We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shannon Baxter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shannon below.
Shannon, 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.
I think a better frame of the question for many of us that battle imposter syndrome isn’t how did you overcome it, but how do you face it and overcome it when that little birdie decides to hop up on your shoulder and chirp in your ear on a random Tuesday…
For me, imposter syndrome can be tied to so many different factors… is there a large task in front of me that feels overwhelming? Am I behind in daily work and it feels impossible to keep up? Am I comparing myself to a peer that I feel is excelling (in person or on social media)? How am I feeling about my relationships at the moment (personal and professional)? How is my self-esteem at the moment? How is my overall mental health?
When I find myself in that place of “I’m not good enough. Everyone does it better than me. When are they going to realize that I’m not who they think I am?,” it can be really hard to lift myself out.
When I was in the earlier part of my career, this feeling would be debilitating and could go on for days and weeks. It has taken years of building confidence and self-esteem, talking with peers dealing with similar issues, and life experience to get me to the point where I can now recognize it, feel it, then get myself back into a positive and productive state of mind.
First I take some time to think about what is triggering this (because 100% of the time, there is a specific triggering event). Then I ask myself, why is this triggering me and what part of it can I control? If I can identify the trigger and break down the overwhelming task(s) in front of me into bite-sized steps, that’s half the battle.
At the same time (and equally as important), I ask myself, how am I doing? Am I taking care of myself? Often when I’m in this place of self-doubt, the answer is no. I’m not eating right, sleeping well, getting enough exercise, watching my alcohol intake, and I’m usually isolating myself. I recognize that self care doesn’t look the same for everyone, but this is what it looks like for me, and through dozens of conversations with friends and other peers over the years, I think this is what it looks like for many of us.
I find that one of the best ways I can get out of my own head is to talk to a supportive peer. I have a few personal and industry friends on speed dial when I need a reboot. They are my cheerleaders, and I firmly believe that everyone in life needs a few cheerleaders! Someone to pick you up when you’re down, remind you of how much you’ve accomplished, and share their own struggles to remind you that you’re not alone, that you’re not the only one that feels this way, and that there is light ahead.
I’m now closer to fifty than I am to forty. I feel stronger and more confident every year, but it had taken a long time, and a lot of hard work and personal reflection to get here. And “here’ is miles from where I was 20+ years ago, when I started in this industry. My hope is that with continued reflection and growth, imposter syndrome, as it shows up in my life, becomes no more than a fleeting thought. My goal is to enter into my fifties more confident, professionally and personally, than I’ve ever been. Bye bye little birdie – fly away…
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have been in the interior design industry for over 20 years, as a designer and as a sales representative. Nearly 3 years ago, I took a risk and started my own multi-line rep business, SMB Contract.
I currently represent a handful of manufacturers, and work with interior design professionals to get my products specified into projects. My focus is the hospitality market segment (hotels, restaurants, country clubs). My goal is to create a seamless and collaborative experience, from start to finish, when working with a customer on a project.
The best part of my job are the interactions with the wonderful and creative people our industry, many of which I consider friends and have known for years. I love walking out of a meeting knowing that I’ve helped find a solution to sometimes simple, and sometimes complex, problem. I also can’t imagine another role where I would have had the privilege of touching so many projects over the years, in so many different ways.
As I enter year 3 of being in business as SMB Contract, my focus is on growth and expansion. I look forward to continue to work with my long-time customers, as well as uncover new opportunities. There is always something new happening at SMB Contract. Visit my website to stay up on the latest and greatest! www.smbcontract.com ~ Cheers
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Organization, confidence, and follow-through.
Organization is one of those areas that may feel basic, but can truly be an art to master. The largest obstacle that I have within organization is time-management. Spending time where it is most impactful, and avoiding procrastination.
Confidence. You need to have a level of confidence in yourself and your products/services so that your customers can feel comfortable and confident in their decision to work with you. Even if you feel you lack personal confidence, you can work to study and understand the product or service that you are selling and can be the “expert” to your customer. Being someone that your customer can rely on as an “expert” takes your relationship from something transactional to something collaborative.
I feel that follow-through is the most important quality in a relationship-based business. Doing what you say you’re going to do within the timeline that you set is once of the most impactful things you can do to build long-term trust.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Twelve Week Year – This book helps you to identify your top goals, break them down into bite-size, achievable tasks, and set real timelines to achieve each piece under the overarching goal. The philosophy is that you don’t need to wait for monthly, quarterly, or annual results. By the time to receive those, you’re already behind. If you look at your goals within a 12 week window, as opposed to what you want to achieve this year, you take control of your timeline and goals associated with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.smbcontract.com
- Instagram: @smbcontract
- Linkedin: Shannon Baxter
