Posted Under: Entrepreneur, Interview

Yes, you read it right, “The Introvert Entrepreneur“. Last week, I had the opportunity to connect with Beth Buelow, the mastermind behind the “The Introvert Entrepreneur” and being the curious head I am on anything and anyone who mentions entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, startup, or small business, I asked her to tell me more about “The Introvert Entrepreneur” and here’s our chat:

DD: Who are you and what kind of corporate job were you at?

BB: My name is Beth Buelow and while who I am evolves every day, I do know a few things for sure: I’m a 38-year-old entrepreneur, coach, writer, speaker and facilitator. And I’m a proud introvert! My mission is promote “pride of ownership” among introverts everywhere. I believe whatever we are – introvert or extrovert – we will live into our highest potential when we can make the best of what we’ve got.

My career leading up to this point was in the nonprofit sector. Over 12 years, I worked for a variety of organizations in different roles, including fundraiser, marketer, webmaster and grantmaker.

DD: What made you leave the job? When did you realize that you wanted to be an entrepreneur & why?

BB: My life has been a string of entrepreneurial desires and adventures, even when I was working within a larger organization. I frequently found myself creating new teams and initiatives that contributed to the organization while feeding my need for innovation and start-up excitement. I left my last job in late 2007 because of a move across the country. My job search turned into a soul search, and I found my passion (personal development and coaching). I decided that the best way to live out my passion was to strike out on my own. This isn’t a career for me, it’s a calling. I believe the sky’s the limit, for me and for my clients!

DD: You specifically help introvert entrepreneurs. What’s so special about introverts?

BB: Introverts are often misunderstood. When asked, “what does it mean to be an introvert?” people frequently answer with words like shy, loner, quiet or wallflower. However, the true definition is actually quite different. It’s all about where you get your energy. According to Myers-Briggs’ (a popular personality assessment), an introvert derives energy from his or her internal world of emotions and ideas, while an extrovert draws energy from the outside world of people and activities.

You can imagine that the preference for solitude and feeling drained from too much social interaction might run contrary to being an entrepreneur. In fact, if an introvert is aware of how to balance alone time with social time (for instance, knowing how many meetings or phone calls you can handle in one day before the energy well runs dry), then there is every reason to believe that an introvert can make a very successful entrepreneur!

DD: What tips would you have for an introvert who is preparing to make the employee-to-entrepreneur transition?

BB: First, make an intentional choice to notice, and keep a list of, your personal strengths. These might include comfort with working alone, being detail oriented, ability to listen carefully and an ability to synthesize lots of information. Knowing your strengths will support you when you’re making decisions about how to set up your business, what tasks you can do yourself and what would be best to outsource.

Second, consider how you’re going to promote yourself and your business in a way that feels authentic for you. Social media has made it incredibly easy to “look before you leap.” You can browse around, sit back and watch awhile, then choose to participate at a level that feels good to you. Make friends with technology. If you need support in that area, it’s worth it to hire a social media consultant, or find a mentor, mastermind group or other support system that will shorten your learning curve and increase your comfort level.

Third, make sure you’re ready to take your online connections into real-time meetings. It’s easy for introverts to get seduced by the relative safety of social media; we need to make sure we’re getting out and being seen and heard as people, not just as avatars. Experiment with different sizes and types of networking and business gatherings. Find the ones that work for your style and business. If you enjoy the people and meetings, you’ll show up with confidence and personality.

And lastly, one of the biggest things I noticed going from employee to entrepreneur was that I really had to manage my time and energy differently. During a 9-5 routine, I knew when I was supposed to be “up.” When I got home, I could truly have down-time. As a work-from-home entrepreneur, the lines can get very blurry. I recommend that as soon as possible, set up a structure for yourself – including dedicated physical space and office hours – that enables you to balance up and down time. Take care of yourself, and be patient with the transition. You’ll have highly productive days, as well as days when it feels like absolutely nothing happens. As you find your personal rhythm, you’ll experience more ease and joy, which is a great benefit to being an entrepreneur!

That was Beth Buelow, ladies and gentlemen! For more info and help, make sure you visit her at www.theintrovertentrepreneur.com

Success to all!!