Let’s talk about something that’s probably been unknowingly affecting your business lately – this whole idea of “humility” thing in business. You know, that voice in your head telling you to tone it down, play small, and not “brag” about your accomplishments? Yeah, that one.

For many business owners, the #1 thing that is keeping them from building a strong brand is
“humility,” or what they think humility is.

Before we go further, let me introduce myself so you understand where I’m coming from with this stance.

I’m Dana and I help creative entrepreneurs build bold, authentic brands that stand out online. Through my company Cheers Creative, I craft powerful branding and websites for 6/7-figure content creators and industry leaders. Then, I take everything I’ve learned and teach it to everyday entrepreneurs like you through courses, consulting, and workshops.

Here’s the thing: after over a decade of consulting thousands of entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed a pattern. This misguided idea of humility is stopping so many talented people dead in their tracks, especially when they’re on the verge of a major breakthrough. Add a dash of imposter syndrome to the “unhealthy humility mix?” It’s a recipe for a painful business plateau.

And trust me, I get it. As a Black woman in this industry, I’ve been fed a version of “humility” designed to keep me in second place. As a matter of fact, racism and sexism often lead Black women into leaving corporate jobs to start a business. And in entrepreneurship, Black women – even when they meet all the requirements to receive funding – face a “face a 3x higher rejection rate than that of white business owners” according to findings from Stearns Bank.

But here’s what I’ve learned from my high-achieving branding and website clients at Cheers Creative (who, by the way, have millions of combined YouTube subscribers, lucrative brand partnerships and book deals): humility has nothing to do with letting your light shine.

“Unhealthy humility” keeps us from doing the things we know we should do more of in business, like:

• Marketing ourselves consistently. Because of “unhealthy” humility practices, marketing for business owners feels too much like bragging when the truth is marketing is simply telling people you can help them on a consistent basis.
  
  
• Sharing results and credentials more often. Limiting beliefs may keep you from sharing the very accomplishments and stats that would bring in more customers. If your favorite brands didn’t share their credentials, or what I like to call “receipts,”you wouldn’t  be able to find them.
  

Here’s an example of humility AND pride in action. Let’s talk about 54 Thrones, a beauty care line that’s absolutely crushing it in the industry. Their mission? To celebrate African beauty through ancestral ingredients, luxurious skincare, and captivating storytelling. But here’s where they really shine – they’re not shy about what their products can do.

Take a stroll through their website, and you’ll spot mentions of their awards sprinkled throughout. It’s not in-your-face bragging; it’s smart, strategic proof of their excellence.

Check out their product images. Look closer, and you’ll see they’ve subtly incorporated their awards right into the product shots. Their Barrier Repair Cloud Cream, for instance, proudly displays its Shape Magazine “Best Body Cream” award right there in the image.

This, my friend, is healthy humility AND good marketing in action. 54 Thrones isn’t hiding their light under a bushel. They’re letting their achievements speak for themselves, building trust and credibility with every award mentioned.

• Asserting ourselves as industry authorities (or even taking the steps to become one). So many people try to side-step building their personal brands when building their business. But check this out – according to Branding Strategy Insider, “60% of consumers are more likely to do business with a company that has a strong personal brand.”
  
  Do you HAVE to build up your personal brand through YouTube videos, podcast interviews, speaking engagements, or blogging? No. But evidence shows personal branding absolutely helps a business. I suspect that many more business owners would be naturals at sharing value through their personal brands. But alas, we have too many business owners in the “I don’t need to do all those things to be successful” (very much like how, 9 times out of 10, there are too many TRUE sopranos in the alto sections of choirs).
  
  
• Picking graphics for your brand that “enhance” and “reveal” you, vs. graphics that “hide” you. Oh yes. I can tell how confident a business owner is just by looking at their graphic design and website choices.

Here’s a personal story of my own where I put down an “unhealthy humility” mindset to design my website. As I was building this website and blog, I thought about how I wanted to end each blog post. I could have had a short and sweet “about the author” box with a penny-sized image of me, or no image at all. But I understand the importance of my image talking about branding in a space where I am part of the minority. Also, I’m a brand strategist. I gotta “do it up” when it comes to “showing up” online, for the sake of my clients so that they’ll do at least 10% of what I’m doing for themselves (and in their own way).

So, here’s the way blog posts typically end, with short almost not noticeable “about the author” box:

Here’s mine, the complete opposite of that. It’s not an author box, it’s an author SECTION.

I didn’t make my image big for me. I made it larger because of comments like these that frequent my inbox:

• “Dana, please don’t ever disappear! I needed to see a Black woman in the web design/branding space onstage at the conference today.”
  
• “Dana, your afro makes me want to proudly wear mine in the tech space! Thank you!”

Have you ever received a comment like this from someone in your online community? It makes you re-think what “being in the front” is really about. It’s less about you and more about making sure you are easier to find.

First, let’s look at the official definition of “humility.”

humility /hyo͞oˈmilədē/

noun: a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.
Example: “He needs the humility to accept that their way may be better.”

Humble /ˈhəmb(ə)l/

adjective:

1. having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.
   Example: “He was humble about his stature as one of rock history’s most influential guitarists”
   
2. of low social, administrative, or political rank.
   Example: “She came from a humble, unprivileged background”
   
3. (of a thing) of modest pretensions or dimensions.
   Example: “He built the business empire from humble beginnings”

These definitions are pretty cut and dry. So here’s my hot take:

We are being humble in business in the wrong places.

You can’t be so humble that you’re not doing the work to create standout branding.

Humility has its place. However, entrepreneurs tend to be humble in places where they should be authoritative and take up space unapologetically.

In which parts of your business will you be humble? In which parts will you be assertive and show up full blast?

5 “Unhealthy Humility” Practices That Are Killing Your Business

While you’re reading this, I want you to count how many of these practices you are knowingly and unknowingly doing. Then I want you to tell me your “number” or “score” in the comments.

(1) “Hiding” yourself within your brand.

“I don’t want people to see me when they think of my business. I want them to see my product.” Well, let’s think about it… let’s say all people see is your product. In this case, you’ve reduced your entire business to just materials, features, and ingredients. People can go anywhere to get those things. It’s becoming more and more difficult to hide yourself these days, especially if you have an online business. By hiding yourself, you’re robbing your audience of the chance to fall in love with the brilliant mind behind the brand.

Even “faceless” brands need a human touch. Take @UnplainJane, for example – she’s nailed this concept perfectly.

As the creator behind my favorite chalk ASMR YouTube channel (yes, I’m obsessed with chalk and soap ASMR videos!), @UnplainJane has built an incredibly personal brand without ever showing her face. With over half a million YouTube subscribers and more than 820,000 TikTok followers, she’s proof that you don’t need to be front and center to connect with your audience.

Instead of facial close-ups, @UnplainJane lets her hands do the talking. Her videos, often racking up millions of views, are a testament to her humility and listener-first approach. She creates content her viewers ask for, showing that sometimes, listening is more powerful than being seen. This faceless yet deeply personal approach has helped @UnplainJane build a loyal, engaged community. It’s a masterclass in how to be present and relatable in your brand, even when you’re not physically visible.

(2) Doing pro-bono/discounted/charity work when you can’t afford it.

Exposure can definitely help you build your business, but oftentimes entrepreneurs, especially solopreneurs and those just starting out, cannot “afford” to do work at highly discounted prices. You know what happens when you do free or highly discounted work? You end up “paying out of pocket” and can even go into debt paying for business expenses just to do the discounted work. Even though your heart may be in the right place, if your bank account is giving you the side-eye, skip the free work and charity work. True humility means valuing your work enough to charge what it’s worth, so you can sustainably serve others long-term.

(3) Underpricing your products and services (This is the big one).

Wait. Before I go further, I acknowledge that some business models benefit from undercutting competition in pricing. However – if you create custom handcrafted products or offer highly customized 1:1 client work, charging top dollar is your best bet. Otherwise, you’re practically giving away your expertise like free samples at Costco.

Here’s the thing: when you underprice, you’re telling the world (and yourself) that your work isn’t valuable. Pricing is the primary place in business where you can’t afford to be humble. Ask yourself: How long can you sustain a company, and how can you afford the best tools and hire the best talent if you keep putting “clearance prices” on your work?

Now, here’s a “healthy humility” move – If people can’t afford your premium services, create a condensed version with less features to sell (and even then, the demand for a condensed version of your offering needs to be high enough for you to even entertain the idea).

(4) Keeping your achievements and credentials to yourself.

You got a certificate in AI prompting last month, but you didn’t even update your LinkedIn profile to show it. You got certified as a life coach but you’ve decided to “keep it to yourself.” You have 10 years of experience in project management but you don’t think that’s relevant because you went into real estate? You’re treating your accomplishments like a secret diary, tucked away where no one can see. But remember: sharing your expertise isn’t bragging, it’s providing value.

Your achievements are signals to customers and clients that you can actually help them with their problem. AND, you get to be proud of yourself! What if an increase in self-pride is the energy boost that will help you get to the finish line on your business goals?

(5) Using passive language on your website.

Your website copy reads like it’s suffering from a bad case of shyness – awkward, unsure, and afraid to make a bold statement. You’re so worried about sounding like a “know-it-all” that you’ve watered down your message into bland mush.

Passive website language shows up in subtle but important ways:

• Your call-to-action buttons timidly suggest “look around” instead of confidently directing visitors to “sign up now” or “book a call”
• Your homepage headline vaguely hints at your services instead of clearly stating the exact problem your company solves

When your website isn’t converting visitors or generating clicks, passive language is often the culprit. It doesn’t give potential customers clear direction on how to engage with you. Don’t be afraid to guide readers through your website by telling them exactly what to do next!

Now, let’s flip the script and look at what healthy humility looks like in business:

5 Healthy Humility Practices That Will Take Your Business to the Top

(1) Say “thank you” to your customers, social media followers and e-newsletter subscribers every chance you get.

Make gratitude a major pillar of your brand strategy. Your audience could be scrolling through an endless stream of cat videos, but they’ve chosen to engage with your content. That’s not something to take for granted!

Create a “gratitude routine” in your business. Send personalized thank-you notes, shout out your clients on social media and e-newsletters, or even start a “Customer of the Month” program. When you genuinely appreciate your audience, they’ll feel that sincerity and become your biggest cheerleaders.

(2) Don’t create your products and services without your customers. Ask them for feedback.

One of the easiest and most transparent ways to do business is to ask your customers directly what it is they want from you. Instead of creating products and services in a vacuum (which, let’s be real, is about as effective as trying to apply mascara in the dark), why not go straight to the source? Your customers are like that honest and helpful friend who will tell you when you have spinach in your teeth. That kind of business feedback is invaluable.

You know what else you can get from talking to your customers? Website text that comes directly from conversations with them. Customer feedback is also invaluable for crafting ad copy that resonates so deeply with your audience, they’ll wonder if you’ve been reading their thoughts.

You can make business a lot easier just by talking to your audience. Include them in the building of your brand so that they feel like they have ownership in it. People treat things a lot better when they feel like they have a real stake in something.

Content creators — bloggers and vloggers, podcasters, etc., co-create with their audiences all the time. They publish content that comes directly from the requests they get in their comment sections. They read video data that shows them what topics people enjoy the most.

Are you a product or service based business owner? Set up regular surveys, host focus groups, or do one of my personal favorites – simply pick up the phone and call your best customers. Then – and this is the most important part – actually implement their suggestions. It shows you value their input more than your own ego.

(3) In your brand storytelling, your customers’ success story is primary. Your story is secondary.

Make your customers the center of your brand’s story, not yourself or your company. In your brand storytelling your customers’ success story is primary. Yours is secondary. What does that storytelling look like? Even with personal brands, your brand story isn’t a show that’s all about you. In other words, it’s not “The Dana Show” (replace your first name with mine) – it’s “How Dana Helps Awesome People Like You Win Big.” Share case studies, testimonials, and transformation stories that put your clients in the spotlight.

(4) Even as you assert yourself in business as an industry authority, it’s okay to admit that you’re still learning.

Stay hungry for knowledge. Attend workshops, read voraciously, and learn from your competitors.

One of my favorite things to do: I read in my field of study for 30 minutes every day. This keeps my knowledge sharp, but also keeps me in a place where I learn information that may be more helpful and accurate than what I learned the day before. When you talk about your industry, sprinkle in phrases like “I recently learned…” or “I’m fascinated by…” It shows you’re an expert who’s still evolving.

Plus, it’s okay to present yourself as a professional and get paid what your work is worth as you learn.
Scientists don’t work for free just because they are in a constant state of learning. So why should you?

(5) And finally… admit your mistakes and share your lessons.

Perfect content is boring. “Flawed and professional” content is creative and refreshing. Your audience wants to see the human behind the brand – flaws and all. When you mess up (and you will, because you’re human), you can strategically own it publicly. Share what you learned and how you’re improving. It builds trust and shows that you’re committed to growth. I teach business owners building their personal brands how to tell stories of trial and error from a place of triumph. It’s a fine dance that you won’t get right immediately, but you’ve got to at least start. Be willing to let your storytelling get better and better over time in public (that’s another thing I teach.)

In conclusion (here’s your homework):

Before we wrap up, I want to share something I’ve observed from my high-achieving clients at Cheers Creative. These folks aren’t “humble” in the way society often expects. They don’t downplay their accomplishments or hide their expertise. But you know what? They’re some of the most gracious, kind, and compassionate people I’ve ever met. They’ve taught me so much about how to consistently appreciate and serve their audience.

So, here’s your homework: Take a “Humility Audit” of your business. Where are you practicing unhealthy humility? Where could you amp up the healthy kind?

Let me know your humility score in the comments below.