The stereotypical entrepreneur thrives on personal interaction. They are comfortable walking up to strangers and talking about their business, they have no fear giving presentations to large audiences, and they are natural-born salespeople who can pitch their products anytime and anywhere. But what about the introverts of the world, who draw energy from being alone, prefer working in solitude, and aren’t as naturally inclined to socialize with others? It is even a surprise for an entrepreneur to be an introvert. One will tend to wonder how did they become this rich and how did they attract people. However, there are many examples of introverts who have become successful business owners. Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, is notoriously shy and introverted, yet is able to lead one of the biggest tech companies on the planet. Bill Gates, too, is open about overcoming the challenges of introversion on his path to becoming one of the richest men on the planet. And it’s not just the tech world, either—consulting maverick Sam Ovens describes himself as an introvert, having overcome the fear of pitching his business to others at the start of his entrepreneurial journey.
It is possible for introverts to become great entrepreneurs but only if they have the right ideas and know the right way in getting the attention of the people. Are you an entrepreneur and planning on becoming one but is shy? Then these tips are definitely for you.
Have a Recharge Time
Introverts need time to themselves in order to get more ideas out, time away from social interactions and activities otherwise they will eventually run out of energy, lose their composure and stop being productive. Many introverts understand this aspect of their personality, and to become a successful entrepreneur it’s important they find time away from it all to be by themselves (or around those they are comfortable with) and just recharge. This can be as simple as taking a 10 to 15 minutes break to yourself during the day, or taking a long weekend by yourself in the long term. It is also important for entrepreneurs to get a study room where they can be there alone in order to study more.
Use your Strength Well
Social interactions might be the one major weakness of introverts, but they also have great strengths that are vital to entrepreneurial success. Introverts have great listening skills because they are known to be quite people. In a world where most people speak before they think, introverts naturally do the opposite, they listen before they speak. This enables them to analyze things, make the right decision and enhance everything about their business, from sales to marketing. The listening skill is a very valuable tool for successful entrepreneurs.
Learn to Live Outside of Your Comfort Zone
As an introverted entrepreneur, being alone all the time is not always the right decision to make. You will have to learn to live outside your comfort zone. This is because virtually every day you will encounter situations and scenarios that will take you out of your comfort zone. Unless you don’t want to be known worldwide or even impact in the society, then you can’t shy away from the public. But if you are really passionate about entrepreneurship, you will have to make that conscious decision daily to let passion win over comfort.
Delegate or Outsource Tasks You Can’t Handle
You can’t keep living out of your comfort zone, which is why you need time to recharge in the first place. However, you have to be wise and be able to determine the tasks that are just not necessary for you to handle and outsource or delegate these tasks to an individual or group of people that are working under you and can handle it better. Have some extroverts around you that can handle certain aspects of your business easier than you would, while you can take on the more crucial aspects. You are an entrepreneur, not a one-man army; and like Bill Gates admitted, a business can’t be managed and operate by an entire group of introverts, some extroverted influence is required. Just make sure that you get the right people on your team.
Conclusively, Introverts may be hesitant to embark upon careers as entrepreneurs. However, the truth is that people who are passionate about what they do can usually find ways of achieving success in spite of obstacles. By preparing your pitches in advance and truly listening
to your customers’ views, you can overcome your initial shyness and you will definitely be on your way to becoming successful
By Pupwaya Timothy Dibal
