Starting a business is an exciting idea, but for many Americans, it remains just that – an idea. While entrepreneurship comes with financial independence and creative freedom, many never leap due to burnout fears, self-doubt, and skill gaps.

A recent Hostinger study on starting a business in 2025 revealed that over 30% of Americans have thought about starting their own business. However, many face significant barriers that prevent them from taking the first step.
 

This article explores common fears we all experience and shares proven lessons from big companies on how to overcome them, offering practical tips HR professionals can apply to support career growth and innovation.

Starting a business is easier than ever, but despite the resources available, many Americans hesitate due to three major concerns:

1. Fear of Burnout (25.88%)
Over a quarter of potential entrepreneurs worry that starting a business will mean working too many hours, struggling to find balance, and ultimately burning out. Running a business requires wearing multiple hats, from managing operations to marketing, which can feel overwhelming.

2. Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome (20%)
Confidence plays a huge role in entrepreneurship, yet one in five people hesitate to start a business because they don’t feel capable or qualified enough. Many fear failing, comparing themselves to experienced business owners and believing they lack what it takes to succeed.

3. Skill Gaps (30.89%)
A significant portion of respondents said they lack the necessary technical skills. The most common challenges include:
 

• Website building and maintenance (27.94%)
• Understanding eCommerce tools (17.63%)
• Coding and programming (17.01%)
• Graphic design (16.23%)

What HR Professionals Can Learn From These Barriers

While these fears apply to aspiring business owners, they also mirror workplace challenges that HR professionals frequently address. Many employees face burnout, self-doubt, and skill gaps, even within their current roles.

HR teams can take the following approaches to help individuals overcome these fears and develop professionally:

1. Preventing Burnout
Burnout is a major concern for both employees and aspiring entrepreneurs, often stemming from long hours of work and the pressure to succeed.

HR professionals can help by promoting flexible schedules that help people manage their time, work from home, or work when they are the most productive.

Focus time without meetings should be blocked on the calendar. Leadership positions should have slots dedicated just to thinking time. Doing so often helps to see situations from a helicopter view and identify what is most important.

At the same time, build a sense of purpose rather than urgency. When individuals deeply understand the "why" behind their work and see the impact they’re creating, they feel more engaged and motivated, not just pressured to keep up. A clear purpose fosters smart, meaningful action rather than reactive hustle.

Providing access to mental health resources is also important. HR professionals can offer confidential counseling services or refer employees to external resources. Mindfulness practices, meditation apps, and stress management training can help individuals manage stress and improve prioritization effectively.

2. Building Self-Efficacy
Self-doubt is one of the biggest roadblocks to taking risks, whether in business or career advancement. Self-doubt can be related to low self-efficacy (can-do attitude), which has been proven to influence performance.

Setting clear objectives and listing actionable key results or SMART goals helps to break complex problems into tiny, manageable tasks. Knowing where to start increases self-efficacy while experiencing success, even with small tasks, sets the stage for future wins.

Hence, HR teams should support the business by coaching leaders to help their team members set goals, break them into small tasks, and track progress.

Constructive feedback and recognition matter a lot in building self-efficacy. Building a candid feedback culture can help employees see areas for improvement. Celebrating achievements and fostering a recognition culture helps to close topics and renew motivation for upcoming projects.

Creating mentorship programs that pair employees with experienced professionals for support and guidance also increases self-efficacy. Seeing others succeed works as role modeling and helps one to see oneself succeeding.

Encouraging a growth culture and fostering psychological safety also helps individuals build confidence in their abilities. Creating this culture allows them to see new challenges as opportunities rather than risks.

Leadership training helps employees build confidence in their decision-making skills. This encourages them to step outside their comfort zones, whether it’s leading a project at work or starting a business.

3. Closing Skill Gaps
Many people miss out on new opportunities due to a lack of technical skills. A well-designed performance management system can help by fostering meaningful conversations and providing constructive feedback to identify and address those skill gaps.

HR professionals can address this by offering structured learning and development programs focused on essential digital skills like website building, coding, and e-commerce management. Learning can be individualized by using various e-learning platforms.

Additionally, providing workshops, online courses, and sponsored education programs helps create a culture of continuous learning. This ensures both employees and entrepreneurs feel ready to tackle new challenges with confidence.

Strategic workforce planning for the future can help leaders identify future skill gaps and help prepare in advance.

Parallels Between Entrepreneurs and HR's Role in Skill Development

Entrepreneurial skills are valuable in any career. HR professionals can take lessons from entrepreneurs and apply them to the workplace, helping employees think like business owners and develop the following traits:

1. Resilience
Entrepreneurs must navigate setbacks and failures before achieving success. HR can encourage employees to:
 

• Embrace learning from failure instead of fearing it.     
• Seeing new projects as challenges rather than threats
• Take calculated risks in their roles.
• Develop adaptability, allowing them to grow within their careers.

2. Creativity and Innovation
Entrepreneurs thrive by solving problems in unique ways. HR teams can:
 

• Create innovation challenges or various hackathons, encouraging employees to brainstorm new ideas.
• Support cross-departmental projects, fostering collaboration and creative problem-solving.

3. Upskilling Opportunities
HR professionals can introduce learning programs that equip employees with technical skills that are useful in both their jobs and future businesses. These include:
 

• Digital marketing and e-commerce training.
• Website development and content creation courses.
• AI-powered business tools training to streamline tasks.

By fostering these traits, HR can empower individuals to succeed in any professional setting, whether within a company or as business owners.

Lessons from Entrepreneurs

Despite these fears, some individuals still push past them and succeed. 14.7% of respondents have started businesses despite their fears.

Many of these successful business owners found opportunities in industries that will continue to thrive in 2025. Some of the most profitable business ideas include:
 

• 3D printing businesses – With the growing demand for customized and on-demand manufacturing, entrepreneurs in this space can cater to both consumers and businesses looking for unique, low-volume production solutions.
• Personal coaching & growth services – As more people prioritize mental well-being and self-improvement, coaching services for career growth, life transitions, and mindfulness have become increasingly valuable.
• Marketing & media services – With businesses relying on digital marketing to grow, services like content creation, social media management, and paid advertising remain highly profitable.

These insights show that while the journey may be challenging, choosing the right niche, leveraging available tools, and setting realistic expectations can make entrepreneurship more achievable.

HR as an Enabler of Growth

HR professionals have a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between fear and action. This will be helpful for employees in their careers and also for those considering entrepreneurship.

By addressing burnout, self-doubt, and skills gaps, HR can empower individuals to take bold steps forward, whether in starting a business or growing within their roles.

The key takeaway is this: fear should not be a barrier to growth. With the right support, people can turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Author Bio

Gabrielė Zakaitienė is Head of People at Hostinger. She is an HR professional with over six years of experience in the IT industry and a strong background in people management. Passionate about continuous learning and team effectiveness, Gabriele embraces a fast-paced yet thoughtful approach to achieving results. She thrives on curiosity, high standards, and ownership, aligning her work with Hostinger’s culture of growth and excellence.

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