They say that youth is wasted on the young, and in some respects, I agree. When I was in my twenties, I dreamed of launching a business. I had the technical skills, the energy, and the time—this was before getting married and having three kids—but I doubted whether I had the personality to lead a company. I’m a classic introvert; I prefer small groups to big crowds, I tend to write my thoughts down before speaking them, and I gain energy by spending downtime at home, alone or with family.
Eventually, the disappointment of not trying outweighed the fear of trying, so I launched Jotform. Nearly two decades, multiple offices, and 660 employees later, I’ve realized that extroversion has little to do with effective leadership. Being an introvert ultimately helped me grow my company. People may gravitate towards extroverts and view them as more charismatic, but true leadership depends on qualities like empathy and strong communication skills—traits that are more valuable than ever in the age of AI.
