Anonymous
10/24/2025 17:47
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Realize that many, many people are just kind of faking it or doing their best around you too.
Just because they have an MBA or their parents went to college does not make them more qualified than you.
Michelle Obama said something like this once, and I’m paraphrasing: I’ve been in the room with some of the “smartest” people in the room, and sometimes, they’re not that smart.
Just because they have an MBA or their parents went to college does not make them more qualified than you.
Michelle Obama said something like this once, and I’m paraphrasing: I’ve been in the room with some of the “smartest” people in the room, and sometimes, they’re not that smart.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 17:46
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Congratulations!!!
Anonymous
10/24/2025 17:27
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
"It's not about what you know, but who you know, that often determines success."
This applies. You got in now consider yourself lucky if you can keep up the charade.
This applies. You got in now consider yourself lucky if you can keep up the charade.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 16:50
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
This is the best story I have read in a long time. I absolutely love it.
You deserve this! You know the market and the customers and will help design the product to best sell to them and serve them! They chose you because that must show.
The only people who never feel like imposters are the imposters. Thats from an amazing book I highly recommend titles Likable Bad Ass.
You deserve this! You know the market and the customers and will help design the product to best sell to them and serve them! They chose you because that must show.
The only people who never feel like imposters are the imposters. Thats from an amazing book I highly recommend titles Likable Bad Ass.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 16:37
Subject: Re:MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Watch this a few times.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 16:33
Subject: Re:MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Congratulations! I have been where you are. Your family background has nothing to do with it--you have earned this and they wouldn't have asked you if they believe in you. They already know what your experience level is, so don't be afraid to ask questions and seek help. I've been a part of teams like this. Your Developers and QA already know what to do--you most likely need to manage the project. Brush up on Agile and PM skills and go with the flow. Research similar projects in your organization and follow what they did. Seek out the PMs from those projects for mentorship. You can do it!
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:51
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
"Fake it until you make it." Take the job. Being in the role will get easier over time. Do some confidence hacks like rooting into your feet into the floor and standing tall when you're around others, especially when speaking..Find a positive affirmation to say to yourself when nervous. Say stop when you hear the voice in your head doubting you. You will get there because you've already shown impressive smarts and drive.
By the way, the same ambition and drive is needed to be a municipal worker even if their career trajectory looks different and didn't include college. Those jobs are competitive and people need smarts to succeed there too.
Lots of people move away from their origins and it's a well-traveled road. You will learn how to navigate it. But first, take the job and don't be afraid to succeed.
By the way, the same ambition and drive is needed to be a municipal worker even if their career trajectory looks different and didn't include college. Those jobs are competitive and people need smarts to succeed there too.
Lots of people move away from their origins and it's a well-traveled road. You will learn how to navigate it. But first, take the job and don't be afraid to succeed.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:23
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Anonymous wrote:I come from a very very long line of men who are municipal employees (fireman, garbageman, janitor etc) and women who are either SAHM or secretaries. I was first gen college student, but really didn't know what I was doing and just got a bachelors in psychology because it was interesting...and $100k of debt to show for it. I graduated college in 2011.
From 2011-2018 I was a dog walker making $50k/yr. I decided to be the best dog walker I could by applying my psychology skills so I started tracking what motivated my customers - why were they choosing me as their walker, what made their lives easier, what was the sweet spot of my pricing? This made me an extra 20% that year.
So in 2019 I decided to open a dog walking agency with a friend and used my knowledge to staff dog walkers on jobs. We ran this until Jan 2023 when she stopped working to be a SAHM.
Jan 2023 a new dog walking app was becoming available so I messaged the CEO on LinkedIn about how much I know about the end user motivations, walkers experience, and business operators needs. I got hired for an entry level sales job. I recognized this as an opportunity to build a true career and I love learning so early on I basically just asked if I could help out in other areas or sit in on meetings- customer success, implementations, product meetings. Then after the meetings, I'd offer to be a sounding board and collaborator to whoever had action items to take away from that meeting. I've been happy working from home and making $85k.
Fast forward to yesterday. My supervisor just put a meeting on my calendar titled "check-in" and she let me know that there is a new role needing filled for Product Lead of the entire platform and the VP of Product had asked my boss if he can steal me to fill it. It was such a whirlwind convo and I'm still digesting, but they want me to jump in as early as next week and essentially they compiled a team of 3 developers, 2 QA testers, an implementation PM, and a support person and want me to lead the direction and launch of the next phase of the platform. Then I had a call at the end of the day with the VP and he said that all teams- product, dev, and support unanimously recommended me for the role. It pays $150k.
I feel like such an imposter- scared and unprepared and like good things don't just happen to me. And I've never seen anyone up close have a true career with growth and autonomy and idk wtf I'm doing. I'm a single mom of two daughters and really want to model better for them, but holy crap do I feel like a fraud.
*heading to the library to check out product related books*
You are not a fraud. This is what they talk about when they talk about career mobility and bootstraps. This is your chance and your family's chance to change it up from how it was before. You have passion for the product and the service which is rare and personal motivation to learn and better yourself which is even rarer.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:22
Subject: Re:MASSIVE imposter syndrome
You're just late to understanding. The good news is someone else noticed your talents before you were clear. Because you weren't trying to show off and get promoted, you know your effort is genuine and judged accordingly. Go get that job and that bag and remember they want YOU to lead that team, they could've picked someone from that other department if they were a good fit.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:20
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
You can do this! And $150 seems low for this work anyway. We all have impostor syndrome somedays.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:20
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Congrats! You got this. Set the imposter feelings aside. Say yes and get started.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:20
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Congrats OP! You know the company, you know the market, you can learn all the rest!
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:17
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
You can do this OP! Really
Anonymous
10/24/2025 11:03
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
Did you learn anything on your major about low self esteem?
Is your family of origin a patriarchy where you are not supposed to do better than your ancestors?
Get over yourself.
Dog walking for 7 years with a college degree is weird but you are entrepreneurial.
Is your family of origin a patriarchy where you are not supposed to do better than your ancestors?
Get over yourself.
Dog walking for 7 years with a college degree is weird but you are entrepreneurial.
Anonymous
10/24/2025 10:32
Subject: MASSIVE imposter syndrome
I come from a very very long line of men who are municipal employees (fireman, garbageman, janitor etc) and women who are either SAHM or secretaries. I was first gen college student, but really didn't know what I was doing and just got a bachelors in psychology because it was interesting...and $100k of debt to show for it. I graduated college in 2011.
From 2011-2018 I was a dog walker making $50k/yr. I decided to be the best dog walker I could by applying my psychology skills so I started tracking what motivated my customers - why were they choosing me as their walker, what made their lives easier, what was the sweet spot of my pricing? This made me an extra 20% that year.
So in 2019 I decided to open a dog walking agency with a friend and used my knowledge to staff dog walkers on jobs. We ran this until Jan 2023 when she stopped working to be a SAHM.
Jan 2023 a new dog walking app was becoming available so I messaged the CEO on LinkedIn about how much I know about the end user motivations, walkers experience, and business operators needs. I got hired for an entry level sales job. I recognized this as an opportunity to build a true career and I love learning so early on I basically just asked if I could help out in other areas or sit in on meetings- customer success, implementations, product meetings. Then after the meetings, I'd offer to be a sounding board and collaborator to whoever had action items to take away from that meeting. I've been happy working from home and making $85k.
Fast forward to yesterday. My supervisor just put a meeting on my calendar titled "check-in" and she let me know that there is a new role needing filled for Product Lead of the entire platform and the VP of Product had asked my boss if he can steal me to fill it. It was such a whirlwind convo and I'm still digesting, but they want me to jump in as early as next week and essentially they compiled a team of 3 developers, 2 QA testers, an implementation PM, and a support person and want me to lead the direction and launch of the next phase of the platform. Then I had a call at the end of the day with the VP and he said that all teams- product, dev, and support unanimously recommended me for the role. It pays $150k.
I feel like such an imposter- scared and unprepared and like good things don't just happen to me. And I've never seen anyone up close have a true career with growth and autonomy and idk wtf I'm doing. I'm a single mom of two daughters and really want to model better for them, but holy crap do I feel like a fraud.
*heading to the library to check out product related books*
From 2011-2018 I was a dog walker making $50k/yr. I decided to be the best dog walker I could by applying my psychology skills so I started tracking what motivated my customers - why were they choosing me as their walker, what made their lives easier, what was the sweet spot of my pricing? This made me an extra 20% that year.
So in 2019 I decided to open a dog walking agency with a friend and used my knowledge to staff dog walkers on jobs. We ran this until Jan 2023 when she stopped working to be a SAHM.
Jan 2023 a new dog walking app was becoming available so I messaged the CEO on LinkedIn about how much I know about the end user motivations, walkers experience, and business operators needs. I got hired for an entry level sales job. I recognized this as an opportunity to build a true career and I love learning so early on I basically just asked if I could help out in other areas or sit in on meetings- customer success, implementations, product meetings. Then after the meetings, I'd offer to be a sounding board and collaborator to whoever had action items to take away from that meeting. I've been happy working from home and making $85k.
Fast forward to yesterday. My supervisor just put a meeting on my calendar titled "check-in" and she let me know that there is a new role needing filled for Product Lead of the entire platform and the VP of Product had asked my boss if he can steal me to fill it. It was such a whirlwind convo and I'm still digesting, but they want me to jump in as early as next week and essentially they compiled a team of 3 developers, 2 QA testers, an implementation PM, and a support person and want me to lead the direction and launch of the next phase of the platform. Then I had a call at the end of the day with the VP and he said that all teams- product, dev, and support unanimously recommended me for the role. It pays $150k.
I feel like such an imposter- scared and unprepared and like good things don't just happen to me. And I've never seen anyone up close have a true career with growth and autonomy and idk wtf I'm doing. I'm a single mom of two daughters and really want to model better for them, but holy crap do I feel like a fraud.
*heading to the library to check out product related books*