Ever feel like you don’t belong at the table you built? You’re not alone. I’m talking to Katie Mast, a seasoned creative‑entrepreneur turned community‑builder with big, blunt truths about imposter syndrome.
Katie worked in the wedding, events and creative industries, and worked with industry platforms, so she knows what it’s like to be both visible and unsure. We peel back the stories behind the smiles, unpack the lies imposter syndrome tells you, and build a system for showing up anyway.
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Why imposter syndrome shows up more the further we go
There’s this myth in entrepreneurship that once you reach a certain level (the big client, the stage invite, the job title) your doubts disappear. But as Katie explained, success doesn’t kill off insecurity. It evolves it. Suddenly, you’re not just nervous; you’re convinced you’re too new, or too late. She called it what it is: imposter syndrome in a power suit.
Katie shared how, even after landing a dream job at DreamWorks Animation (yes, that DreamWorks), her first thought wasn’t joy, it was: Who approved this?
That feeling? It didn’t come from lack of ability. It came from lack of permission. And the truth is, no one gives you permission: you walk in anyway.
Women, creatives, and the conditioning of “you’re lucky to be here”
We dug into how gender plays a role in imposter syndrome, especially in creative and service‑based industries. Women are often raised to second‑guess themselves and rewarded for being humble about it. As Katie said, “A man can walk into a room and own it. A woman walks in with Michelle Obama on her resume and still feels like she’s lucky to be there.”
In the creative space, where your value is often tied to how others feel about your work; who refers you, who publishes you, who books you, and the result is a constant craving for outside validation. If you’ve ever obsessed over whether you’re charging “too much” or “pivoting too soon,” congratulations, that’s the trap.
The real system: how to fight imposter syndrome with receipts
Katie didn’t just name the problem—she laid down a system. And it’s good. Here’s what I loved:
Create a “You Did That” folder
Katie keeps a digital folder of screenshots, testimonials, photos, and moments she’s proud of, and scrolls it like Instagram on the days that feel heavy. It’s not about ego. It’s about evidence.
Meet your inner critic and give it a ridiculous outfit
Here’s where things got delightfully weird. Katie imagines her inner critic as a nervous little hamster in a suit. It means well, but it doesn’t have the full picture. So when it panics? She politely thanks it, and walks into the room anyway.
Make success visible
Beyond the digital wins folder, she keeps a physical board in her office: notes, Polaroids, conference passes. “It’s really hard to doubt your story when it’s literally in front of your face,” she told me.
The mindset shift that stuck with me
Katie has a sticky note that’s lived on her monitor since January. It says: “You are allowed to be both proud of how far you’ve come and wildly unsure of what’s next. That’s called being human.”
That one line unhooked something in me, because so many of us think confidence means certainty. Confidence isn’t knowing everything. It’s being willing to show up anyway.
Let’s normalize figuring it out in real time
Here’s what I want every business owner, speaker, creative, or coach to hear: you’re not faking it. You’re figuring it out, just like the rest of us. When you feel like you’re making it up as you go? That’s probably because you’re growing. The goal isn’t to never feel fear. It’s to have the reps and rituals to move through it anyway.
Because the truth is:
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You’re more qualified than you think.
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You don’t need more credentials to belong in the room.
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That next big move doesn’t require permission.
Connect with Katie & Paper Rock Coin
- rockpapercoin.com – Use code RPCPODCAST
- Instagram: @rockpapercoin
- Instagram: @katiemast__
Review the Transcript
Julie: Welcome back to the System for Everything podcast. Today’s system tip. If you’re doubting your qualifications, just add strategists to your title Works every time. Today I’m talking with Katie Mast, a highly respected leader in the wedding event and creative industries. She has worked with renowned brands such as HoneyBook, the Rising Tide Society Aisle Planner and Rock Paper Coin, having spent almost a decade as a business owner.
Owner of a destination wedding and event planning company, Katie now dedicates her time to working with companies, helping them grow and develop their genuine communities, promote ongoing education and diversity, and build strong and healthy brand partnerships. Katie is known for being the biggest advocate and the kindest hype girl for the modern day.
Small business owner. She’s beloved by her colleagues in the community. For her open heart to mentor, willingness to learn, deep rooted, love for encouragement, and genuine friendship. If you ever felt like you’re one, let’s circle back away from being found out as a total fraud. Same. Whether you’re sending your first proposal or signing your hundredth client, that voice in your head telling you that you are not qualified enough can be loud.
Katie is here today to help us turn. Down the volume. Welcome, Katie. Thank
Katie: you friend. That intro, honestly, like it’s just such a, I feel like it’s a hug, right? Oh, you get so well.
Julie: Well, I adore you. I’m so glad you’re here today. We are gonna start, as we always do with the system, reboot. A quick little reset to start our episode with some humor and humanity.
What is a skill you pretend to have mastered? Definitely Google every time.
Katie: Oh, um, okay. How to spell certain words like, yes.
Julie: Tired. I. I’m always convinced separate is the other way. Uh, yeah, that’s, that’s the one that gets me that I’m like, uh, no, I spelled it wrong. No, I didn’t. Dang it.
Katie: I know every, every single time.
Certain states too. Right. Um, but I try to do the Ben Stefani trick where you sing it in your head. Right? Like, I can’t say the word banana without singing. I can’t say about,
Julie: yeah. What is your most irrational pet peeve?
Katie: Oh, oh. Chewing. Like people chewing, you know? Or if someone that’s fair, raw click, I know you can’t help it, but I’m gonna have to.
Julie: What is your go-to hype song when you need to psych yourself up before something scary? Katie Perry Roar. Oh, nice. All right everyone. You have met the personality. Now meet the powerhouse. Let’s jump into the real system of the day and talk about how to feel like you belong at the table you’ve built.
Here’s my conversation with Katie on the system for tricking yourself into believing you’re qualified. Okay, Katie, you work at a successful tech platform, rock paper coin in an industry. Not exactly. Known for its love of change, and yet you have shared that imposter syndrome still crops up. I mean, when did you first realize that this wasn’t something that just goes away with success?
Katie: Oh friend, the million dollar question. So it’s taken me a really long time to realize that imposter syndrome doesn’t pack up and leave. The moment that your email signature gets fancier or your title sounds more fun. I think if anything, it magnifies the fears that you’re living in. And I am also really guilty of being a career chaser.
And thinking, once I hit that milestone, I’ll finally prove that I’m worthy at work. Or once I know that person, I’ll finally be invited to all the amazing parties and the networking events. But honestly, that success just puts on a new costume and they’re called burnout. And exhaustion and identity crisis.
And then you get fancy new titles to chase you like you are new, you’re too new to do this, and you are too behind to be included in this now. Right? And so I think it took me time to realize that it wasn’t about my title or the stages that I apply to speak on. It’s about how I’m narrating my own worth.
And so I really try to tell myself over and over again when I get an invite or I apply for something and then I instantly regret putting myself out there. That imposter syndrome is just fear in a power suit, trying to protect me from growth. So I’m gonna politely decline and I’m gonna walk through the door like I belong there, because honestly, they wouldn’t have said yes or asked.
Me or anyone else to come if we didn’t belong there.
Julie: Was there a moment, either early on or even recently, where that feeling came up again and just caught you completely off guard?
Katie: Oh, absolutely. So here’s a really fun fact. My first. Real big girl job was at Dreamworks Animation and that’s so cool. Right?
So cool. Everyone’s dream, you know, especially if you live in Los Angeles, right? Like I’m, I was born to just work at a movie studio. That’s what I was supposed to do. And I started in licensing and consumer products. And so when I got that call that I got the job. I, I mean, I immediately was probably jumping up and down and running around, but I remember distinctly I remember thinking like, who the heck approved this?
Like, who left me into, this is such a grownup job. What am I doing? I didn’t go to art school. I didn’t have a PhD in movie making, so I had to mentally coach myself through it, like girl. You obviously bring something to the table because a thousand other people tried to get this opportunity, tried to get this job, and they gave it to you.
So stop it. Mm-hmm. You got this. You’re not faking it. I didn’t lie, beg, or cheat to get in here. I’m doing it because I did it, and I think the craziest part about all of that is that my husband actually has it as well. Really bad. And what’s funny looking at that now is he makes and is in charge of producing the biggest video game in the entire world.
Like, trust me, this man is like clearly good at his job. Absolutely deserves to be there, but I’m constantly having to remind him that he belongs in the room, that he worked hard to get there, that he leads for a reason that he keeps climbing because. He’s valued and valuable, which are clearly all things that I could also say about myself.
And to be honest, sometimes through watching him spiral, it can be helpful for me to hear it and to see it. And the thing that right, and the thing that gets me when I step back and try to figure out why I’m feeling the, the way that I am is. That no one else looks at me or listens to me or to him really, and instantly thinks imposter underqualified.
Right. I’ve got the receipts. I’ve worked my way up. I opened doors all on my own, and I know that, but it makes me realize how powerful this inner narrative is and why it’s so important that I try to keep working on getting beyond it, because if I can feel like an imposter while actively crushing it. And looking back on a past that I’m really, really, really proud of.
It’s clearly not truth. It’s a glitch in my own personal system, and I have to just keep working really hard to get past that.
Julie: And I think it’s funny too, how, I mean, we just think imposter syndrome is gonna fade as the winds pile up, but instead it just evolves, you know, does new levels, new devils.
Katie: It does new titles, right?
You
Julie: just, yeah.
Katie: You get promoted and all your baggage gets promoted with you.
Julie: Yes. You’ve worked with a ton of creative business owners through rock paper coin. Do you think that, I know you mentioned your husband as well, but do you think that women experience imposter syndrome differently or maybe that we just admit it more?
Katie: So? This is such a fascinating question. If we’re talking about imposter syndrome, let’s just say, in both men and women, I think women. For multiple generations have been conditioned to question their value and their place. Mm-hmm. And then we’re praised for being humble about it and not sharing too much.
And it’s fascinating because men can still walk into a room regardless if they wanna be there or not, to be honest, and instantly own the space, get the invite back simply because they showed up. Yes. And I feel like a woman can, we can walk in with an award-winning resume and Michelle Obama on our references.
Okay. Yeah. And we can, we still get a reminder that we’re lucky to be invited. And the truth of it is the creative industry makes it so much worse. It really does. So much of our worth is directly tied to how people feel about our work. And they’re, yes. Right? Like, did you get featured or published or not?
Does this vendor wanna work with you or refer you or do they not? Did that client type book you like, are you booking this type of client yet? Like that all just sits so heavy and it really has just become the foundation of the creative industry. And so, yeah, I don’t know if we experience it differently.
I do think that we are so much more open to calling it out now. Yeah. Is a new generational trend and I am here for it.
Julie: Have
Katie: you
Julie: noticed certain. Triggers for imposter syndrome, like within the creative industry. I mean, maybe it’s people wanting to say what their pricing is. Maybe it’s public speaking. You know, we’re both speakers and educators.
We met at Le Amani’s Creative Educator Conference. Um, or maybe it’s just when people are, are pivoting within their business that they think, you know, have I earned this? Can I do this?
Katie: Mm, yes, absolutely. And social media and the perception it provides is truly the worst. People worst. The worst because people who don’t.
Really have imposter syndrome, temporarily get imposter syndrome just by going on social media and seeing what other people are sharing and what they’re showing to you, which as we all know is really real. Or the whole story to be honest. Yeah. But I also think that pricing and pivoting are also really big ones because it forces you to have to say, this is what I’m worth and this is what I’m doing now.
And you have to stand up behind it. Yeah. And please believe in me and support me. And for so many people, that’s very vulnerable, very awkward. And we know more than half of people actually charge what they’re worth. Yeah. And they down what they do and what they offer. It’s, it’s like. It’s embarrassing almost, right?
Like no one really, really, really wants to get into the meat and potatoes of what they do. And it’s funny you mention the public speaking. ’cause for me, the public speaking is a funny one because I think you either do it or you don’t. And I have friends that you can’t pay them enough, like a million bucks still will get them on a stage for even 20 minutes to talk about their most favorite thing in the world that they could do in their sleep.
But I think that. That’s because public speaking is more of a choice that you make to do it. But it’s funny to me how many people. Like myself, get into public speaking and then are the absolute worst at channeling critic. It’s the worst I’ve, I’ve learned. It’s been a process, but I’ve learned a quiet mind by reminding myself that.
I’m doing this for something bigger. I take myself out of the equation. So like for instance, I’m speaking at this conference for rock paper coin because we are an amazing CRM and we deserve to grow and we deserve to have a million members. And we work so hard, and we build our platform for all the right reasons.
And I mean for the most important one because women in tech matter and we’re paving the way hopefully for two generations. But I’m still terrified. So even taking myself out of the equation, having rock paper coin to stand behind, right? I’m still terrified by standing in front of strangers that are looking at me because they are waiting for me to be authentically engaging.
Motivating, right? They’re sitting there and being like, what do you have to teach me? I’m here to learn from you. And what you have to say will always feel uncomfortable in that situation. But I try to remind myself, it doesn’t mean that I’m not qualified. It means that I believe. What I have to share enough that it’s worth sitting in that discomfort.
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Grab yours today@dallasgirlfriday.com before life throws a plot twist. Okay, so we know. Why imposter syndrome shows up, but I wanna talk about how to maybe work with it instead of against it. Because if you wait to feel ready, you are never gonna hit publish. You’re never gonna start that new service.
You’re never gonna do it. No. So how do you, how do you keep going? Even when your inner critic is telling you it’s all smoke and mirrors? Okay. This is the part of your show where
Katie: things get weird. Oh, I’m excited. Yeah. Ready? Yeah. I, I can’t even believe. I’m like, this has been my deepest, darkest secret for a long time, so, oh my God.
It’s gonna get so weird. Did you murder somebody? Yeah. My goal, my, my inner critic tells me to murder people. Um, no, guys,
Julie: you already here first. She’s a serial killer. We have a Dexter situation on our hands. Next. This is gonna turn into a murder podcast.
Katie: I’m here for it. Okay. All in all serious sense, I have found it helpful to imagine my inner critic as a cute little animal in an outfit that’s trying to protect me. Aw. I know. It sounds so silly and it’s, no, I like it. Actually, the most ridiculous, but it actually, so what it does is it forces me to stop and think about things for a second.
So mine is like a cute little hamster, right? And it means well, but it doesn’t have the full vision of why I am doing what it is that I’m trying to do. So when that instinct that I have kicks in, I go back to the facts, I go back to the people that I’ve helped, the work that I’ve done, the change that I’ve made, I look at what’s real.
What’s already been done? Not what I wanna do and what I have already done. Right? And honestly, I talked to my inner critic, my little cute, adorable hamster, like a toddler having a meltdown, right? Like, I’m like, Hey, thank you for your input. You are totally adorable, but I’ve got this. You can leave and then it’s just a reset, right?
I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous, but it’s a ridiculous enough to work. It’s ridiculous enough to get you out of the spiral, out of the, the doubts, the thoughts, all of it. It’s just enough. It’s just silly, ridiculous, and crazy enough to be like, whoa, wait. What am I doing here?
Julie: Do you have any specific, like day-to-day systems that help you combat the impostor syndrome?
I mean, other than animal BFFs, do you have any, like other affirmations or anything to, to talk yourself down from the ledge on those really hard days?
Katie: Yeah. Okay. I love this. So I’m happy we’re talking about this because I have a few. And so, first of all, I have a folder that lives on my desktop and on my laptop, and it’s called In Big, bold Letters.
You did that and it’s what? I love it. It’s full of memories. It’s full of pictures of me speaking pictures of me with people that I’d never thought I’d meet in real life. Things that I’ve said that have been put on quote cards, screenshots of just like testimonials and praise. Overall, just things I’m really, really proud of and on draining days on days where I am truly just barely getting by.
I scroll it like Instagram and it is so good for my soul. Truly, sometimes I get super emotional because I still can’t believe I get to do what I do and I’m really just super grateful for it.
Julie: And so that really, I love that and I hope that everybody listening goes and makes their own folder. I’m gonna make my own folder too.
Yeah.
Katie: And honestly, I love that I’ve had to take it a step further. I don’t know if that’s because my imposter syndrome has gotten worse or, or it’s just actually working. But I actually have, I also keep a physical board. And that is like, wow, thank you. Cards and pictures. Like, you know, I feel like whenever you go to a conference, there’s always, you know, a photo booth or just something fun.
Yeah. Emails and notes. And I keep that in my office because it’s really hard to avoid your story, what’s real, what you’ve done, actual facts of your life when it’s directly in front of you all the time. And when you are in a doubt. Having an open tab for weeks on your computer and you’re stalling on sending in that application or that submission for something, it’s all real.
But if I’m able to look up and see that and remember those facts when my brain is giving me that doubt, it’s the biggest, most dramatic, no thank you. Goodbye door slam. That I can give myself because I look up and I can see. That Polaroid from that conference in that photo booth or whatever it is, I can see and say, I was also scared to apply for that one, or I was terrified ’cause I went to that black tie party by myself and didn’t know a soul.
And now I’m looking at this picture of all these people that are now friends that I would not have met had I not gone there by myself, standing in the corner by myself and had that awkward moment. So that’s real life and keeping real life in front of you is just. So important.
Julie: Uh, yes. Sometimes the biggest confidence boost is just checking those sent emails and being like, oh, yeah, I’ve done this before.
I could do it again. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. All right. Let’s talk about some of the workarounds to really trick yourself into having that confidence in a good way. I mean, are there any rituals or mindset shifts that have helped you feel legit on days when you just don’t?
Katie: Yes. Okay. So my Instagram saved folders are a treasure trove for anyone who needs some inspiration.
So if you follow me on Instagram, send me a dm, I will serve you the good stuff for years. I have it jammed back. I’m packed. Um, I do have one actually that I wrote on a sticky note, like an affirmation or a quote, and, and I’ve had it on my screen since last January because I still need it. And it says, you are allowed to be both proud of how far you’ve come and wildly unsure of what’s next.
At the same time that’s called being human. Hmm. And I that is so good. Yeah. I have to keep telling myself that because I, I’m so envious of people that have a senior plan. I have no idea where I’m going after this. I have no idea yet who I’m supposed to be when I grow up, but I do know. These specs, I know that I can breathe.
I know I can take pause. I know that I can ground myself in what I know and where I’ve been. I know that I can show up as authentically and real as I can and be proud of what I bring to the table to share with someone. And I think the goal at the end of the day isn’t for any of us to be fearless. It’s to be brave enough to show up anyway and just.
Showing up after the mistakes, showing up when it’s awkward and we don’t wanna go and showing up when it’s uncomfortable and we don’t know a single soul in the room. Just showing up and standing proud that you’re there because something always comes after that. Be it a new friend, a new connection, A better understanding.
Yes, a learned lesson, any of it. There’s always something.
Julie: I love that because I. I don’t think of myself as somebody with much imposter syndrome. Um, I, my entire life I think I have had the unearned confidence, I say, of a white male senator. And I show up in rooms like that. I show up on stage like that. Um, when I was a theater kid, I showed up like that.
So I always kind of, as I got older, my anxiety really got worse in like kind of crowd situations. And I think sometimes it’s not just the anxiety, it is the imposter syndrome manifesting itself and. So these have been some really, really good tips. I’m really excited to try. I’m really excited to make that folder.
Yeah,
Katie: yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. Isn’t it funny too, it’s like I look back to a time when I didn’t have imposter syndrome, like I can remember so clearly where I had the confidence, right. It’s great. Mm-hmm. But that was at a time when I was freely choosing for myself what was happening to me. There was no outside information coming in.
There was no one to please. There was no one to take care of. There was no one that I was trying to meet or someplace I was trying to go, and you know, all of that wasn’t there then. I was just simply living freely for me. And when you start adding in these complex layers of wanting to go higher, wanting to try something new, wanting to go someplace else, wanting, wanting, wanting, wanting, you really introduced those feelings of them needing to impress.
And needing to climb and needing to reach and strive and work a little harder and do a little better. And it really can manifest. And for some it’s imposter syndrome and for some it’s anxiety. But it really is funny how you can think back to a time when you were just unapologetically, confidently you, yeah.
And nothing else on the outside really mattered.
Julie: Do you have a closing message for, for anyone who, who feels like they are faking it every day, what is something you would tell them?
Katie: Okay, so first of all, I’m an Enneagram too, so I’d give you a giant hug and I would tell that it’s okay to feel this way. I would tell you feeling this way isn’t a flaw.
It’s a signal that you’re stepping into something new and brave and that you only feel like a fraud because you believe in what you’re doing so much and want it to come true so badly. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, that is special and amazing and not everybody gets the opportunity to feel that way.
And I think it’s interesting, you know, nine times outta 10, we aren’t actually faking it. We are figuring something out in real time.
Julie: Hmm.
Katie: And there of course, is that one time that we might be flying by the seat of our pants. Totally making it up as we go, but we still learned how to move forward in fear.
And I think I really just want everyone to leave with knowing that it really all comes down to confidence, working and building up our confidence in ourselves. And confidence is a really tricky thing. It has this reputation for being a know-it-all. But actually confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything.
It comes from having the skill of taking a deep breath and doing it anyway, and just like any skill it builds with reps. So I just want everyone to keep showing up, keep trying, keep learning, keep putting yourself out there. Especially when it feels like you are totally making it all up as you go, or when you feel like you haven’t earned the spot in the room because you got the invite.
So you are way more qualified, my friends than you think you are.
Julie: Katie, thank you so much for being here. Tell everyone where they can find you online where they can find rock paper coin, and I know you’ve got a code for us too.
Katie: I do. Thank you. Yeah. I’d love for everyone to follow us on Instagram, which is where I hang out.
I’m the director of Community at Rock Paper Coin, so I ensure that our social community is healthy and engaged by posting all kinds of business tips. Partnership opportunities and lots of industry news. So be sure to follow us at rock paper coin on all socials. And second, I definitely want you to come check out Rock Paper Coin if you are a small business.
That send contracts and invoices to get paid. We are a woman founded CRM and payment platform that was created because business systems and platforms have become a little too difficult and expensive to use these days, and we believe that systems should be easy, affordable, look good. Be actually enjoyable to use for you and your clients.
So check us out@rockpapercoin.com. It never costs you anything to check out the platform, and we think that you’ll like it so much that we are offering you an amazing discount for your entire first year. And a ton of freebies, like free account setup templates, and so much more. So check us out and use Code R PC podcast.
Julie: Awesome. Thank you so much, Katie. All right, everyone. We have unpacked the lies, we have named the Fears, and we have built a better system for believing in ourselves even when our brains are being rude. This week’s shutdown is gonna stay on topic and it’s gonna be a fast five. We’re gonna cover the five lies.
Imposter syndrome loves to tell you, number one, you just got lucky. Number two. Everyone else has it figured out. Number three, if you mess up once, they’ll know you’re a fraud. Number four, you have to be the best or you don’t belong. Number five, you don’t have enough experience to talk about this. Here’s the truth, everyone.
You are doing better than you think. I promise if this episode hit a little too close to home, you are not alone and you’re definitely not unqualified. Huge thanks to Katie for being here and naming the fear so many of us have and offering practical ways to work through it. If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe.
Leave a review and send it to that friend who is secretly a badass. Still double checks their email sign-offs. See you next week.
