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By Crissy Mueller, Writing that Works
Here’s a little secret: I am not an extravert. I am not a dreamer. At least, not the “see-opportunity-around-every-corner” kind. But I went ahead and started my own writing services business anyway, and I am very happy that I did.
It turns out, there is a way to be successfully self-employed, even if you don’t have all the typical qualities we associate with successful entrepreneurship. The answer, in my experience, is that you have to know your weaknesses, and take action on them.
Two recent articles on the Harvard Business Review blog looked at areas that I perceive as my weaknesses – qualities I have that I worried would prevent me from launching my own business successfully: being an introvert and being prevention-focused, not promotion-focused when it comes to personal goals. Well, according to these articles, the good news is that introverts can be entrepreneurs. And, you can teach yourself to constantly spot and seize opportunities (if this is not your current M.O.).
So if you are hesitating to start your own business because you think you are missing some “essential” required personality traits - don’t. Here are three things you can do:
1.Know yourself
Your starting point should be a very honest and clear assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses. Then, ask yourself which ones might get in the way of your business goals.
2.Surround yourself with “opposite” personalities
According to a Forbes article, entrepreneurs “recognize that they don’t know everything or control all the available resources. Instead, they have a keen ability to understand what they need. Then, they go get it. They educate themselves or partner with others who have a needed skill set or experience”.
When I am feeling stuck, I find it very helpful to talk to trusted people who are the opposite of me in areas where I’m weak – even if it’s just to get advice or ask them how they would approach a situation or problem, to get a different perspective. If you have the means, you can hire a team of people who have the strengths that you’re missing.
3.Don’t get comfortable
If you are not a competitive, future-oriented, extraverted visionary, you could fall into the trap of “getting comfortable” as the owner of your own business. This is because you might not be thinking 24/7 of how to grow your business, but might rather be focused on other – equally important – things that come more naturally to you, like providing outstanding service to your clients, or the joy you get from executing the service itself in the best possible way, for instance. Of course, it will be easier to do the parts of the work that you like, and NOT do the parts that requires skills you’re weak in. The key is to not lose sight of these areas of “weakness”. Make a point of assessing your progress and goals in these areas on a formal, weekly basis. Find a way to keep the momentum going and hold yourself accountable.
In all this talk of strengths and weaknesses, it’s important to realize that weaknesses are always also strengths – it’s just a matter of perspective and the particular situation. My “introvert” skills serve me very well as a writer, for example. Because when you spend lots of time listening, you notice things that others miss.
In the end, leadership and courage are more crucial than any personality trait when it comes to being successful in anything, both inside and outside the business world. Real leadership is looking at the big picture, identifying problems or obstacles and taking effective action. As long as you can do this, go ahead and dream big.
Bio
Crissy Mueller is an expat entrepreneur based in the La Côte region of Lake Geneva. She provides writing, editing and translation services through her company, Writing that Works. Her mission is to help businesses and individuals get the results they want though quality writing in English.
Before starting her own business, Crissy worked for companies and organizations in Germany, Switzerland and the United States, where she managed and coordinated a variety of programs at the intersection of education, travel and cultural exchange. She has a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and German from Tufts University.
She is passionate about intercultural communication, entrepreneurship, and discovering how to live life to the fullest.
Website: www.writingthatworks.net
