To millions of viewers Sara Davies occupies one of world’s scariest rooms – the infamous den in TV’s Dragons’ Den.
Contestants have been reduced to tears as they pitch for investment to the panel of fearsome Dragons.
However the founder of Crafter’s Companion has opened up about the imposter syndrome that blighted her 20s and urged other people having the same feelings to be themselves.
“What advice would I give a young Sara?” she told her 550,000 followers on LinkedIn.
“I get asked this time and time again so I thought I’d share it on here for you.
“I would tell little Sara that she was good enough.”
“I’m disappointed that I spent most of my 20s thinking I was never good enough to be in whatever room I’d made my way into and I thought that to justify being there, I had to be someone different.”
It’s also a far cry from Davies’ public persona today.
As well as being a Dragon, she’s also hosting the new BBC One series The Big Idea Works, featuring everyday people who have come up with a clever idea for a new product, but don’t know where to start in getting it made.
In January the 40-year-old stepped in to rescue Crafter’s Companion after its directors called in administrators.
Davies, she shared a photo of her in her 20s, added: “By the time I hit my 30s I’d gained enough self-confidence to know I was good enough.
“Some people are in their 60s and 70s and haven’t been able to work that out yet.
“So I don’t know if there are any of you out there feeling the way I did in my 20s, or still having this self doubt, but take it from one who’s leant it first hand – being you is absolutely the best thing you can be. There’s no one else like you!”s’ haven’t been able to recognise their own value yet.