Julie Delucca-Collins: The Business of Believing in Yourself

Some conversations leave you with practical strategies, while others gently shift the way you see yourself. My conversation with Julie DeLucca-Collins did both. Julie is a business strategist, bestselling author, speaker, Tiny Habits® Certified Coach, and founder of Go Confidently Coaching. More importantly, she is a woman whose mission is to help other women step fully into the gifts God has placed within them. Our conversation wasn't simply about business—it was about confidence, courage, purpose, and learning to trust ourselves enough to take the next step, even when we don't feel completely ready.

Julie shared that throughout her career, people often assumed she was naturally confident. The truth, however, was something very different. She explained that confidence isn't something we're born with; it's something we build through action. Her words struck a chord with me when she said thatconfidence is a strategy. It comes after we've gathered enough evidence that we can do hard things—even imperfectly. How often do we wait until we feel confident before taking action, when in reality, confidence grows because we were willing to act first? That simple shift in perspective has the power to change not only our businesses but our lives.

One story Julie shared has stayed with me. During her years in corporate leadership, she noticed two incredibly talented women sitting around an executive boardroom table who hesitated to pull their chairs in and contribute to the conversation. They had every reason to be there, yet they questioned whether their voices mattered. It became a defining moment in Julie's life and eventually inspired the work she does today. She now helps women recognize that they don't need to become louder or more aggressive—they simply need to trust that their unique perspective belongs in the room. Every one of us has been given gifts, experiences, and wisdom that no one else can offer, and when we choose to stay silent, the world misses something only we were created to share.

As our conversation unfolded, we talked about one of the greatest obstacles to confidence: fear of rejection. Julie shared advice that immediately made me smile because I've heard something very similar throughout my own journey. Instead of chasing "yes," what if we intentionally looked for "no"? At first, that sounds backwards, but the lesson is incredibly freeing. A "no" isn't a reflection of our worth; it's simply information. It tells us where another person is in their journey, not whether we are valuable. When we stop making rejection personal, we become far more willing to have meaningful conversations, ask for opportunities, and share the gifts we've been given without fear of the outcome.

That led us into one of my favorite parts of our discussion—letting go of judgment. How often do we decide what someone will say before we've even asked the question? Julie shared a powerful story from her early career, when she hesitated to recommend an educational program to a family because she assumed they couldn't afford it. A mentor gently reminded her that it wasn't her place to decide what someone else could or couldn't invest in. Her responsibility was simply to share how she could help and allow the family to make their own decision. They chose to invest in their daughter's future, and years later that young girl graduated from law school. What a beautiful reminder that when we stop making assumptions and simply serve with honesty and integrity, incredible things can happen.

We also spent time talking about something every entrepreneur—and honestly every person—needs to hear: success is built on small, consistent habits. Julie is passionate about helping women understand that growth isn't found in chasing every new opportunity or "shiny object." It's found in showing up every day to do the sometimes ordinary, repetitive work that moves us closer to our goals. Those tiny habits, practiced consistently, eventually create extraordinary transformation. Whether it's making one more phone call, having one more conversation, reviewing our goals, or simply staying committed to what God has already called us to do, faithfulness in the small things always matters.

One of the themes I loved most throughout our conversation was Julie's reminder that failure isn't something to avoid—it's something to learn from. Our culture often teaches us to hide our mistakes, yet every successful person has a long list of failures that became stepping stones to where they are today. Julie encouraged us to stop seeing failure as something shameful and instead view it as valuable feedback. Every setback gives us the opportunity to recalibrate, adjust our approach, and continue growing. When we embrace that mindset, fear begins to lose its grip, and confidence quietly begins to grow.

Julie also shared the inspiration behind her beautiful bestselling book,Confident You: Raw Conversations, Real Stories of Courage, Healing, and Redefining Confidence. Rather than writing another self-help book filled only with her own experiences, she invited twenty incredible women to share their personal journeys of awakening, unbecoming, becoming, and rising. Their stories remind us that every woman walks her own unique path, yet we all wrestle with many of the same fears, doubts, and questions. There is tremendous healing that happens when we realize we are not alone.

As our conversation came to a close, I found myself reflecting on something we often talk about here on Conversations with Carroll: our stories matter. We educate through stories. We encourage through stories. We heal through stories. Julie's willingness to share both her successes and her struggles is a beautiful reminder that confidence isn't about having everything figured out. It's about trusting God enough to take the next faithful step, surrendering perfection, embracing growth, and believing that our gifts were given to us for a reason.

I hope you'll take time to listen to this inspiring episode ofConversations with Carroll. Whether you're building a business, navigating a career change, pursuing a dream that's been placed on your heart, or simply learning to believe in yourself again, Julie's wisdom will encourage you to stop waiting until you feel ready and start moving forward with courage. Confidence isn't the beginning of the journey—it is the beautiful result of taking one faithful step after another.

May this conversation remind you that you matter, your voice matters, and the gifts God has entrusted to you are meant to be shared with the world.

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