Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abby Borden. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Abby, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
My career in Events started working for well-established catering and production companies. I started as an assistant, then coordinator, and made my way up in each position, learning as much as I could. Each time, I always thought “someday, I’ll go out on my own.” I observed how they made decisions, the teams they built, and sometimes would think “if I was the boss, I would have done that different” or “I think there’s a better way”… but they remained thoughts. “Someday, I’ll start my own company, make my own decisions” but always stopped there, reasoning “I don’t have enough experience yet, I am still too young, I’m not ready…” I had been working in events for six years, quickly promoted with solid vendor relationships – but I still took zero actions because I thought for all those reasons – I would be a fraud.
For many reasons, including this frustration and self doubt within my career, I chose to take a personal development program called the Landmark Forum. There, the coach asked – “when is that someday? How much longer are you willing for this to go on?” I answered, “I don’t want it to go on!” Then she said, “so when are you going to do something about it?” “Monday.”
In that moment, I saw I was holding onto the fear, and the doubt – and it was never anyone else’s fault. I just hadn’t taken any actions towards my going out on my own. In other words – I had procrastinated this for a long long time with a ton of reasons. So, that Monday, I let my boss know that I wanted to go out on my own and freelance full time. It was terrifying, until he said “that’s great for you! Let’s make this your two weeks, and I’ll be your first client so you can finish what’s on your plate as a freelancer.”
And since that moment, I’m reminded that ‘imposter syndrome’ – only exists with me. No one has ever said out loud “you’re not ready” or “you can’t do that” or “you don’t have enough experience” – EVER! I’ve only said it to myself, and I’m the only one who’s ever been in my way.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Growing up, I was lucky enough to live in different countries around the world. As I got older, foods that I enjoyed when I was younger became nostalgic. Those early food memories became an asset as I worked in catering amongst Chefs who were tasked with inventing new menus or inspired by a theme.
Chefs are artists. It takes a creative mind to be able to gather all the flavors, hone in the techniques, and execute a masterpiece – just as an artist would with paint, brushes, and a canvas. It’s a broad statement, but I’ve observed that Artists don’t thrive in structure, and they certainly don’t want to manage the logistics and budgets around what they’re making… so that’s where I come in. I’m an event producer, who specializes in food & beverage!
I have loved consulting with chefs in executing large catering projects outside their restaurants, as well as pairing the right culinary talent with the ‘foodie’ clientele.
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?
Some golden nuggets –
1. Wherever you are in your career, always maintain a good first impression. You never know when that client or vendor may come up again (industry networks can be smaller than you think!)
2. While you want to say yes to everything early on in your business – you’ll know you’ve graduated when you can BE PICKY. When you work on projects that spark joy and creativity in you, it will show up in the execution.
3. TRY IT. Funnily enough, while I work in food now, I was a picky eater as a child who said I was “allergic to vegetables”. Now, I will try anything once – which has expanded my palette, and on occasion surprised me! (Can you believe brussels sprouts were ever “gross”?!)
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I mentioned it earlier, but The Landmark Forum has been the most helpful in my overcoming any obstacles that come up in my life. It’s a weekend course that has you reflect on your beliefs about yourself, your history, and has you think about it in a different way. That new view has unlocked A LOT for me, and I highly recommend it. There isn’t a book – because the only person who knows the most about you and your life, is you.
Some things I got out of it – the ability to make decisions without doubting myself, being present in my life rather than ‘living for the weekend’, self confidence, gratitude, and taking responsibility for how my life goes (which has greatly reduced all procrastination).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tablesetgo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tableset_go
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/abbyborden
Image Credits
Image Credits to: Line8Photography, TableSetGoLLC, Monica Linda, GirlSquadInc, Amy Haberland Photography
