Don’t Catch Feelings for Your Idea

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your idea… it’s the way you’ve been trained to think?

Ashish Bhatia is basically a therapist for entrepreneurs and in this episode of This Is Small Business, he breaks down why “just be confident” is the worst advice ever, and what actually works instead.

As a professor of Entrepreneurship at NYU Stern, Ashish has helped hundreds of founders go from “I have an idea” to “I built this” and he’s here to teach you how to rewire your brain for uncertainty, feedback, and real momentum. You’ll learn why entrepreneurs aren’t “natural risk-takers,” how to stop protecting your idea like it’s fragile, and the simple steps to move faster (without spiraling). Plus: how to figure out what you really want so you stop building a life that looks good on paper but feels wrong in real life.

If you’ve been stuck overthinking, waiting for the “right time,” or quietly questioning whether you’re cut out for this… this one’s for you.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Thisissmallbusiness

In this episode of This Is Small Business, you'll learn about:

(01:11) — Mindset isn’t enough… so what actually has to change?

(06:41) — The 3 steps to go from “I have an idea” to “I built this”

(08:44) — Why you’re scared to share your idea (and how to do it anyway)

(11:49) — Opportunity cost vs. “affordable loss” (A.K.A. How to stop talking yourself out of it)

(14:20) — Why you need to self-reflect to build a successful business