"An instinct": Shark Tank investor Jamie Kern Lima discusses "self-doubt" and how it works with people's opinions

Shark Tank investor Jamie Kern Lima shared a video of her discussion with Lewis Howes, The School of Greatness Podcast host, on February 5, 2025.

While discussing various things, Lewis Howes mentioned how children keep trying despite falling when they're learning to walk. However, he asked Jamie why adults stop "trying to walk" into their dreams.

"I think I've never answered this question before, so I'm going to pour it right out to you...my...like how I really feel about that. I think kids have a knowing inside, an instinct. They want to walk, and they just think that they're going to figure it out. They see people around them walking, and they just do it."

She continued:

"It's like a knowing, and nothing's telling them not to trust themselves, and I think that as we grow up, I think that everything around us starts to tell us not to trust ourselves like self-doubt is so huge."

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Shark Tank mentor Jamie Kern Lima opens up about self-doubt and struggles she faced during the initial years of her cosmetic company

In a conversation with Lewis Howes, Shark Tank's Jamie Kern Lima discussed various things ranging from self-doubt to how people do not try harder and more topics.

One of the conversations was about how kids never give up when they are little and are learning to walk, even though they get injured multiple times. Lewis asked Jamie to share her thoughts on how people, after becoming "adults," do not try harder while pursuing their dreams.

"They (kids) eventually keep getting up, and they learn to walk...Why do you think we as adults stop trying to walk into our dreams or into opportunities when we hit ourselves one time, we fall one time?" he asked.

The Shark Tank mentor responded that it might be because of "self-doubt."

She stated that people are sometimes surrounded by different opinions, which affects individuals' ability and mindset to pursue things.

"Telling you they don't believe in you. It could be literally no proof of your own idea that it's going to be successful, right," replied Jamie.

Further, she shared her story about starting her cosmetics brand, IT Cosmetics. She mentioned that for the first three years, initially, there were "no signs" of what might happen.

Before that, she mentioned receiving two to three orders per day. She then shared that QVC was "probably the biggest" life and business decision, which was also the "scariest" one.

In the initial years, as Shark Tank's mentor mentioned, she tried "anything" to promote her brand, including beauty events and more. She also mentioned how her friends and family helped her by spreading the word about her cosmetic brand's items.

Further in their discussion, the entrepreneur recalled her mindset while getting a "no" from any company or brand and how she handled it.

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