Reinvention & Relevance: How to Lead with Confidence Through Change
By Liz Taylor, Business Leader and Hospitality Consultant at Liz Taylor Consultancy When you’ve been at the helm of a business for over 30 years, as I have, change is inevitable! And with that comes the confidence to be curious. To become a leader as you evolve!
I started my events business with just £200. Today, I run a company recognised as a trendsetter in the luxury events space, advise global brands, speak regularly to the media, and mentor the next generation of business founders as Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Central Lancashire. But none of that happened by staying still.
For the female founder navigating pivots, growth, or reinvention, confidence isn’t a mindset; it’s a strategy.
Here's how to lead with confidence through change, and inspire others along the way:
1. Back Yourself - Your Instincts Are Your Edge
We’re conditioned to seek approval. But your intuition? That’s your secret weapon. It's shaped by every win, every misstep, and every late-night decision. If it nudges you to change course, listen. Confidence begins when you stop outsourcing your decisions and start backing your own voice.
“Trust your gut. It’s there to guide you and mine has got me through some tough calls.”
2. Redefine Failure - Change the Script
Reinvention requires risk, and risk can be navigated. I believe that you never ever fail, you only learn. That is my mantra. I also have a saying, “allowing people to disagree with you is a sign of integrity, persuading them to agree with you is a sign of excellence”.
3. Ignore the Noise - Comparison is a Thief
Confidence falters when we start measuring our journey against someone else’s highlight reel. Forget what your competitors are doing. Focus on your lane, your pace, and your purpose. Every time I’ve dared to zig when others zagged, I found new ground.
Try this: Write your goals down. Revisit them. And track progress against yourself, not the founder next door.
4. Build a Brand That Evolves with You
Reinvention is personal and professional. Your brand should reflect who you are today, not who you were five years ago. Confidence shows up when you lead with clarity. Know what you stand for, then shout it from the rooftops. Consistency and authenticity aren’t buzzwords; they’re your power.
5. Respect Everyone - It Never Goes Out of Style
Confidence isn’t arrogance. It’s empathy with backbone. Never ask someone to do a job you wouldn’t do yourself. I’ve cleaned toilets! As a Marks & Spencer management trainee in my early twenties, I learned this firsthand, showing I was willing to work hard alongside a team. That lesson? You earn respect by showing up, rolling up your sleeves, and remembering that every role matters.
True leadership is about connection. Use every opportunity, every face, every name, every interaction, to reinforce a culture of respect.
Confidence is a Lifelong Practice
Whether you’re launching your first business or reinventing version 3.0 of yourself, remember: confidence isn’t a destination, it’s a muscle. The more you flex it, the stronger it gets.
And when you lead with confidence through change, you don’t just grow, you give other women permission to do the same.
