Fake It ’Til You Make It — The Right Way

You’ve heard the phrase before: “Fake it ’til you make it.” It’s tossed around a lot in the entrepreneurial world, but let’s be clear — it doesn’t mean lie or pretend to be something you’re not. It means showing up with confidence, presenting yourself professionally, and delivering your service like you’ve done it a hundred times — even if it’s your first official go.

In the early days of my entrepreneurial journey, this mindset served me well. The truth is, you can’t gain experience without doing the thing. Not every opportunity comes with a training program or a mentor. Sometimes, especially when you’re creating something entirely new, you are the training. You are the program.

Let me put it into perspective.

As a kid, I used to choreograph gymnastics routines to every song I heard on the radio. I’d even record cassette tapes with cut-up versions of songs just to create floor music. I trained in both dance and gymnastics for over a decade, and by the time I was 18, I choreographed my very first floor routine — for myself. That season turned out to be incredibly successful. I won competition after competition, and soon, my teammates wanted me to do their routines too.

That’s how my passion started — choreographing routines and music for my friends. When I moved to New York and New Jersey for college gymnastics, my hometown teammates were trying to fly me back just to make their routines. That’s when it clicked: this isn’t just a passion — it’s a business.

In 2010, I officially launched my floor music company. Soon after, I added choreography services. Even though I had real experience — choreographing, editing music, and coaching routines — I had never been paid to fly somewhere, stay in a hotel, and deliver a routine as a professional service.

So what did I do when that first client called? I told them exactly how the process worked: they’d pay for the flight, the hotel, and the choreography fee. I explained it all with confidence — even though I had never done it that way before. But I could do it. I was ready to do it. And that’s the key.

That’s what fake it ’til you make it looked like for me.

Since then, I’ve been flown all over the country choreographing routines for gymnasts of every level. I’ve even worked with international clients virtually. As technology evolved, so did my process — now most clients learn their routines from video, which makes it more affordable and efficient for everyone.

So here’s the truth about “faking it”:

• Don’t make things up.
• Don’t pretend you have skills you don’t.
• Don’t step into a role if you’re totally unqualified.

But do believe in yourself. Do show up like a pro. And do act like you belong in the room — because if you’ve been putting in the work, you do.

You only get experience by going through the motions — so go through them boldly.