Dealing with social anxiety as a small business owner

Mental Health at Work has partnered with Simply Business to support the UK’s self-employed with their mental health and wellbeing. Together we surveyed more than 700 small business owners to understand their challenges. Now we want to start a conversation and break the stigma surrounding mental health at work.

When you’re self-employed, it can feel much more challenging to deal with mental health and emotional challenges at work. You may have a less established support network or not know where to find resources tailored towards self-employment. And, with 56 per cent of small business owners reporting poor mental health in the past 12 months, you may need some advice on how to cope.

In this blog, Matthew Knight, founder of Leapers, shares his top eight tips for battling feelings of anxiety and lack of confidence. He focuses on staying calm while giving a pitch, promoting yourself and speaking publicly, which can all be important factors in making sure your business is a success.