entrepreneurs

You Don’t Have to Be a Celebrity to Join the A-List

By Laura Berman Fortgang on March 29, 2026

You Don’t Have to Be a Celebrity to Join the A-List
But you do have to act like one.

Here’s what I see coaches and entrepreneurs doing every single day. They’re talented. They create genuine transformations in people’s lives. Yet they’re out there hustling, discounting their prices, watering down their message, trying to reach everybody. They’re treating their business like an open audition that never ends.

I want to ask them one question: What are you auditioning for?

Meryl Streep doesn’t send in audition tapes. Denzel Washington doesn’t line up in hope. At a certain level of this game, we’ve got to stop asking, “Will they pick me?” and start asking, “Do I want to work with them?” That shift — right there — is the A-List mentality.

You don’t get on the A-List by earning it.
You get there by deciding you’re on it, and then bringing it into fruition.

THE PROOF

I’ve had some incredible opportunities in my career, and none of them came the way you might expect. I got to be on the Oprah Winfrey Show. I have a TEDx talk with over two million views. My first book? They asked me to write it. I didn’t send a single query letter.

None of it came from spending all my time trying to engineer my way to the next level. It came from one thing: Showing up one hundred percent, every single time.

Not 90% because I was tired. Not 80% because the fee wasn’t what I wanted. A hundred percent, consistently, and without questioning whether I belonged. Look — I’m human. There are moments of doubt. There are moments of “Who am I to be doing this?” But you’ve got to put those thoughts out of your head as fast as possible. Certainty isn’t a feeling that arrives. It’s a decision you make.

THE 6 RULES OF THE A-LIST

The A-List isn’t something other people deem you worthy of. It’s something you deem yourself worthy of. Here’s how A-List coaches and entrepreneurs actually operate:

They own their niche without apology.

Trying to serve everybody is a hiding strategy. When you’re vague, you’re hiding. Pick your lane; plant your flag. The more specific you are, the more magnetic you become, and the easier it is for the right people to find you.

They set their own terms.

A-Listers aren’t auditioning. They ask for money with the same energy they’d order coffee at Starbucks — no doubt, no hype – just matter of fact. The ideal client doesn’t want the cheapest deal; they want the best.

They protect their energy like it’s a contract clause.

Every yes to the wrong thing is a no to the right thing. A-Listers have learned to create a certain amount of scarcity in the market; not because they’re playing games, but because their time genuinely costs something. That’s the signal.

They never question the room.

They don’t walk into a space wondering if they belong. Their energy precedes them. Certainty — and I’ve said this before — is not a feeling that comes to you. It’s a decision you make. You decide you belong. The energy in a room shifts around that belongingness. It is the most underrated business strategy alive.

They build visibility on purpose.

Being excellent in private gives you a hobby business. Being excellent in public gives you a real one. Write the thing. Take the stage. Post the idea. The world can’t ask for you by name if it doesn’t know your name.

They raise their standard of proximity.

You can’t think A-List thoughts in B-List rooms. It’s who you hang out with, who you’re in conversation with, who you mentor with. Put yourself in the environment that matches where you’re going, not just where you’ve been.

THE DECISION

Here’s what all six of those rules have in common: None of them require a publicist. None require a huge following. None require you to wait until you feel ready because the feeling of ready is often the story fear tells you to stay comfortable.

All they require is a decision. A decision that you’re done shrinking. Done discounting. Done explaining yourself to people who weren’t going to get it anyway. Done auditioning for opportunities that should be auditioning for you.

The A-List begins with you deciding you’re on it. It’s not waiting for you. It’s a decision you make.

Here’s the question I want to leave you with:

What would you do differently today if you already knew you were the person people ask for by name?

Go do that. Start now!

Why Rejection Is the Road — Not the Roadblock

By Laura Berman Fortgang on March 22, 2026

How many of you have experienced rejection in the last six months?
Didn’t get the job you wanted.
Got passed over for the promotion.
Couldn’t close the sale.
If your hand went up, you’re in good company, and you’re exactly who this is for.

Here’s the reframe that changes everything:
Rejection is not the problem. Rejection is the path.

Michael Jordan did not make the cut for his high school basketball team. Harry Potter was rejected at dozens of publishers before getting a yes.

Rejection is not the obstacle standing between you and success; it’s the way to success. The most successful people in any field — job seekers, salespeople, entrepreneurs, executives going after the next level — aren’t the ones who avoid rejection. They’re the ones who recover from it the fastest. Let’s talk about how to do that.

The Two Traps

Before we get to the recovery, you need to recognize the two traps people fall into when they get rejected.

Trap One: Taking it personally. You don’t get the job, and suddenly you’re sure you’re on the wrong path. You lose the sale, and you decide entrepreneurship is not the path for you. You get passed over, and you start to spiral and question your worth. Here’s the truth: That’s a story you’re telling yourself — it’s not a fact. There’s a difference between what happened and the meaning you assign to it. When you collapse a single rejection into a verdict on your entire value, you’ve gone from interpreting a moment to building a case against yourself. Don’t do it.

Trap Two: Brushing it off completely. The opposite problem. You shake it off, tell yourself it was their loss, and move on without extracting anything useful. Resilience is a strength, but not if it means ignoring information that could help you improve. There’s always something to learn. Skipping that step means you’ll face the same wall again.

The answer is to make rejection useful.

A Three-Step Recovery Process

Step 1: Feel it — but set a timer. Rejection is a real emotional experience. Don’t suppress it. Give yourself a window — an hour, a day — to feel disappointed. You’re human, and disappointment is a reasonable response. But when the window closes, close it. You are not your last no.

Step 2: Mine it for data. Ask yourself one question: What’s the one thing I can learn from this? Not ten things – just one. Were you under prepared? Was your pitch unclear? Did you need stronger follow-through? Do you need more training on closing? One honest insight — without defensiveness — is worth more than a dozen rationalizations. Be direct with yourself.

Step 3: Recalibrate, then move quickly. Adjust what the data tells you to adjust, and keep everything else. Then get moving. The longer you sit still after rejection, the heavier it gets. Momentum is the cure for rejection paralysis. Don’t let a no turn into weeks of inaction.

The Number Game Nobody Talks About

Here’s a concept from the world of sales that applies to every pursuit: The cost per no.

If you know that you close one in every ten prospects, and each closed deal is worth $1,000, then every single rejection was worth $100 on the way to that thousand. You’re not just tolerating rejection. You’re getting paid for it. Each no is moving you closer to the yes.

The same math works in a job search, a promotion campaign, or any meaningful pursuit. The job market right now is tough; most people know that. But the answer isn’t to stop putting yourself out there. It’s to understand that every interview that doesn’t land is part of the sequence that eventually does.

So change the question. Stop asking, “Why did they say no?”
Start asking, “How many more no’s do I need before I get to my yes?”
That’s not denial. That’s strategy.

Rejection is part of the game, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a job seeker, or someone gunning for the next level in your career. It’s not a sign you’re on the wrong path. Most of the time, it’s a sign you’re on exactly the right one. You’re just not at the end of it yet.

Keep going!

Faith vs. Fear: What Really Drives Us?

By Laura Berman Fortgang on March 1, 2026

Today I want to dive into something that’s been coming up frequently in my recent coaching conversations: The tension between faith and fear. I’m not talking about religious faith necessarily (though if that’s your thing, I deeply admire it). I’m talking about something more fundamental – the choice we make every single day about which voice we’re going to listen to.

The State of Things

Let’s be real: There’s a lot happening right now. The global economy is doing its unpredictable dance. The world feels heavy with uncertainty. For those of you stepping into entrepreneurship or searching for your next career opportunity, the unknown can feel absolutely overwhelming.

I work with people every day who are navigating these choppy waters, and I see the fear is real. The questions are legitimate. The worry isn’t unfounded. Here’s what I’ve learned after years of coaching and living through my own entrepreneurial journey; it’s not about whether fear shows up. It’s about your relationship with it.

Fear: The Blob vs. The Mosquito Bite

Remember that old 1950s horror movie with the blob? That amorphous glob of goo oozing down the street, consuming everything in its path? That’s what fear looks like when we let it take us over. It becomes this all-consuming force that colors everything we see, every decision we make, every step we take (or don’t take).

But fear doesn’t have to be the blob.

What if fear was more like a mosquito bite? You feel it – that little sting, that moment of “ouch, that’s uncomfortable” – and then you acknowledge it, maybe scratch it for a second, and move on with your day. You don’t let it ruin your entire outdoor experience. You don’t run inside and hide because mosquitoes exist.

The difference between these two experiences?
Your relationship with fear.

What Fear Actually Sounds Like

Here’s the thing about fear:
It’s sneaky. It disguises itself as “just being realistic” or “protecting yourself.”

But listen to the voice:
“You’re not good enough.”
“Other people do it better; nobody needs to hear from you.”
“Who are you to think you can do this?”

That’s fear talking. When we let that voice dominate, we’re operating from a place of scarcity, of lack, of limitation.

What Does Faith Sound Like?

Faith (I’m using this word whether you’re spiritual, religious, or neither) is belief in yourself. It’s belief in possibility.

It’s the voice that says:
“I’m learning and growing.”
“My perspective matters.”
“I’m taking the right actions; it’s just a matter of time.”

Faith is what you have when you plant a seed in the ground. You don’t dig it up every day to check if it’s growing. You trust that with the right conditions – water, sunlight, time – that seed will find its way to the surface. You have faith in the process.

If you’re building a business, looking for a job, or pursuing any significant goal, you’re planting seeds. Every action you take, every connection you make, every skill you build, are seeds. Faith is trusting that they’ll grow.

But What If You’re Deluded?

Here’s where it gets interesting. Someone always asks: “But what if I’m just fooling myself? What if I’m going down the wrong path, and I’m too deluded to see it?”

Valid question.
Here’s the answer: Engage with people who know more than you.

Work with mentors.
Consult experts.
Connect with people who’ve walked the path before you.
Get feedback.
Adjust your course.

When you’re taking the right actions and getting guidance from people who know the terrain, you’re not deluded. You’re informed, you’re strategic, and you’re building faith on a foundation of smart decisions.

The delusion isn’t in believing in yourself.
The delusion is in thinking you can succeed while ignoring all wisdom and feedback.
Big difference!

Introducing COPE: Your Framework for Managing Fear

Because I’m a coach and I love a good acronym, I’ve developed a framework for working with fear.
It’s called COPE, and here’s how it works:

C – Catch Yourself

The moment you notice fear creeping in, catch it. Name it. Say out loud if you need to: “Oh, that’s just fear. I see you.” Don’t let it become the blob. Turn it into the mosquito bite. Acknowledge it and move on.

O – Open

Be open to not knowing. Here’s a wild thought: If you’re going to be convinced of an outcome you can’t actually predict, why are you so committed to believing it will be negative? Why not invest that same energy in believing it could work out? You’re making up a story either way – make it a good one.

P – Possibility

Invest in possibility. This isn’t about wearing rose-colored glasses or ignoring reality. It’s about recognizing that if the idea exists in your mind, if the goal calls to you, there’s a reason. Possibility is real. As a coach, I live in the land of possibility because I’ve seen it proven true over and over again. Your dreams wouldn’t exist if they weren’t possible.

E – Exhale

Seriously, just breathe. Stop holding your breath. Release the tension in your shoulders. It’s going to be okay. This exhale is what having faith feels like in your body.

Faith and Fear Can Coexist

Here’s something important: You don’t have to eliminate fear to have faith. They can exist at the same time. In fact, they usually do. The goal isn’t to be fearless; the goal is to act with intention and faith while acknowledging that fear is along for the ride.

You can feel scared and still send the email.
You can worry about the outcome and still show up.
You can doubt yourself and still take the next step.
That’s not contradiction – that’s being human.

Your Challenge

I want you to pay attention to your internal dialogue. Notice when fear is speaking. Catch it. Open yourself to not knowing the outcome. Invest in possibility and exhale.

Practice COPE. See what shifts.

Because here’s the truth:
You’re doing better than you think. You’re further along than you realize.
The seeds you’re planting right now? They’re going to grow.

Have faith.

Visibility – Make This Your Year to Be Visible

By Laura Berman Fortgang on February 22, 2026

Visibility creates opportunity. It’s that simple.

When you show up consistently – whether in meetings, on social media, or at networking events – you put yourself in the right place at the right time. Those “lucky breaks” people talk about? They happen because someone chose to be visible.

Why Visibility Matters

Visibility builds trust and credibility over time. When people see you regularly, they begin to recognize your expertise and value. And here’s the thing: visibility compounds. The more you show up, the more opportunities find their way to you. Careers are built on this foundation.

How to Build Visibility as an Employee

If you work in a company, visibility starts with speaking up. Make sure you get credit for your great work. Contribute thoughtfully in meetings – not just to be heard, but to add real value.

Volunteer for high-visibility projects. Not the ones nobody else wants, but the strategic initiatives that will showcase your skills and get you noticed by decision-makers. Build relationships across departments and levels. Your network inside your organization is just as important as the one outside it.

How to Build Visibility as an Entrepreneur

Show up on platforms where your ideal clients are, but don’t stop there.
Get involved in your community.
Volunteer for opportunities that put you in front of the right people.

Make it easy for people to understand exactly what you do. I recently worked with a new coach who attended one networking meeting, made themselves visible to the group’s leader, and landed a speaking engagement that will put them in front of hundreds of potential clients. That’s the power of visibility.

Remember:
There’s visibility on a small scale (one-on-one relationships) and visibility on a larger scale (platforms and speaking).
Both matter.

For Those Who Hate Being Visible

Let me be honest: Being self-conscious is a little egotistical.
You’re assuming everyone is judging you probably because you’re judging yourself and others.
Get straight with yourself.
Stop judging yourself.
Stop judging other people.

You need to adopt a healthy “I don’t care” attitude. Not that you don’t care enough to do good work, but you can’t care so much about what others think that you hide your light.

Here’s the key: You need a mission bigger than you.
When you focus on the impact you want to make and the people you want to serve, visibility becomes about that mission, not about you.

And introverts, I don’t want to hear that you can’t be visible.
You just need to know yourself, do things your way, and stay connected to your bigger purpose.

Common Visibility Mistakes

Assuming good work speaks for itself.
It doesn’t. You need to share your wins, whether you’re presenting results to your boss or sharing client success stories on LinkedIn.

Confusing visibility with bragging.
They’re not the same thing. Sharing your accomplishments and expertise is not bragging; it’s informing people about what you can do and who you can help.

Being inconsistent.
Disappearing for long periods and then showing up only when you need something (a sale, a favor, a promotion) doesn’t work. Consistency builds trust.

Your Action Step

We’re still in the energy of a new year. Make this your year to be visible.
Be consistent.
Put yourself forward.
Don’t be afraid to be vocal about your accomplishments.

Visibility creates opportunity, and opportunity is what you’re after.

The Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster: How to Ride It (And Actually Survive)

By Laura Berman Fortgang on February 8, 2026

If you’ve ever been on a roller coaster, you know that moment right before the first drop – you grip the bar, your stomach tightens, you take a deep breath, and you wonder what the heck you just got yourself into.

Welcome to entrepreneurship.

Except this ride lasts years instead of minutes. There’s no operator doing safety checks. You can’t see the track ahead. And the drops? They’re steeper than anything at Six Flags.

After 32 years of running my own business, I can tell you this: The roller coaster never really smooths out. You just get better at riding it. That’s what I want to share with you today – how to not just survive the ride, but actually thrive on it.

Build Your Reserves (Both Kinds)

First things first: You need cushions for the falls. I’m talking about two types of reserves that most entrepreneurs overlook.

Financial reserves are the obvious one, but let me be specific. You need at least six months of operating expenses, plus personal savings. Not the optimistic spreadsheet version where everything goes perfectly. You need the realistic version where your biggest client ghosts you or that investor pulls out at the last minute.

I run my business on a ten-month year. Not because I take two months off, but because I know things will fluctuate and some months will be lean. Building in that buffer keeps me from making decisions out of desperation.

Here’s what most people miss: Emotional reserves. This is your hobbies, your relationships, exercise, meditation, therapy – whatever fills your tank. The entrepreneurs who burn out aren’t the ones who work hard; they’re the ones who work hard with an empty emotional tank. When you have people you can talk to, activities that restore you, and a life outside your business, you create an emotional cushion that lets you weather the storms.

You can’t pour from an empty cup, so protect both reserves like your business depends on it because it does.

On Low Days: Do ONE Thing That Moves the Needle

There will be days when you wake up convinced you’ll never get another client.
When the weight of it all feels crushing.
When you question everything.

On those days, forget your massive to-do list.
Pick ONE thing that will actually move the needle and do that.

Not busy work. Not cleaning your desk or organizing files. One meaningful action: Make that scary sales call, have that critical conversation you’ve been avoiding, fix that tech bug that’s been haunting you, send that partnership proposal.

Here’s the magic: Mood follows action. We’re often waiting for the mood to hit us before we take action. But it works the opposite way. You don’t need to feel motivated to act; you act and the motivation follows. Take the action first, and watch your mood improve.

After a Win: Attack, Don’t Relax

This might be the most counterintuitive advice, but it’s critical. Your most dangerous moment isn’t after a failure; it’s after a success.

You just closed a major client. You just hit your revenue target. Every instinct tells you to take your foot off the gas, to relax a little, to enjoy the moment.

Don’t.

Celebrate that evening, absolutely. But the very next day? Double down. Already in a good mood? Take more action. Make another call. Close another client. Do something that makes a difference while you’re riding that high.

Here’s why: Wins create momentum, open doors, and boost confidence. You’re never more attractive to potential clients, partners, or investors than right after a visible success. Use that fuel. Don’t let it evaporate.

Know the Difference: Dip or Dead End?

Not every low point is worth pushing through. Seth Godin talks about “The Dip,” that valley between starting something and mastering it where most people quit. Winners push through strategic dips because there’s something valuable on the other side.

But dead ends are different. A dead end is when the market fundamentally doesn’t want what you’re selling, when the economics will never work, when there’s nothing pointing to it coming back.

The hard part? They feel the same in the moment.

That’s why you need trusted advisors – friends, coaches, mentors – who can help you see clearly. People who will tell you the truth when you need to hear it because it’s really hard for us to know the difference between a dip and a dead end when we’re the ones on the ride.

Hold On Tight

The ride is terrifying.
The ride is exhilarating.
For those of us crazy enough to strap in, it leads to something incredible: freedom.

You get better at riding it.
You build your reserves.
You take action when you’re low.
You attack when you’re high.
You surround yourself with people who help you know when to push through and when to pivot.

Buckle up, buttercup.
This is what you signed up for, and it’s worth every twist and turn.

How to Stop Imposter Syndrome in Its Tracks

By Laura Berman Fortgang on October 1, 2023

Do you ever feel like an imposter?

Are you sometimes afraid that someone’s going to discover you have no idea what you’re doing — that you’re not the expert you proclaim to be, you’re not as skilled as you’ve made yourself out to be, and you’re not quite qualified to be in the position you’ve found yourself in?

Maybe you’re worried that you don’t measure up somehow, so it makes you feel like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.

Here’s what this looks like.

Them: We’d like to interview you [for a dream job]!
You: Maybe they didn’t notice I don’t have enough experience.

Them: Congratulations! We’d like to offer you the [dream] job.
You: I’ll surely be fired by Tuesday, once they figure out I’m a fraud.

Them: We’ve selected your proposal to speak at the next conference.
You: Oh no! I’m probably going to make a fool out of myself.

Them: I’m looking for a coach, and I’d love to work with you.
You: But what if I can’t help you get results, and you tell everyone I’m a con?

I’m not a doctor, but as a Master Certified Credentialed Coach with 30 years of experience, I can confidently assess what’s happening here.

Imposter Syndrome

Don’t worry; it’s not fatal to your career or success.

Most people struggle with it from time to time, and it’s entirely “treatable.”

If you feel like your Imposter Syndrome is flaring up, here’s what I suggest you do —

Pause and accept what’s happening. No sense in ignoring the symptoms. Denying it only makes things worse by trying to overcompensate.
Learn to recognize your triggers (comparisons, someone else’s recent success) and how you respond, so you can head it off at the pass. Before you go into a full-on panic, tell yourself, “This is just imposter syndrome flaring up again. Nothing alarming. You can do this.”
Notice your self-talk. As soon as you start beating yourself up, STOP. It may sound easier said than done, but you can tell yourself “no.” No more negative self-talk; you’re not listening.
Ask yourself what success looks like. Are you trying to measure up to a perfect ideal? Scratch that and aim for progress instead.
Keep learning. The best way to keep Imposter Syndrome at bay is to continue seeking out new knowledge and ways of doing things, evolving, and growing your skill set.
Celebrate wins! I can’t say enough about this. Remind your brain that you’re doing good things.

Do this again and again, every time Imposter Syndrome starts to creep up, and you’ll start experiencing it less and less.

Don’t get caught up in calling yourself an expert. Instead of thinking of yourself as someone who’s supposed to know everything, think of yourself as someone who makes it your business to learn everything you can about your particular topic of choice.

You’re not an imposter, so keep showing up as the best of who you are. You’ve got this!