The Introverted Entrepreneur: An anomaly, or a recipe for success?

A closer look into why introverts will always find the money

The other day I went for an impromptu coffee/walk with a good friend. While we were walking and chatting, he stopped at one point, pointed at the ground, and picked up a $20 bill. Lucky bastard, I thought.

Looking back at what happened earlier that day, I started to think about some of the common stereotypes of introverts—the shy, reserved personality types who tend to avoid eye contact and look to the ground. My friend who caught the $20 bill is not only an introvert, he’s also an entrepreneur with a thriving business. The Introverted Entrepreneur: Is this oxymoron merely an anomaly, or an overlooked recipe for serendipitous success?

My friend (we shall call him Tom for all intents and purposes) is a successful entrepreneur running a profitable business. He has a handful of employees and succeeded in securing multiple rounds of funding. However, Tom isn’t your typical entrepreneur that one might expect on the next cover Fast Company Magazine. He doesn’t covet the center stage, nor does he play the super-active leader and who pumps up his employees with motivational speeches. During investment pitches, he sticks to the data and hard facts, and avoids seeking any attention for himself. He is allergic to business bullshit, period. My friend is clearly an introvert, and he sticks to the human ratio: two ears, one mouth.

Tom listens more than he talks; he’s not in the least your prototypical founder whom you would imagine to rake in all the dollars. Call it a miracle or an exception, but he has no issue attracting investors. His success with fundraising, I believe, is attributable to his approach: He puts his ideas and vision first and listens to his investors (whether he implements their advice is a different story). We tend to think that the world of startups is governed by darwinian ideals, and that an entrepreneur needs to exemplify the dare-devil alpha male who commands attention at all times. Yet Tom is cautious and prudent. He pays close attention to the concerns of his customers and employees. No one gets brushed off with a rude comment. He listens to his mentors and considers their thoughts. He thinks methodically about the next steps, quietly and humbly.

It seems that investors appreciate this sort of stereotypically introverted behavior, too. Flashy presentations and bold statements can wear off after a while. Hard numbers and facts become more important. And since Tom is listening more than talking, he gets a clear picture of the state of his business through his employees. And the investors respect the sensibilities of a founder who can provide an accurate, sharp picture of the state of the company.

I’ve had the chance to observe a few investment pitches here and there by entrepreneurs, and the majority I’ve seen have been a well-choreographed performance, where the founders play up their personalities by presenting their mission in an assertive and overtly optimistic manner. You also commonly find that many of these presentations also include the “billion dollar market potential”—as if millions of dollars aren’t enough.

Of course, not all investors will connect with introverts well (I hear that Paul Graham likes the center stage, so be aware). But it seems that there is no particular disadvantage in avoiding the center stage and screaming “Me, me, me”. Investors will appreciate a brilliant founder who listens and has a good pulse on his or her company. Will the choice to stay true to your introverted self, ever be a disadvantageous strategy? Oh god, no. The best strategies are planned quietly and executed fearlessly anyway. Don’t be scared if you don’t desire to be on the center stage. You can still acquire funding, and get to where you want to be, by staying true to who you are.

Hannes is a co-founder of renooble. Say hello at hannes@renooble.com.