The INTP entrepreneur

[LiquidD]

Is it possible? As a self-employed web designer it seems that you need both I and E characteristics to fully succeed. Any INTP's out there who have succeeded in living in both pairs of shoes?

[Lee]

Ask Geoff, he considers himself 50-50 on the introversion-extroversion scale. :)

[int]

Massage your current network for all it's worth and hire someone that can sell for you. That's my tactic. No sense wasting time (and money) on something I'll never be able to do very well - not that I haven't tried. :mellow:

Although it's possible to learn I end up stepping on my own toes and get frustrated with myself. I can try selling myself and being more extraverted but it's draining and unnatural - so I figure it's best to leave it to someone that fits the role. Last year I learned a whole lot about marketing, but sales is still something I'm conviced I can't do. Heh...my first job was PC sales at CompUSA almost 10 years ago and my numbers were consistently the lowest every month. Cashiers were selling more computers than I was. :)

So to answer your question, I have not succeeded on my own and have learned to ask for help in the areas I have learned I suck at. :mellow:

[garak]

Web designers! OMG! Redesign the intpcentral main site. :)

[PsiKik]

Is it possible? As a self-employed web designer it seems that you need both I and E characteristics to fully succeed. Any INTP's out there who have succeeded in living in both pairs of shoes?

I worked for myself as a contractor for a for a while. It was a disaster because I did not have the dedication enough to deal with the all the paperwork, accountancy and general menial rote tasks that are necessary when you have a business.

HINT - get an ISTJ to do this for you!!!

[LiquidD]

if I had the money to spend. Hehe. So I'm stuck on my own for a bit. Every time I start getting the feeling of boredom from doing menial tasks I just remind myself my mortgage payment is due.


It's been a little while, but when I took the MBTI test I had both characteristics, but a stronger score on the I. I can fake a great salesmen even though I'm really not selling anything except my personality. And since it's technical, I get naturally excited talking about it. Those two combination's I think, are what's keeping me afloat.

My biggest problem is my jumping in to projects which I haven't given enough thought on time or difficulty. They give me panic attacks; but I have a very, VERY hard time saying 'no'. I feel like it's a challenge and that if I decline, then it is a personal failure - not a business decision. Need to change this.

Another problem is lack of vision. I'm accepting work, doing work, getting paid - but I have a real murky vision of where I'm going. This ride ain't gonna last, and I need to seriously evaluate what the hell I'm doing and why. This would enter into that Marketing aspect. I need work on this.

Scare tactics work well for me (on myself). If I picture how miserable I was in the 'corporate world 9-5 kiss my bosses ass' before I was laid off, I can get motivation. I just hope I can keep tapping that resource.

It's quite amusing actually. We are supposed to be the most creative and novel but we can't follow through on the details that will allow those traits to flourish.

I need to go to work.....lol..

[Geoff]

What would hold an INTP back might be the 'P'. To run your own business you need to be a good record keeper, learn to comply with accounts and tax filing. Chase non-payers. Remember to pay your rent. We arent very good at that. To be self employed you need a cheap, part time, ISTJ to come and sort that crap out.
Once you have one of those the sky is the limit.
Another to think about is that the person who is right to run a business at one stage in its development is not necessarily the right person at another 'size'. Be prepared to feel out of your depth and recognise when you need a good professional manager to sort it out for you, or when it is time to sell up.
I think a oneman band INTP will find it difficult to handle all the organisational aspects, and the introversion will hamper sales.
I have an INTP friend who is a Director at a successful Company from start up through - I think he made sure he set up with the right bunch of people to hand sales etc, while he sat behind the scenes and did the creative and problem solving.

-Geoff