The Obstacle Is The Way with Ellen Donelly

The social impact sector is in the middle of a massive "What now?" moment.With USAID funding being gutted and long-standing international development structures shifting, many talented people I know are suddenly facing an identity crisis. You’ve spent decades building deep expertise, but as the institutional floor moves beneath you, you’re left wondering how to package that value on your own terms.The problem? Most experts are stuck in what business coach Ellen Donnelly calls the "Expert Trap."Because you live inside your expertise every day, it feels "obvious" to you. You focus on the gap between your current work and perfection, while the market is simply looking for someone to solve a problem.I sat down with Ellen for the latest episode of What Grows? to discuss how to turn that expertise into authority—especially when the world feels uncertain. We talked about why she abandoned a fully-equipped YouTube studio to go back to her "natural wiring," and why the first $100K you earn as a solopreneur is actually about a massive psychological shift, not just a business model.If you’ve been waiting to "feel confident" before you pitch that first independent project, this conversation is for you.Ellen's website: https://the-ask.uk/