Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

be an introvert in business

240: How to be an introvert in business, with Stacey Trock

Just because you’re introverted, doesn’t mean you can’t succeed at business! Learn more about how to thrive as a business introvert at TaraSwiger.com/podcast240

Are you an introvert? Not sure? Think being an introvert is the same thing as being shy? We have a lot to talk about!

Hi, I’m Stacey. I’m an introvert. I’m also tremendously talkative, self-confident and not the tiniest bit shy. Sound like a contradiction? Not really. In this episode, I’m going to talk about what an introvert really is, plus dispel some misconceptions. I’ll fill you in on the strengths of an introvert, as well as some strategies to cope with challenging situations.

What is an introvert?

An introvert is someone who needs alone time to truly thrive. Interacting with people is often draining. Although being 100% introverted is rare, we all fall along the introvert-extrovert continuum. People with more than 50% introverted tendencies are usually considered introverts.

Introverts often:

  • Think best on their own
  • Find ‘small talk’ draining
  • Notice subtle cues
  • Have a strong internal monologue
  • Are thorough
  • Are independent & work well on their own
  • Excel in 1-on-1 interactions and deep conversations

What are great strategies for an introvert?

Contrary to what you may have been told, being an introvert gives you AMAZING skills for running your own business! You work well on your own, driving your business forward. And for every situation that presents challenges, there are fairly simple solutions you can implement.

We’ll discuss:

  • How to turn ‘networking events’ into an opportunity for genuine conversation, where you excel
  • Managing ‘group work’ and translating it into great individual work
  • Strategies to scheduling your day to maximize your energy levels
  • The power of working in writing

By the end of this episode, you’ll be on board with celebrating the joys of being an introvert!

Book recommendations and links:

Find me!

Stacey Trock is a consultant in brand management and social media. She helps small businesses engage authentically with their customers by developing both long-term content plans and live social media event coverage. Stacey teaches and writes about business for Creative Live, Industry organizations and trade magazines.

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

It’s OK to be an introvert in business

introvertinbusiness

The most popular blog posts on my blog are all about the same thing: How to navigate your creative business as an introvert. So I'm betting that you, dear reader, are an introvert.

As I've just undertaken a weekend of maximum-human-contact (a long flight, followed by a conference full of people I'm excited to talk to, followed by catching up with college friends), I'm thinking a lot about how to survive it all as an introvert.

You might be like me, an introvert who’s friendly and chatty (and if we know each other well, VERY talkative).

Or you might be an introvert who’s shy and quiet.

Or somewhere in the middle.

As an introvert, you get filled up and energized by being alone. By being quiet (maybe reading, crafting, pinterest-ing).

Being with people can wear you out and make you feel overstimulated or frazzled.
(By contrast, extroverts get energized by being with people.)

It might feel like, as an introvert, that all the small business advice is for extroverts: Go meet people! Network! Do craft shows! BE WITH PEOPLE! TALK TO PEOPLE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU IN BED WITH YOUR CAT?!

But I'm here to tell you, you can be an introvert and thrive in business. 

As you might know, I'm extremely enthusiastic about making your business work for you, and this introversion thing is just another opportunity to make your business fit YOU, instead of pushing yourself to fit some outside standard of acceptability.

To help you in this journey, here's a collection of suggestions I've made to introverts over the years:

I hope this helps you believe it’s OK to be an introvert and that it guides you to building a business that fits with your personality (no matter what it is!). If you’ve got an introvert friend who needs encouragement, please share it with them using the social media buttons below.