It’s always been a struggle for me to place myself in the Introvert or Extrovert box. Sometimes I clearly feel like an introvert, especially around large crowds. But then I get energized from an SKO and wonder what gives…. I’ve been working with many founders over the past few years, and one thing is for certain, I’d say 90% of them are introverted. So if you decided to be a CEO-founder, identify as an introvert, and scared about what’s ahead leading a company of 100+ employees, read on!
There’s a comforting narrative introverted founders often hear:
“You don’t need to be loud.”
“Just be thoughtful.”
“Lead quietly.”
Some of that is true.
But it’s incomplete—and sometimes dangerous.
Because leadership, especially in the early stages, requires extroverted behavior.
And if you’re an introverted founder, avoiding that work isn’t self-awareness.
It’s abdication.
✈️ The Reality: Leadership Is Not Passive
When you start a company, you don’t just sign up to build a product (even if you are the Co-Founder, CTO).
You sign up to:
Speak when it’s uncomfortable
Be visible when you’d rather disappear
Say things clearly, directly, and repeatedly
You don’t get to opt out of:
Selling
Hiring
Setting direction
Making decisions out loud
Even if it exhausts you.
That’s not a personality mismatch.
That’s the job.
🧠 The Real Difference Between Introverts and Extroverts
Extroverts gain energy from outward engagement.
Introverts spend energy doing the same thing.
But the behaviors required of leaders are largely the same:
Direct communication
Clear expectations
Public accountability
Decisive action
The mistake introverted founders make is confusing energy cost with misalignment.
Just because something drains you doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It means it matters.
🧭 Where Introverted Founders Often Struggle
I see this pattern a lot:
Feedback gets delayed because it feels uncomfortable
Decisions stay ambiguous to avoid conflict
Expectations live in someone’s head instead of being stated
Sales hiring gets outsourced too early
None of this is malicious.
It’s avoidance.
And avoidance creates confusion—which makes life insane for your employees.
Silence is never neutral in leadership!
🛠 How Introverted Founders Lead Effectively (Without Pretending to Be Someone Else)
You don’t need to become performative.
But you do need to be intentional.
That means:
Be direct, even when it costs energy
Clear beats comfortable every time.Schedule your extroversion
Lead outwardly in defined windows. Recover when needed.Say things once in writing, once out loud
Don’t assume clarity. Create it.Sell early—even if you hate it
You don’t get to skip this part. It informs everything else. Hire a coach if you need it!
🧭 Hiring Extroverts Doesn’t Replace Leadership
Some introverted founders try to solve this by hiring extroverted leaders early.
That’s fine, but it’s not a shortcut.
If you can’t:
Set expectations clearly
Give direct feedback
Hold people accountable
No amount of extroversion on your team will fix that.
Extroverts amplify direction.
They don’t create it.
That still comes from you.
🧠 The Deal You Made When You Started This Company
You don’t owe your company charisma.
But you do owe it leadership.
That means being visible.
Being direct.
Being uncomfortable—on purpose.
Even if it drains you.
Even if you need recovery time afterward.
Even if it’s not “natural.”
That’s not a flaw.
That’s the cost of building something real.
🧭 Final Thought
Introversion doesn’t disqualify you from leadership.
Passivity does.
You don’t need to change who you are.
But you do need to show up fully—especially when it’s hard.
That’s what you signed up for. If you want some tactical help getting leading from front and taking charge, book a call and let’s chat!
– Justin
Founder, Revenue Pilot
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