Imposter Syndrome Doesn’t Disappear at the Top: Lessons from the “First and Only Female” VP
- Marcy Stoudt
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
With my hands on the steering wheel, I had a moment of truth:
I didn’t have it all figured out. I wasn’t the expert on everything. And I was dangerously close to burning out—trying to meet the expectations of everyone around me… plus the relentless ones I had stacked on my own shoulders.
That moment was 2008.
I had just stepped off stage after giving a keynote at a women-in-leadership event. I’d been introduced as the example.
The role model. The woman who had made it.
Six months pregnant and preparing for my third maternity leave, I wore my navy maternity suit like armor. My heels clicked with confidence. My message was delivered with poise and polish.
I was, after all, “the first and only female vice president” at a $3B company for the past six years.
(Yes, that line showed up in every one of my introductions. Again and again.)
But what no one saw was the chaos behind the curtain that morning.
My toddler had spiked a fever in the middle of the night.
My husband and I didn’t argue—we had made a pact never to go back to the “whose job is more important” conversation.
So we did what we always did: we figured it out. Rearranged meetings. Made space for the pediatrician. Showed up for our daughter.
And then I showed up for the keynote. Smiling. Strong. Composed.
And afterward?
I sat alone in my car.
Gripping the steering wheel.
Quietly falling apart.
Because under all the polish, I was exhausted.
Not just from the pace—but from pretending.
Pretending I had all the answers.
Pretending I wasn’t overwhelmed.
Pretending I wasn’t scared that one wrong move would prove I didn’t belong.
No one asked me to be perfect. No one told me to fake it.
But I believed that’s what it took to lead. I built the pressure. I carried the weight. And I told myself it was necessary.
Imposter syndrome doesn’t vanish when you reach the top.If anything, it tightens its grip.
Because now you’re the one others look to.The one expected to have the answers. To show up with grace, no matter what’s unraveling behind the scenes.
But real leadership?
It’s not about knowing everything.It’s about being brave enough to say when you don’t. It lives in the pause—when you ask a better question. In the stillness—when you whisper, “I need help.”
For years, I believed my value came from being the expert. Now I know it comes from being honest.
I walked away from my corporate role to become the person I needed that day in the car—
The one who says:
You’re not alone.
You don’t have to prove yourself every second. And yes, it’s okay to be tired.
Today, I lead with truth, not performance.
I grow alongside the women I support—not above them. Not because I’ve mastered it all— But because I’ve finally let go of pretending I had to.
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Marcy Stoudt is a seasoned sales leader dedicated to shaping the future of talent acquisition and executive coaching. As the founder of Revel Search and Revel Coach, Marcy collaborates with corporate clients to develop innovative strategies for attracting, advancing, and retaining top-tier talent.
During her 22 years at Allegis Group, Marcy was TEKsystems's first female Vice President. She led a team of 300 producers and delivered four consecutive years of revenue results at 18% CAGR, averaging $320 million annually. While at MarketSource, she established the Customer Experience Strategy for the Target Mobile outsourced sales team at 1,540 Target locations, fostering executive-level relationships with Target and Apple.
The Revel Coach™ Blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not mental health, financial, business or legal advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any medical, mental or emotional condition. The information presented here is not a guarantee that you will obtain any results or earn any money using our content.
