"Fake It Till You Make It", If You Can. Most people can't. | Hattie Willis, Expert Startup Operator
Why Do We Struggle With Authenticity While Building Our Dreams?
Starting a business feels like performing in a play you've never rehearsed. You're expected to have all the answers, project unwavering confidence, and somehow convince everyone—including yourself—that you know exactly what you're doing. But what if this performance is actually the very thing sabotaging your success?
Hattie Willis, founder of GuessWorks and co-founder of IfWeRaise, has spent years observing how founders navigate the murky waters of entrepreneurship. Her insights challenge the traditional "fake it till you make it" mentality that pervades startup culture, revealing why authentic leadership might be your secret weapon instead of your vulnerability.
The Charisma Myth That's Holding You Back
"I think charisma is actually when competence meets warmth. And I think a lot of people try to lead with competence and forget the warmth bit. And actually, people don't want to follow someone who's just competent."
This observation cuts straight to the heart of why so many capable founders struggle to build engaged teams and loyal customers. We've been conditioned to believe that expertise alone commands respect, but research consistently shows that warmth—genuine care, empathy, and relatability—is what transforms competence into compelling leadership.
When you're building something new, your competence is still developing. Trying to project false expertise whilst hiding your learning process creates a disconnect that people instinctively feel. Instead, leading with curiosity, acknowledging what you don't know, and involving others in problem-solving actually increases trust and engagement.
Recognising Baby Burnout Before It Becomes the Real Thing
"I had what I call baby burnout, which is like, you know when you're really tired and you're like, oh, I'm so burnt out, but you're not actually burnt out. You're just tired and you need a break."
This distinction matters more than you might think. True clinical burnout involves emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment that requires professional intervention. Baby burnout, however, is your early warning system—your mind and body telling you to pause before you hit the wall.
The challenge for founders is that we often wear exhaustion like a badge of honour. We mistake being constantly busy for being productive, and mistake pushing through fatigue for resilience. But recognising baby burnout allows you to course-correct with simple interventions: proper sleep, boundaries, and actually taking breaks without guilt.
Cultural Programming Around Failure
"In the US, if you fail, it's like, oh, you learned something. In the UK, if you fail, it's like, oh, you failed. And in the Nordics, if you fail, it's like, well, at least you tried, and here's some money to try again."
These cultural attitudes shape how we approach risk, innovation, and ultimately, authenticity. If you're operating in a culture that punishes failure, you're incentivised to hide uncertainty, avoid admitting mistakes, and project false confidence. This creates the exact opposite conditions needed for innovation and authentic leadership.
Understanding your cultural context helps you consciously choose which narratives to adopt. You can acknowledge the cultural pressures whilst deliberately creating psychological safety for yourself and your team—an environment where taking calculated risks and learning from mistakes is not just acceptable but celebrated.
Building Without a Blueprint
The most successful founders aren't those who have everything figured out from day one. They're the ones who've learned to navigate uncertainty with authenticity, building psychological safety that enables rapid learning and iteration. This means:
Embracing "I Don't Know": Instead of pretending to have answers you don't possess, frame unknowns as opportunities for discovery. This invites collaboration and reduces the pressure to be right all the time.
Shifting from Balance to Harmony: Rather than trying to rigidly separate work and life, focus on creating flow between different priorities. Some seasons require more work focus, others more personal attention—this is natural, not failure.
Reframing Your Internal Narrative: Notice when you're operating from "I have to" versus "I get to" mindset. The former breeds resentment and burnout; the latter cultivates energy and purpose.
The Innovation Imperative
As technical innovation cycles accelerate, soft skills become increasingly critical. AI can handle many analytical tasks, but it cannot replace human intuition, emotional intelligence, and the ability to create psychological safety for teams taking creative risks.
This shift rewards founders who've developed authentic leadership skills over those who've simply projected competence. Your willingness to be genuinely human—acknowledging uncertainty, showing warmth alongside expertise, and creating space for others to contribute—becomes a competitive advantage.
The question isn't whether you're qualified to build your dream. It's whether you're willing to build it authentically, embracing the uncertainty and learning that comes with creating something genuinely new. Because authentic leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about creating the conditions where the right answers can emerge.
Your dreams deserve more than a performance. They deserve the full, authentic you.
