Imposter syndrome can affect anyone—regardless of age, gender or background. However, these feelings of self-doubt can often hit a little harder for young female entrepreneurs, as they may feel they are less qualified or have more to prove than their male counterparts. As entrepreneurs, they may lose out on vital business deals or opportunities to advance their careers if they are unable to overcome these hurdles.

To help, nine women from Young Entrepreneur Council draw from their experiences as entrepreneurs and offer their best advice for how to overcome imposter syndrome, succeed as a business leader and forge ahead in one’s career with confidence.

1. Focus On Those You’re Helping

Focus on those you are helping and less on what others think of you. How thankful would you have been to have had current you in a room with the younger you four years ago? As the younger me, I would have appreciated sitting and listening to everything the current me had to share. When I go into a room of people, I block out what they think of me and focus on helping others with what I have to share. – Mary Harcourt, CosmoGlo

2. Find Community In Your Peers

Meet your business peers. One thing many new business owners do not realize is that we all have moments of doubt. Finding real friends in business—who may also be competitors—is important for your sanity. You should not sit alone in these feelings. – Marjorie Adams, Fourlane

3. Acknowledge Your Achievements

Focus on your strengths and accomplishments. It’s easy to doubt yourself and feel like you don’t deserve success, but by acknowledging your achievements, you can build confidence. I compared myself to others; however, eventually I realized that I had unique skills, perspectives and ideas to offer. I started celebrating my accomplishments, no matter how small, and kept a record of positive feedback. – Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

4. Stop Seeking Approval From Others

What worked for me is that I stopped seeking approval from others. Compliments can be motivating, but constantly seeking them may backfire as you become dependent on others and need their praise to feel accomplished. Have a little faith in your own capabilities. When in doubt, reflect upon the road so far and recall how you overcame all your failures and reached where you are today. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

5. Build A Strong Network

Focus on building a strong network. Not only will this help you later on in your professional life, but it will also help you in the here and now—with your business as well as your self-esteem. Look for women-led events in your area or consider traveling to visit new communities and groups within your field that you can connect with. – Darby Cox, Cox Consulting

6. Be Authentically You

No one can bring what you bring to the table. No one can be your authentic self. But, everyone can tell when you’re not being you. So, never let imposter syndrome get in the way of your goals and dreams because only you can succeed at those. – Micky Klein, Micky Klein Interiors

7. Develop Your Individual Skills And Abilities

Stay confident in yourself and don’t let other people’s perceptions or your own insecurities affect the way you think of yourself. It’s easy to compare yourself with others, but try to focus on developing your individual skills and abilities instead. Make sure to surround yourself with positive people who support and empower you as this will provide additional encouragement when times get tough. – Jennifer A Barnes, Optima Office, Inc.

8. Quit Waiting For Perfection

The best advice I can give you is that you are already ahead of the curve and that you don’t need to wait for everything to feel polished or perfect before you go after opportunities or exposure. I’ve often waited to reach milestones that male entrepreneurs completely ignored and that helped them get ahead faster while I stayed in the shadows perfecting and polishing my work. Get out there! – Nathalie Lussier, AccessAlly

9. Believe That You’re The Expert

It’s definitely possible to believe that you’re the expert they say you are. I still remember the first time a client said, “Well, you’re the expert, so let’s do it.” I was a little stunned at first—I had never been called an expert before. But, I didn’t let it show. I just swallowed those imposter syndrome feelings and got the job done. Focused on results. After that point, I never looked back. – Kaitlyn Witman, Rainfactory