The Introverted Founder

Being a founder is undeniably challenging. Being an introverted founder exponentially increases the challenges you’ll face. A large part of being a founder is hustling. You gotta hustle for investors, you gotta hustle for customers, you gotta hustle to attract the best talent. Hustle usually involves being out in the world. Meeting, networking, connecting, presenting, pitching. For non-Introverts, those things can be energizing and exhilarating. For Introverts, they can suck the life out of you. To add insult to injury, Introverts tend to be empathic and highly intuitive — we are very sensitive to other people’s energy and emotions, and we have information coming at us (visible and invisible) from all angles. Those qualities, though they can also be gifts, can further drain an Introvert.

First off, how do you know if you’re an Introvert? Here are some clues:

· Your energy is sapped when you’re out in the world, especially if you’re surrounded by a lot of people. On the flip side of that coin, you replenish your energy when you’re alone

· You get sensory overload. Loud sounds, bright lights, too much activity can overwhelm you

· You prefer hanging out with pets when you go to a party. If there are no pets, you’ll look for some kids to play with. Next up, why not offer the hired help your assistance in the kitchen? Or try a…