Why Imposter Syndrome Isn’t a Personal Failure — It’s a Pattern You Can Change
THE HEART OF THIS TALK
Entrepreneurs don’t fail because they “lack confidence.”
They get stuck because their internal parts are working overtime.
Using the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, Dottie teaches founders how to recognize the
wounded parts driving imposter syndrome and the protector parts that show up as procrastination, overworking, people-pleasing, or never feeling “ready enough.”
This keynote uncovers what’s happening beneath the surface — and gives entrepreneurs usable tools to break the cycle.
ABOUT DOTTIE KELLY
As a licensed professional counselor with 20+ years of experience treating trauma, anxiety, depression, and major life transitions, Dottie has supported children, adolescents, adults,
active-duty military, veterans, and first responders through some of life’s hardest moments.
Her therapeutic toolkit includes IFS, EMDR, ART, Brainspotting, expressive arts, and mind-body techniques — all designed to reduce distress and restore internal safety.
Dottie’s work is grounded in one truth:
Your internal world shapes your external success.
WHAT THIS TALK COVERS
1. The Real Source of Imposter Syndrome
- Why entrepreneurship activates old wounds
- How “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll fail” messages get formed
- How parts unconsciously run the show
2. Meet the Parts Running Your Business
- The Wounded Parts: the origins of self-doubt
- The Protectors: procrastination, overworking, perfectionism, avoidance
- How these survival strategies block clarity, momentum, and visibility
3. The IFS Framework for Entrepreneurs
- Why IFS is uniquely effective for founders under constant pressure
- How to differentiate “Self energy” from a protective pattern
- How to build compassion for the parts working too hard
4. Tools You Can Use Immediately
Attendees walk away with a practical, beginner-friendly guide to:
- Spotting triggers in the moment
- Identifying which part is actually making the decision
- Interrupting self-sabotage before it spirals
- Re-centering in Self so actions are aligned, calm, and grounded
A deeper, expanded toolkit is available after the session for those who opt into the follow-up resource library.
ATTENDEE TAKEAWAYS
By the end of this session, entrepreneurs will understand how to:
- Decode their imposter syndrome instead of fighting it
- Work with their internal system rather than against it
- Break recurring patterns of procrastination, overworking, or avoidance
- Build a more confident, grounded, and sustainable approach to growth
- Make decisions from clarity instead of fear
WHO THIS KEYNOTE IS FOR
Entrepreneurs, founders, small-business owners, and creatives who:
- Feel held back by self-doubt
- Struggle with productivity or consistency
- Are exhausted by over-functioning
- Want a healthier internal foundation for long-term business success
BOOK THIS KEYNOTE
Bring this session to your accelerator, conference, mastermind, or entrepreneurial community.
Your audience will leave with powerful clarity — and the emotional tools to finally move forward.
