The Fear Behind the Fear: A Psychologist's Take on Anxiety in Business with Dr. Amanda Tobe

This week on This Mother Means Business, Laura sits down with Dr. Amanda Tobe, an industrial-organizational psychologist and founder of Amanda Tobe & Associates, for a thoughtful conversation about the human side of entrepreneurship. Together, they explore public speaking anxiety, fear of judgment, career pivots, motherhood, mental health, and what it looks like to keep building a business while navigating life’s hardest seasons. Amanda also shares her personal journey of redesigning her career in her early 30s, building a practice rooted in career-focused psychological support, and moving through a recent breast cancer diagnosis with intention, openness, and support. In this episode you will hear:00:00 – Why mental health belongs in conversations about business00:33 – Meet Dr. Amanda Tobe and what an industrial-organizational psychologist does01:49 – The three main areas Amanda supports in her practice03:38 – Career pivots, public speaking anxiety, and entrepreneurial fears06:00 – Laura opens up about her own public speaking anxiety07:23 – The four fears underneath public speaking anxiety10:11 – Where to start when navigating fear and anxiety around visibility13:03 – Amanda’s career pivot and creating a passion-led business16:24 – How Amanda knew it was time to go all in19:36 – Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship with intentional boundaries21:42 – How Amanda applies her own tools to the fears that come with business24:13 – Why no entrepreneur is immune to fear and self-doubt25:41 – Amanda shares her breast cancer diagnosis and how she is navigating it27:36 – Supporting yourself through a life ambush while running a business30:19 – Community, openness, and asking for help32:21 – Where to connect with Dr. Amanda Tobe Amanda's Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amandatobe/Website: https://www.amandatobe.com/ Tickets for This Mother Means Business LIVE - Presented by CIBC Business Banking on April 1st, 2026 are available now! Get yours here: https://www.thismothermeansbusiness.com/tmmb-2026Join This Mother Means Business Community : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com/community Laura's Links:• Website • Laura's Instagram • LinkedIn • Facebook • Pinterest • TikTok