When people ask me what it’s like running a business, I always answer honestly: it’s not easy, and at times, it’s scary. Not the “watching horror films alone in the dark” kind of scary – but the “I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m doing it anyway” kind of scary. And the truth is, that fear doesn’t disappear just because you get good at what you do.

What’s Scary About Running a Business?

Fear changes shape over time. When I first started NLP4Kids, my first big fright was building a website. Sounds minor now, doesn’t it? But at the time, it felt like launching a spaceship 🚀. Then came working with my very first client – the nerves, the pressure to deliver, the fear of “what if I mess this up?”

And just as you get a handle on one fear, a new one knocks at the door. Social media. Raising your prices. Managing increasingly complex client issues. Then came even bigger leaps: taking on my first employee, becoming VAT registered, securing an office space, launching online programmes, and later, buying a property for the business.

Each milestone comes with its own flavour of fear. Every time you level up, your worries do too.

You won’t outgrow fear in business – but you will learn how to dance with it.

That’s where the support of a coaching franchise like NLP4Kids makes all the difference.

Because here’s what I’ve learned after years in this world: you can coast along if that’s what you want. You can take the toolkit we give you, see a few clients, and do “enough.” That’s a valid path. But most people who join us aren’t looking for “enough.” They’re looking for impact, purpose, and long-term security – all the things that come from stepping out of comfort and into growth.

And growth, my friend, is never without its scary moments.

Why Fear Means You’re Doing It Right

If you’re feeling anxious about starting a coaching franchise, that might actually be the best sign you’re ready. It means you’re aware of what’s at stake. You care. You’re alert. Fear is just the shadow of potential trying to get your attention.

The world our young clients live in is constantly changing – mental health challenges, educational struggles, neurodivergence, technology addictions. To support them well, we must stay adaptable. That means staying open to learning and letting go of “I have to get this perfect.”

Running a coaching franchise like NLP4Kids isn’t about being fearless – it’s about being courageous. And courage isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s quietly showing up, day after day, willing to be a beginner again and again.

Fear isn’t the problem. Trying to avoid it is.

You Don’t Have to Be Alone in It

So let me reassure you. If you choose to join the NLP4Kids family, you’re not starting from scratch. You’ll have systems, resources, guidance, and a whole community of fellow franchisees who have been through it and survived to tell the tale.

Your fear might say “this is too big for me.” But our coaching franchise model says, “Let us break it down together.” We’ve trained people from all walks of life – teachers, parents, corporate professionals – and helped them turn their calling into a career.

Yes, fear will show up. But it doesn’t get to drive. You do.

And we’ll be right beside you, sat-nav at the ready, guiding you every mile of the way. 💡

by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)

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