The short answer: for most service businesses in the US, no. You don't need a certification to start, to charge or to be good at what you do. The exceptions are licensed fields like therapy, financial advice and anything else your state regulates. If you've been doing the work for years, your track record already counts. The certificate is optional.
So why am I buying more of them? Great question. 🫣
I'm in the middle of stacking up more pieces of paper I don't really need. Certificates. The official stamp on things I've been doing for years. And the whole time I'm going through it, there's a voice in my head going, "ughhhh, this is so stupid, you don't need this."
I'm doing it anyway.
For context, I've been scaling businesses since 2018. I have a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology. I'm a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Certified Life Coach and a Reiki Master. I also live on a ranch in Eagle Point, Oregon with 4 kids and horses, which is the most intense training program I've ever been in and nobody has offered me a certificate for that one yet.
Why do experienced people keep buying certifications?
I know exactly why I'm doing it. It's that extra sense of security. When somebody is about to invest in you, it feels good to have something to point at and say, "Look, I know what I'm doing. It says so right here." Even though you've been doing the thing literally forever.
It's like we don't trust our own track record until somebody else signs off on it.
And I'm clearly not the only one. A 2020 research review in the Journal of General Internal Medicine pulled together 62 studies on imposter syndrome and found it in anywhere from 9% to 82% of people, depending on how they measured it. That's a huge range. Even the low end is a lot of capable people doubting themselves.
Is taking more courses a form of procrastination?
Two things can be true at the same time. I have a degree in psychology and sociology and more certifications than I can count. Learning something new is great and I'm never going to tell you to stop. But there's a difference between learning something new and buying one more reason to feel allowed.
Maybe this sounds familiar... You've been helping people with something for years. You're good at it. But the price stays low, or the thing you want to launch sits in a doc, until the next course or certificate is done. Then the next one, then the next one...
It shouldn't take another PDF with your name on it to charge for what you already know.
Meanwhile the business you actually want keeps waiting on paperwork. 🫠
What is the "Expert" type of imposter syndrome?
Worth a look if this one stings a little: The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women by Valerie Young. She breaks down why capable people doubt themselves into 5 "competence types": the Perfectionist, the "Expert," the Soloist, the Natural Genius and the Superwoman.
The "Expert" measures her competence by how much she knows, and she's afraid she'll never know enough. So she signs up for more training. And then a little more. If you own a stack of certificates, you might recognize her. (Ahem.)
How do you know when you're qualified enough to charge?
3 things to try this week:
1. Make the list. Write down what you've been doing for years that you're still waiting on permission for. Next to each one, write how long you've actually been doing it. Look at those numbers for a minute.
2. Ask one question before the next purchase. Before you buy the next course or certification, ask yourself: am I learning something new, or buying a feeling? If it's the feeling, keep your money.
3. Say it without the qualifier. Instead of "I'm not certified yet, but…" just say what you do. Say it to 1 real person this week and watch how weird it doesn't get.
You don't need another piece of paper to prove you're worthy.
What if you have the experience and your business still feels stuck?
If you've got the paper and the experience and your business still doesn't feel like yours, that's why I created The Business Edit. It's 6 weeks, 1:1, figuring out what you already know and actually using it. No new certificate required. 😂
Certification questions people ask
Do you need a certification to be a mentor or consultant?
In the US, generally no, as long as the work isn't licensed. Nobody checks your paperwork before you help someone sort out their business or their schedule. The exceptions are regulated fields like therapy and counseling, financial advice and anything else your state licenses. If you're not sure where your work falls, look up your state's rules before you buy another course. (I'm not a lawyer so check your state.)
Is taking more courses a form of procrastination?
It can be. Ask whether the course is teaching you a specific skill you need right now or buying you reassurance. Learning a skill the week you need it makes sense. Buying a program so you'll finally feel ready is usually the stall.
What is the "Expert" type of imposter syndrome?
It's one of the 5 competence types Valerie Young describes in The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women. The "Expert" measures her competence by how much she knows and fears she'll never know enough. Common signs: you won't apply for something until you meet every single requirement, you keep signing up for more training and you squirm when someone calls you an "expert."
How do I know when I'm qualified enough to charge?
Look at the evidence you already have. Count the years you've been doing the work, what changed for the people you helped and whether they came back or sent a friend. If that list is long, you're qualified. Another certificate won't add years to it.
How do I talk about my experience without a certification?
Drop the qualifier and lead with the years. "I've been doing this for 10 years" lands a lot better than "I'm not certified yet, but…" Say what you do, how long you've done it and what usually happens for the people you work with.
-Sausha
PS. If your business feels more complicated than it needs to be, or you know something needs to change but can't quite figure out what, The Business Edit is where we work through it together. 6 weeks, 1:1.
Sausha Davis is a writer, mentor and strategic advisor who helps people simplify their life and business through mentoring, workshops and retreats. She lives on a ranch in Eagle Point, Oregon with her 4 kids and her horses. See upcoming retreats →
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