Understanding and overcoming ‘Imposter Syndrome’
By John Corban
Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you are not as capable, qualified or deserving as others think you are, even when there is clear evidence that you are. It is that internal voice that says, ‘I don’t really know what I’m doing… I’ve just been lucky.’ And there is often an internal story that also says, ‘I’m not good enough to be running this business.’ Imposter syndrome does not always look dramatic or obvious. For a landscaper or horticulturist who has built a small team and is starting to grow, it often shows up quietly in day-to-day decisions and thoughts.
On the surface, things are going well, there is consistent work, a team of employees, and signs the business is moving forward. But internally, there can be a persistent feeling of, ‘I’m just a guy who can build gardens, not run a successful business.’
It is not a lack of ability. It is a gap between how the business has evolved and how the person still sees themselves.
That gap shows up in subtle ways. You might still feel the need to be on the tools all the time, working alongside your team, because that is what you have always done. Taking a step back to manage, plan, or lead can feel uncomfortable, almost like you’re not pulling your weight. It can also show up when pricing jobs. Even if demand is increasing and the quality of work is strong, there can be hesitation to charge more. Quoting higher prices might feel like, this is too much. So instead, prices stay lower than they should, not because the work is not worth more, but because the identity has not caught up with the reality of the business.
With a team involved, this feeling can lead to micromanaging. You might find yourself double-checking everything, stepping in to fix small issues, or redoing work rather than guiding someone else to improve. It is not really about the team; it is about not fully trusting yourself in the role of a leader yet. Underneath all of this is a deeper, ‘I’m kind of winging this’ thought that is hard to shake. Even when things are working, and even when clients are happy, there can be a sense that you are not a ‘real’ business owner. But this is not a sign that something is wrong. It is actually a sign that something is changing.
Becoming the business owner
What is really happening is an identity shift. The business has moved from being just you doing the work to something bigger, an operation with people, systems and responsibility, but your internal sense of self is still catching up to that new reality.
In other words, you are no longer just a landscaper or horticulturist. You are becoming someone who runs a landscaping or maintenance business. That shift does not happen overnight.
The way forward
The way forward is not about trying to feel more confident first. Confidence tends to follow action. What matters more is starting to act in alignment with the person you are becoming, even if it feels slightly uncomfortable at first. That might mean trusting your team to complete a job without stepping in all the time, even if it is not done exactly how you would do it. It might mean setting a price that reflects the true value of the work and holding it, rather than second-guessing and then dropping price. It will mean spending time planning the business, organising jobs, and thinking ahead, instead of filling every hour with physical work.
At first, these actions can feel unnatural, almost like you are pretending, but quickly, something shifts. The more you make decisions, take responsibility, and see things work without you doing everything yourself, the more your sense of self begins to update. You start to trust your judgment. You begin to see that the business does not rely on you doing everything, it relies on you leading it. And the feeling of being an imposter fades, not because you have reached some perfect level, but because your actions have proven to you that this is who you are now. You allowed your internal identity of a business owner or a succeeding business owner to match what you have already started building.
John Corban
Landscapers Coach
M: 0433 271 980
E: john@landscaperscoach.com.au