I had an interesting chat this week with a young woman from Botswana, fresh out of University, about a business idea she had. We connected after a stimulating panel session on MSME success that I hosted at the GEC+Africa conference. She walked me through the idea and we discussed the importance of verifying client demand before building a solution to match the market opportunity.

Answers to the question “what’s holding you back” were many, but we didn’t have time to get to the deeper reality which was that she was afraid. As we all are when first starting out. Afraid of the unknown, of failure, that maybe she didn’t have what it takes to start and grow a business.

I wish that we had been able to sit together for longer so that I could have watered her belief in abundance. The knowledge that she has the entrepreneurial spark in her and with it, the ability to turn an idea into prosperity and dreams into reality.

Leadership confidence and self-belief is the most powerful driver of business success. As mentors and coaches we know this. As Business acceleration specialists we know this. Success is seldom just about planning, or skills training or even access to markets and finance. Its not about the mechanics.

Success is a lever that sits inside us – that is either switched or off depending on our inner belief. That is why I, and those around me place so much attention on nurturing the inner soul of the entrepreneur. How you feel as the leader is what governs your road to success. Our attitude determines our altitude – the height and size of our success.

Let’s remember this when we speak to each other, and to entrepreneurs that are struggling to bring their dreams to light.