Multimillionaire Entrepreneur Reveals Anxiety After First Major Profit
Toronto, ON – A successful entrepreneur and CEO shared yesterday that her initial reaction to achieving significant financial success wasn’t celebration, but fear of losing it, highlighting a common psychological challenge faced by business leaders.
Emily Lyons, founder and CEO of Femme Fatale Media Group and Lyons Elite, detailed her experience in a recent LinkedIn post, explaining she “cried in a parking lot” the first time her businesses generated substantial revenue. Lyons attributes this reaction to a childhood marked by financial instability, recalling her parents’ struggles with money and even eviction. “That kind of stress doesn’t leave your body,” she wrote. Lyons founded Femme Fatale in 2009 with just $80 and a laptop, growing it into a multimillion-dollar agency serving major clients like L’Oréal and Red Bull. She was recently named Entrepreneur of the Year at the CanadianSME Small Business Awards.
Despite building a thriving business empire that also includes luxury dating service Lyons Elite and beauty brand True Glue, Lyons confessed that achieving financial comfort didn’t alleviate her anxieties. She described a feeling of not being “rich” despite “commas in my bank account,” and acknowledged that wealth can “magnify” existing problems. This experience speaks to the prevalence of imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. Lyons also founded the Julia Lyons Foundation, a charity supporting people with cystic fibrosis, inspired by the loss of her sister.
Lyons ultimately learned to reframe her perspective, recognizing her success wasn’t accidental and that she deserved to retain her earnings. She emphasized that success provides the “resources to finally start” addressing underlying issues. This revelation is particularly relevant as studies show women transitioning into entrepreneurship are especially vulnerable to imposter syndrome, but can overcome it with support and mentorship, as detailed in research from Cambridge International City Montessori School, Lucknow.
Lyons stated she is focused on continuing to build her businesses and support her foundation, while advocating for open conversations about the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship.
