The Introvert Entrepreneur

Quiet: The Power of Introverts with Susan Cain

When people hear the word "introvert," they almost always think "shy," or picture someone with his nose buried in a book, or with noise-cancelling headphones as her constant companion. And it's true - we do like our solitude. We not only like it, we need it. But on the other hand, if we're called to bring an important message to the world, we're almost required to balance that solitude with celebrity, with putting ourselves out there and being more in the public eye. Now with the publication of her book ("Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking"), a highly successful TED Talk, and a whirlwind of publicity, when people hear the word introvert, they're just as likely to think of Susan Cain as they are to think of the word shy. Susan has had to learn to walk that tightrope between solitude and celebrity, and I'm excited to share this conversation we had about her experience and advice for introverts who want to fully embrace their introvert personality. Susan shares with us:

• How she worked through her nervousness about public speaking
• What introverts can do to feel at ease in uncomfortable situations
• The benefits of being aligned with your passion
• Why understanding introversion is so important to the next generation

Cut the CRAP: Get More Done in Less Time with Pam Weatherford

If there's one complaint I hear over and over again, it's about how we all have so much to do, and so little time to do it. As introverts, our energy is our most precious asset. We have to be intentional about how we spend it and when it's best to save it. Knowing how to do that is not always easy when we're being pulled in a million different directions. So why is it that some people seem to get so much done while others get bogged down, overwhelmed, and further behind with each passing day? It is possible to focus your energy in such a way that you are more productive without feeling burned out. Bruce Lee offers us one approach; he says, "Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own." Today's podcast guest, Pam Weatherford of D3 Seminars, offers another approach that's similar to that advice, but uniquely hers. She calls it "cutting the CRAP," and her intention is to give you tools that allow you to get more done in less time. You'll learn

• Why less is more when it comes to working towards your goals
• How the 80/20 Rule applies to time and energy management
• The art of saying "no" gracefully (and why this is super important to introverts)
• What Pam has identified as the Habits of Highly Efficient & Productive People

Discovering Your Personal Brand with Peg Marckworth

It's ironic that I'm posting a podcast on personal branding just a few days before the biggest commercial extravaganza of the year, the Super Bowl. Most people think the elements they see in commercials represent the product's brand: its logo, colors, tagline and music are all tangible ways the brand is expressed. But what's at the heart of the brand is none of those things; it's really about the feelings that are aroused through the combination of those elements. This is valuable information for the introvert who wants to discover his or her personal brand. My guest is Peg Marckworth, principal of Marckworth Associates. She creates brands for companies that set them apart from the competition and catch the attention of the right clients. We focus on the fundamentals of discovering your personal brand, including:

• What it means to define your personal brand
• Why saying that you deliver "excellence" isn't enough
• The good news for introverts and self-promotion
• An interesting lesson in branding from "America's Next Top Model"
• What's involved in the branding process

How to Create Successful Collaborations That Stick with Monique MacKinnon & Pat Weber

It's interesting that as I was editing this podcast interview about collaboration, a fabulous New York Times piece ran about the Rise of the New Groupthink. It was written by Susan Cain, whose book, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking" is about to be published. In her NYT piece, Susan expresses concern about the push in corporate environments to have open work spaces and a team-centric approach to innovation. She makes the point that solitude often sparks creativity, and groupthink trends don't provide much space for solitude. Today's conversation serves as another perspective, this time looking through the lens of entrepreneurship. Rather than being forced into groupthink situations, introvert entrepreneurs often experience the opposite challenge of isolation, or of too much time alone. The middle ground between working in solitude and working in "all teams, all the time," is strategic collaboration. My podcast guests, Monique MacKinnon and Patricia Weber, are examples of successful and strategic collaboration in action. Together, we talk about the many faces of collaboration and what strengths introverts bring to the relationship. Insights shared include:

• How partnerships can increase your marketability and creativity
• What to look for (and look out for) when choosing a business collaborator
• Why collaboration is like dating (and doesn't have to lead to marriage)
• Anticipating the icky stuff and how to handle it when it comes up
• The benefits of strategic collaboration for introverts

Bonus info! For a complete description and ordering information of MacKinnon and Weber’s eBook series, "The Complete Guide to Successful Collaborations," visit http://bit.ly/CollaborationeBooks Or, if you have a Kindle, go to http://amzn.to/CollabGuideKindle After your Kindle order send e-mail to questions@entrepreneurialtelesummits.com with that order number for an mp3 Bonus.

The Art + Science of Managing Your Energy with Kathryn Hunter

There's a marvelous quote by Martha Graham, simple in its truth. She says, "The body never lies." Over the years, I've noticed that one of the ways my introversion shows itself most strongly is that I live in my head. That means that I can sometimes ignore what my body is telling me, which can lead to all sorts of trouble. The trouble is usually around my energy management - or lack thereof. Introverts are especially aware of their energy, since it's a valuable currency that's frequently expended in the normal business of living in a highly social world. This podcast interview focuses on how we can increase our energy awareness and listen to our body's truth more closely. Kathryn Hunter is an introvert and an artist who, upon realizing the small size of the box she had created for her life, began chronicling the trials, successes and failures of stretching her comfort zone. Kathryn and I talk about how that all happened, plus

• The easy way to protect your precious energy
• How to turn anxiety into adventure
• One simple question that will shift your attitude
• The importance of "mental resets"
• Simple back-to-basics steps that will bring you energy and productivity