The Introvert Entrepreneur

The Introvert's Way with Sophia Dembling

Some people are able to say what everyone wishes they could say. My guest today, Sophia Dembling, is one of those people. She's the author of the recently published, "The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World."

Our conversation includes tips on self-promotion based on her experiences as a writer, what she's learned from writing "The Introvert's Way," and why people who don't realize you're an introvert might think you're a b-i-t-c-h!

In addition to “The Introvert’s Way,” Sophia is author of "The Yankee Chick's Survival Guide to Texas" and co-author of "The Making of Dr. Phil: The Straight-Talking True Story of Everyone's Favorite Therapist" and "I Can Still Laugh: Stories of Inspiration and Hope from Individuals Living with Alzheimer's."

Her essays and articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines nationwide as well as in such anthologies as "Cat Women: Female Writers and their Feline Friends" and "P.S.: What I Didn't Say." She also writes a popular blog for PsychologyToday.com, The Introvert's Corner.

Her next book, "100 Places in the USA Every Woman Should Go," will be available in September 2013.

Quiet Courage: A Conversation with Mary Anne Radmacher

One of the gifts of producing these podcasts is that I get to talk to interesting, heart-centered people who are blazing a trail in their own introverted fashion. I learn something from every conversation, and this edition of The Introvert Entrepreneur taught me many things. I learned about the gift of bright shiny objects, how being an introvert affects how we show up – and not show up – and why letting our work speak for ourselves only gets us so far. I also learned a gentle way to tell others what we need as introverts, an exercise for being a better writer... and more! My guest is Mary Anne Radmacher; she is an artist, poet, author, introvert and entrepreneur. Mary Anne is the author of 11 books, among them HONEY IN YOUR HEART and LEAN FORWARD INTO YOUR LIFE. Her work has been quoted in the Oxford Dictionary of American Quotations, hangs in Oprah's headquarters and in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mary Anne's work is available for purchase here. You can find her books, alongside other personal growth and introvert-centric resources, here: introvertislandbooks.com/bookstore

Introversion, Perception and Reality with Alice Boyes

For many people, discovering where they fell on the introvert-extrovert spectrum didn’t come at an early age. So they grew up with a set of perceptions about who they were that may or may not have been reality. This is especially true for introverts; for instance, I grew up thinking that I was socially unskilled and not a good conversationalist.

I hear similar stories from my clients and the people I’ve spoken with over the past three years. From this one piece of information - knowing they're introverts - they can start the journey of learning how to be their most powerful selves.

My guest is New Zealand psychologist Dr. Alice Boyes, and she was fortunate; she learned that she was an introvert at a very young age. But it was only recently that she started to appreciate her introversion, rather than see it as a personal fault.

We talk about her journey from feeling ashamed of being an introvert to feeling at peace with it. We also cover a wide range of topics, including

• Taking what could be perceived as a negative trait and becoming more comfortable with it
• How lessons from traditional work places help inform making the transition to entrepreneurship
• Distinguishing between introversion, anxiety and lack of confidence
• Identifying your “tracks of avoidance” that could hold you back
• What's really behind our fear of success

PS: One of her recent Psychology Today articles was featured on Lifehacker.com and has gotten over 100,000 views (read the original article).

The Traveling Introvert with Stephanie Yoder

Over the years, I’ve discovered how much fun it is to travel to new places. They don’t even have to be exotic, just simply places I’ve never been.

And what about travel and the introvert? Taking a trip with someone is one of the fastest ways to learn about yourself and your relationship. How do you manage your need for alone time when you’re with someone 24/7? And how do you create an experience that works for you, that isn’t based on what other people expect?

My guest today is Stephanie Yoder, and she’s a girl who can't sit still. She has been traveling on and off for the past 6 years, through Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. She started Twenty-Something Travel three years ago as a way to convince other Generation Y-ers to get out and see the world.

I found Stephanie through one of her blog posts, "The Introvert's Guide to Travel." We chat about her experiences traveling alone, as well as with her extroverted fiance, and and her best advice about making travel easier than you think.

Finding Your Authentic Presence with Jonathan Bender

Comedians often highlight the absurd truths in society, and introvert - yes, introvert - Jerry Seinfeld is especially skilled at shining the light on our contradictory natures. Here's what he has to say about public speaking: "According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy." The fear of public speaking is called Glossophobia, which comes from the Greek glōssa, meaning tongue, and phobos, fear or dread. My guest for this podcast has dedicated his business to changing the way people - especially introverts and glossophobes - think about themselves and being on stage and in the spotlight. Jonathan Bender, founder of WholeSpeak, is a professional speaker, coach, actor, theater director, writer, and self-proclaimed introvert. He is passionate about helping introverts become strong speakers who actually feel comfortable in front of large groups. His passion comes through loud and clear during this conversation, as we talk about

• The reasons introverts can feel empowered by being on the stage
• The five "keys to confidence" in public speaking
• How to turn fear into freedom
• How introverts can be more naturally expressive

For info about Jonathan's upcoming course, "Speak with Confidence, Inspire with Ease," visit http://www.authenticspeakerseries.com/confidence