failures, and surrounding myself with a supportive community of like-minded women and mentors. I stopped comparing my journey to others and began honoring my unique path. With every challenge I overcame, my self-esteem grew stronger. I learned to trust my intuition. Read More>>

Avai D’Amico

Experience is the primary source of my confidence. I haven’t just made a movie before, I’ve made dozens of movies. After each production, I reflect on what went well, what could’ve come out better, and what I can approach differently next time to improve. Practicing the craft over and over, and especially taking the time to look at the work objectively, is what I’ve found to be most helpful in gaining experience and confidence.  Read More>>

Bam-Bam Billa

I guess the simplest way to put it is that I started showing kindness to myself—but the journey to get there was far more complex.

As a teenager, I was insecure, coming from a dysfunctional family and had no grounding in the importance of self-love or self-respect. That lack of foundation led to years of self-destructive behaviour. Read More>>

REDD Q

I love this question. I developed my self esteem and confidence by learning what was appropriate to sacrifice in order to know myself truly. We are conditioned from birth to consent to many arbitray modifications of ourselves. This process exist as part of this unspoken social contract. We abide by the standards, modify ourselves, and in return social acceptance is easy to attain while self-esteem is side stepped entirely. Throughout multiple milestones in my life I have made the decision to in many ways disrupt that silent compliance.  Read More>>

Keyda Austin

My family, friends and educators poured into me from an early age. I was taught that competence builds confidence, not undeserved praise. My uniqueness and the things that I am good at were nurtured and celebrated. Independent thinking was modeled, allowing me to have a mind of my own. I was taught to know my worth before the world could define it for me. Read More>>

Jill Thurber

My confidence and self-esteem are ongoing, ever-changing part of who I am. There are aspects of what I do that I feel more confident in than others. At my core, I feel confident that I am a good person. I try each day to be present for my family first, spend time with my small circle of friends, and give back to my community when I can. I have become confident in my clinical skills as a child and adolescent psychologist based on years of experience, hours of dedicated training and time spent pursuing advanced degrees and certification.  Read More>>

Brody Tschida

One thing people tend to get wrong is thinking that mental health and mindset are only a small part of being successful. But I truly believe your mind has everything to do with your success. If you’re able to shift your mindset and create one centered around your goals, you can plan and attack those goals with real ambition. Read More>>

Versace Mitchell

Honestly, it came from pain first. Growing up, I went through a lot—abuse, foster care, and feeling like I had no control over anything. But over time, I started realizing that I’m still here for a reason. Music gave me a voice when I didn’t have one. Every verse I wrote, it was like I was building myself back up piece by piece. Read More>>

Shreyaa Sumi

I believe confidence and self-esteem are built from a place of authenticity, individuality, and empowerment. As a global model, actress, and media personality, I use my voice and platform to champion self-worth and inclusivity in every space I enter. Authenticity Over Perfection I embrace my imperfections—they are part of my journey, my story, my strength. True beauty lies in being unapologetically yourself, not in meeting unrealistic ideals. Diversity and Inclusion I stand for body positivity, cultural richness, and gender equality.  Read More>>

Elke Jeinsen

There was a time in my life when I didn’t yet know the power I carried inside me. That all changed when I became Miss Germany. Suddenly, I was placed in the spotlight—with cameras flashing, stages waiting, and thousands of eyes looking at me. I had no choice but to rise.

As I began modeling around the world, I learned more than just how to pose—I learned how to carry myself. I stood tall, I walked with purpose, and I began looking people directly in the eyes. At first, it was intimidating. But the more I did it—whether walking on stage or signing autographs—the more I realized: eye contact connects you. It shows people you are present, and that you believe in who you are. Read More>>

Kayla Jones

As a young Black woman, developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a journey shaped by both challenges and growth. I’ve had to deal with people trying to tear me down, question my abilities, or make me feel like I wasn’t enough. But instead of letting that break me, I used it as motivation to rise even higher. Read More>> 

Dela Moon

I always had good confidence and self-esteem in face-to-face situaltions BUT I had terrible stage fright when performing! In my early years my hands would shake and my heart rate and breathing would be out of control! When I played my closing downtempo sets out at Moontribe’s full moon gatherings, I would make the DJ before me keep playing until everyone left the dancefloor to chilling in their camps because I didn’t want the pressure of making people dance. Read More>>

Eddie Gamarra

I was always a talkative kid. My report cards would, year after year, admonish me for talking without raising my hand.
It was my experiences on the stage that gave me guidance on channeling that energy. From being the ringmaster in my kindergarten’s play about a circus, to community theater, from a high school Speeches & Presentation class to acting throughout college, I learned how to speak up and connect with an audience. Read More>>

Sonja Pemberton

I didn’t set out to master decision-making. In fact, for much of my early life, decisions were made for me by systems, assumptions, and societal labels I didn’t choose.

At eight years old, I overheard the words “illegitimate” and “bastard” used to describe children born to parents who weren’t married, and suddenly realized those words applied to me. That moment didn’t just sting; it reshaped how I saw myself and how I moved through the world.  Read More>>