How to Make the Right Business Decisions (Even When Everyone Has an Opinion)

As an ambitious woman, you're no stranger to high-stakes decisions - from pivoting your business model to investing in a new offer or saying yes to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

And when it matters most, it’s tempting to look to others for guidance. If it worked for them, it must be the right move… right?

Not necessarily.

Taking inspiration is smart. But copying someone else’s path - without pausing to ask if it truly fits you - can derail your confidence and direction. The most powerful decisions don’t come from blindly following advice. They come from integrating external wisdom with internal clarity.

Here’s how to do exactly that.

Why Learning from Others Can Be Helpful

✅ Avoid costly mistakes
Listening to others' experiences can save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.

✅ Gain new strategies
You can learn creative solutions or shortcuts you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.

✅ Speed up the process
If someone’s already walked the path, you can move faster with confidence.

✅ Draw from expertise
Mentors and industry peers can offer insight you might not yet have.

But There Are Risks to Following Someone Else’s Path

⚠️ You’re working with different variables
Their timeline, team, audience, and resources may be entirely different to yours.

⚠️ You might override your instincts
Advice is helpful - until it drowns out your own knowing.

⚠️ It can limit your growth
Making brave, independent decisions is part of becoming the leader you want to be.

⚠️ It might be outdated
What worked five years ago might not hold up in today's world.

So… How Do You Know What to Do?

Let’s be honest - business advice is everywhere. What matters is learning how to tune in to the right voices, without tuning out your own.

Here’s how to blend strategy with self-trust:

1. Get Clear on Your Priorities First

Before you ask anyone for input, ask yourself:

• What does success look and feel like to me?

• What am I willing - and not willing - to compromise on?

• What values or goals do I want this decision to honour?

When you're grounded in your vision, it’s easier to know which advice serves it - and which doesn’t.

2. Filter the Advice

When someone offers input, ask:

• Have they done what I’m trying to do?

• Do I want their version of success?

• Is their advice fact, opinion or an assumption?

You can deeply respect someone and still choose a different path.

3. Reframe Advice as Data, Not Doctrine

Think of advice like market research. Use it to gain insight - but not to outsource your power. Just because a strategy is “proven” doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

4. Embrace the Inner Compass

Ask yourself:

If I followed this advice and it didn’t work out, would I still feel good about how I showed up?

That’s your answer.

5. Grow Confidence Through Action

Making your own decisions builds confidence - not because they’re always right, but because you made them. Even if things don’t go to plan, you’ll come away stronger and clearer.

Own Your Decisions. Own Your Path.

You can be open to insight, mentorship, and wisdom - and still be fiercely committed to your own vision.

Because the most successful women in business don’t just copy what worked for someone else. They build their own runway. They back themselves. And they make big decisions not because they’re guaranteed, but because they’re aligned.

So trust your gut. Let your values lead. And remember: you already have what it takes to choose wisely.