- Reflective
- Self-Aware
- Pensive
- Reserved
Sound familiar? If you’re an introvert then surely these characteristics resonate.
Introverts are defined as people whose personalities are characterized by introversion. This could mean a person who enjoys spending time alone and lends towards introspection rather than social interaction to recharge.
Chatting with healthcare professional and entrepreneur Agnes Loughlin, the founder of Miracles In Wellness, I was left with an interesting thought to ponder–do introverts make good entrepreneurs? If your immediate response is no, then think again.
As an introvert herself, Agnes explained on our call how she had to get outside the box to make it in business. But pushing yourself to get out of your comfort zone doesn’t necessarily mean expanding into extrovert territory.
If you’re an introvert who has doubts about finding success as a NursePreneurs, then I invite you to read on to explore some profound reasons why introverts make excellent entrepreneurs!
- Solitude Is Their Solace– Surprised to see this at the top of the list? Don’t be! Introverts are comfortable being alone. When first starting your business, you might find that there’s lots of alone time. This stamina to withstand prolonged periods of solitude can give you a leg up on the competition when it comes to strategizing and planning out your business. This solitude is unbearable for many extroverts, meaning, when they’re getting restless, you’re planning your next move.
- Better Listening Skills– One of the many advantages of being an introverted entrepreneur is the ability to listen, observe, and evaluate. These skills come in handy in situations involving partnerships and sales. It also means you’re more responsive to your client base, which gives you the opportunity to re-evaluate your business plan based on client experiences and responses.
- Realism Is A Gift– Having your head in the clouds is a great quality if you want to live in Fantasy Land. As a general rule, introverts tend to be more realistic, which is an advantage for entrepreneurs. The ability to realistically analyze information gives introverts a competitive edge when responding to negative feedback. Extroverts tend to hyper-focus on the positive, which minimizes the importance of negative feedback and can lead to an eventual demise.
Despite what you may have been told, being an introvert and an entrepreneur go hand-in-hand. Just like your extroverted entrepreneur counter-parts, there are some weaknesses of being an introvert in business.
Things like networking may prove to be a difficult task if social interaction doesn’t agree with you. But overcoming these barriers takes practice and can be done!
Don’t believe me? Check out this list of successful power-house introverts:
- Bill Gates
- Michelle Obama
- Warren Buffet
- J.K. Rowling
- Larry Page
- Mark Zuckerberg
Check out my interview with Agnes Loughlin here. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tips, tricks, and thoughts on nurses and entrepreneurship.