You may think that to be a business owner, you must be a productive extrovert with great stress management skills. While that’s helpful, if you are an introvert with anxiety, you shouldn’t rule yourself out. Buffer.com highlighted business owner Ashima Sharma, who never thought she'd be a business owner, but shares her tips on what she did once her idea came to her.
Start small to build confidence
In the article, Ashima explains how hurdles like public speaking became small goals of hers to conquer. She started with Clubhouse, a live podcast of sorts, and built up the courage to speak in one of the rooms within the app. She got positive feedback and new followers that led her to speak up more often. It’s the small wins that can make your confidence swell and prepare you for the future. Whether you’re talking to clients, or strangers about your products/services, trust that you have good ideas that people need to hear.
Build habits to support mental health
It can be draining talking to people, but you’d be surprised at how much 5–10 minutes of time to yourself helps. If you have a lot of calls, schedule that buffer time between them on your calendar. Sharma says, “I think this need to be extremely intentional with my time and energy has actually turned out to be a superpower as a founder. Whereas other business owners may spend years figuring out their time management, it was an immediate necessity for me that came pretty naturally.”
Find mentors
With so many people experiencing some level of anxiety, burnout, or falling into the introverts category, putting some effort into finding a mentor to confide in should be a priority. Sharma states, “Introverted mentors have helped me become more comfortable with saying no to meetings that don’t drive my business forward (even when it feels tempting to say yes) so that I can preserve my limited energy for the most impactful tasks.” Have some people in your life that live and thrive as an extrovert? They can also be helpful and give you attributes to aspire to. Being surrounded by diverse people with different strengths will be helpful to anyone wanting to go on a big endeavor, like owning a business.
If you want to read the full article, check it out here: I’m an Introvert With High-Functioning Anxiety — Here’s How I’ve Grown My Business.
