Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, being an entrepreneur can teach you a lot about yourself, your personality traits, your leadership style, and help you to hone in on your skills. Entrepreneurship is also a great way to learn and understand those areas where you perhaps need to work on. Many of the entrepreneurs on the podcast like Sasha Back and Freya Dowson agree on being introverts while others like Dr. Karen Bartuch and Pravin Shekar are extroverts, through and through.

Much of what we hear in the news and from seeing successful people around us, leads us to believe that being extroverted is the favorable of the two types of people. Extroverts tend to be loud, noticeable, and hence successful. They love to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. Introverts on the other hand are often seen as being shy, withdrawn, and quiet. And so perceived as being less successful at business.

No-one knows you better than you. So before we go any further, make a mental note of which camp you think you fit into and own your truth. One is NOT better than the other – they are just two different personality types, regardless of what society tells us. There are some easy ways to maximize whichever one you are to rock your business.

Personality Traits Of An Introvert

Introverts tend to be deep thinkers. They internalize their thought process and are able to tune out outside noise of the world to turn inward into what they are thinking about. They may take longer to think through things and are generally more thoughtful because of the way they process the world. Introverts are more cautious which can be a pro and a con as an entrepreneur. Because of their thoughtfulness, they often weigh out all the different possible outcomes before making a decision.

On the contrary, a lot of extroverts tend to be more spontaneous and make quick decisions. So the thoughtfulness and cautiousness of an introvert can be both a blessing and a curse in the fast paced world of entrepreneurship. Introverts also tend to be more creative. Because they don’t crave the company of others as much as extroverts, they take time to dream, create, and get inspired on their own. So introverts actually tend to be more creative than their extroverted counterparts.

Another pro about introverts is they are observers and listeners. Instead of leading conversations, they listen, pay attention, and glean insight from their observations. This is a great trait to have in a leader. Instead of trusting that they know best, introverts tend to ask meaningful questions and then really pay attention to the responses.

Introverts are also more likely to master challenging subjects because of their desire to learn and study. They focus easier and want to master a task instead of moving on to the next thing. Introverts may not have the biggest social networks but they are great at executing and completing tasks at hand.

Lastly, one of the biggest differences between introverts and extroverts is in how they view and consider others. Most extroverts tend to be focused on expressing and executing their own ideas while introverts focus on the thoughts and actions of others. As an entrepreneur, introverts are naturally accustomed to analyzing the ideas of others, offering thoughtful feedback, and organizing what others bring to the table.

Personality Traits Of An Extrovert

Extroverts tend to be more comfortable engaging with others and hence have wider networks of connections and contacts. This can be a huge benefit to an entrepreneur. Since extroverts are more interested in expanding their circles, they are more open minded about creating and developing relationships.

Communication is another strong suit for extroverts since they are more outgoing and comfortable communicating with others. So this natural tendency is a huge plus. Extroverts also tend to be more persuasive which can play a huge role in selling an idea, product or service. Persuasion and the ability to shift mindsets is key in marketing for an entrepreneur and extroverts tend to have a leg up in their ability to persuade others.

Extroverts tend to be better at coordinating and communicating with their team and help create a positive team dynamic through the way they tend to lead. Extroverts love to work with others and tend to want to talk through the process, where as introverts take their marching orders and connect only when necessary.

Charisma can be a huge win for extroverts because it helps establish a true personality that helps increases popularity and visibility. Extroverts tend to garner the attention of larger audiences and thrive on the energy given to them from the eyes that are watching them, giving them more influence. They love to be the face and so they are usually easier spotted and attention grabbers. Extroverts love to lead others and be front and center and this is never a bad thing when it comes to running a business or a brand.

Extroverts get energy from being around people and so the level of their creativity is endless and can change based on who’s presence they are in. While introverts tend to be more creative, it’s more of an inward creativity while extroverts thrive off of the energy of others which can absolutely impact their business, ideas.

Owning Your Truth

If you are having a hard time analyzing which camp you fall into, there are many ways to figure this out. One of the easiest ways is to ask the people around you – the ones you know and trust as to what they think. And assess the results for yourself. Another way is to self-reflect and really analyze the situations and scenarios that make you happy and those that make you uncomfortable. Do you thrive on having people around you all the time? Or do you prefer to do your thinking, planning and doing on your own?

And don’t worry if you say yes to both. There is a third personality type called ‘introverted extrovert‘ which a lot of entrepreneurs belong to. The jury is still out on if there is a ‘better’ personality type and a lot of people end up falling in the middle of being an introvert or extrovert.

Regardless of where you are on this spectrum, you possess gifts and personality traits that will set you apart. Reflecting on what you love, what fires you up, and what fuels you the most can help you continue to create a life and business you love.

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