As an introvert myself, I know that when I start a job or look at launching a business, it’s something I definitely keep in mind.
Who wants to do something that they don’t enjoy or do work that’s uncomfortable. If you’re an introvert too, you don’t have to worry. There are plenty of career paths you can choose.
This article will share 8 smart business ideas for introverts. Keep reading and do not forget to bookmark to read later.
Who Are Introverts?
Introverted people are more inward-facing than extroverts.
They enjoy solitude, work well independently and thrive in quiet settings where they can be alone. It’s actually where they get the most energy.
Extroverted activities like networking in person, oral presentations, or high social activities are not what they’re looking for, so jobs like this will likely not be a fit for introverts.
So, if you fit the bill and call yourself an introvert, these 8 business ideas are just for you. Here they are.
8 Business Ideas Perfect for Introverted People
These are the best small business ideas for introverts. Check it out.
1. Freelance Writer
Freelance writers are in charge of writing documents for their clients. Examples of writing can include blog posts, white papers, resumes, product descriptions, etc. Writers take an idea from rough draft to a final published piece.
They will work in front of a computer, writing most of the time, in a quiet setting, where they can crank out high quality copy for their clients. Writing was one of my first forays into entrepreneurship. It’s fun, rewarding and can pay very well. Not to mention, you can have a diverse set of clients to work with, which will keep you interested and never bored.
Examples of writing clients are:
- Podcasters
- Attorneys
- Teachers
- Bloggers
- Publishers
- Magazines
- Small businesses
- And, others
This is a great fit for introverts because it’s quiet work that doesn’t require you to really work in a team setting.
You brainstorm and write your work on your own, independently.
Writers can make a part-time or full-time income. Starting out, it’s not unusual to command $.02 to $.05 per word with experienced writers making up to $4/word.
In addition to writing for others, you can also write for yourself and produce a blog!
What is blogging?
A blog is a place online where your articles can live. Ideally, you’ll pick a niche like homeschool education, vegan cooking, fashion, travel, or sports cars, for example.
Then, write articles in that niche. Over time you will draw in an audience also interested in your niche and you can cultivate a real following.
Bloggers make money in a variety of ways, from:
- Advertisements
- Sponsorships
- Products
- Services
- Affiliate marketing
You can take this as far as you’d like, earning up to a few thousand dollars monthly up to a six figure salary.
2. Transcriptionist
A transcriptionist gets paid to transcribe audio to writing. You get paid to write what you hear.
First, you will be assigned an audio file, then you listen closely to transcribe the audio to a written transcript.
That’s it!
Transcriptionists should be good listeners with strong attention to detail. You should be patient and a great communicator.
An example of a transcriptionist job might be to transcribe an audio book to a written book.
Places to Find Transcriptionist Jobs
How Much Can Transcriptionists Make?
Up to $25 per hour is not unusual. They are usually paid per audio hour or finished audio hour, though they can be paid by the project, too.
3. Ecommerce Store Owner
You will be running an online store. This can be a one-person show or you can hire staff virtually.
First, open your store. I recommend Shopify as your ecommerce platform.
- Affordable monthly plans
- Access to free or paid store themes
- Access to Shopify experts
- Access to Shopify support
You can create a professionally-designed, attractive online store that can make you money 24/7.
Here are some examples of stores you can create:
- Home decor goods
- Apparel
- Footwear
- Lighting
- Consumer electronics
- Pet supplies
- And, more!
My first ecommerce store was in the women’s fashion apparel niche. I was able to take it full-time within a year.
During that time, I was working my full-time 9 to 5 job, while balancing managing the store.
Then, I quit my full-time job to run the store and that’s how I became an entrepreneur.
This is good for introverts because you’re the boss and you can run every part of the store yourself pretty easily yourself, including:
- Marketing
- Sourcing and fulfillment
- Customer service
- Operations
- Bookkeeping/accounting
There are even apps and tools that you can outsource these tasks to.
As your store grows, you can bring on employees or freelancers to help you run the operation. You can hire virtually and communicate via email or phone, no in person meeting is required.
How Much Can You Make?
This is determined by so many factors, including the price point of your products, volume of sales, operation costs and more.
You can earn up to $1,000/month or $100,000+ every month and every amount in between.
My store started making me $1,000/month in the first few months then about a year into it, I had replaced my day job salary. In its peak I was earning $30,000/month from the store.
Head to Shopify to test them out. They offer a free 14-day trial.
4. Graphic Designer
Graphic designers are creatives that get paid to create beautiful graphics for others.
What Kind of Work Is Done?
This can include designing business cards, creating logos, putting together website designs, and more.
Who Are Clients?
Clients can include small, mid-sized, and large businesses with graphic design needs.
It’s an awesome business for introverts.
You will have fairly limited contact with your clients in a face-to-face capacity, you can work from home in your dedicated work space, and design graphics independently without the need for support or a team.
How Much Can You Make?
Graphic designers can make around $51,000 on average, according to Payscale.
Finding work can be done all online in freelance job banks like Upwork, social media outlets like LinkedIn or Facebook, or online job markets like Indeed.
5. Copy Editor
Copy editors are in charge of editing documents, like blog posts, magazine articles, etc.
This job is for someone with great attention to detail and an eye for spotting errors in grammar, spelling and readability.
Their goal is to make the piece they are editing as polished and perfect as possible.
For introverts this could be a true dream job.
You can work in solitude, independently, on tasks assigned to you by your client.
How To Get Started
If you have a background in copywriting, this can be a natural next step in your digital publishing career.
For those without such a background, you can start with getting training to become an editor like this one.
Whichever path you’re on, when you are ready to book clients, here are some places to find them.
Where to Find Jobs
- Social media sites (like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
- Job banks
- Freelance job banks
- Copy editing/copywriting gig sites (like Freelance Writing Gigs or Media Bistro)
How Much Do Copy Editors Make?
Editors can earn up to AU$60,815 per year, according to this source.
6. Landscape Designer
If you’re into horticulture and have a good eye for design, you can look into working as a landscape designer. My father-in-law loves landscaping.
For some, it’s relaxing, a good way to work with nature, and it’s hands-on work to keep you busy, tire you out and give you a good night’s rest each evening.
You will work with clients to design the landscaping for their project.This can include manicuring their front lawn, designing gardenscapes in their backyard, or larger projects like landscaping schools, museums, housing communities, etc.
What Educational Training/Background is Required?
Formal training or education is typically not required.
How to Get Started
Bootstrap the business yourself or get investors, get equipment and start prospecting for clientele.
Getting listed in directories and getting a Google My Business page is a great idea.
It’s not unusual for new landscaping businesses to make AU$10,000+ per month.
Just over AU$63,000 is the average, according to the source, though this may account for only working as an employee. Business owners can make six figures or more.
7. Photography
For amateur or professional photographers, this is the ultimate job for an introvert. Though you will work with people in some cases, it can be pretty limited and you have the option to not work with people at all.
You could make money from selling stock photos, photographing landscapes, taking photos of real estate properties, etc. There are so many directions you can take this.
A friend of mine quit her job, about a year before I did, to become a professional photographer. She was self-taught and made far more money doing this passion project that she loved. Plus she got to travel the world, visiting places like Puerto Rico, Spain, and more.
How to Get Started
Build a portfolio, launch your website and then get clients. Try honing in on a niche and focus on that area of photography.
Join the photographer community, make friends, network, join groups (like Facebook groups) on social media and keep building your portfolio.
This is a creative profession that will help introverts feel comfortable and truly shine.
8. House Cleaning
Start a house cleaning company.
People need their homes cleaned, whether they’re too busy to do it themselves or prefer to have a professional get their house sparkling clean.
Once you get clients, they can continue with you on a recurring basis, as they will probably want their house cleaned one or more times every month.
This means you don’t have to be on the hunt for new clients all the time, like with other businesses.
You can work totally alone or build a small team. You can even outsource the work over time, where you have a team of cleaners to clean houses while you manage the business in your home office.
A house cleaning could cost around $200 for 4 hours of work. So, cleaning 10 homes per week is $2,000 weekly. This can increase even more over time.
What you will like about a housecleaning business is that the startup costs are fairly low. You need cleaning supplies and transportation. That’s about it.
Business Ideas for Introverts
These are just a handful of the many business ideas for introverts out there. For brainstorming more ideas, consider the strengths an introvert has:
- Drawing energy from working alone
- Working in a quiet space to produce their best work
- Individual, independent work
- Focused
- Self-sufficient
How to Start an Introvert Business
First, pick a business idea you want to pursue. Then, create your business plan, execute your strategy and put it all into motion.
There are tons of options for a service-based or product-based business. Go with your passion and you’ll never feel like you’re working, as the saying goes.
What Careers Are Best for Introverts
Focusing on the traits of introverts will help you find the best career choice for yourself. The key is independent work, which is working alone, away from groups so the introverted mind can truly perform their best.
Can an Introvert Start a Business?
Yes, definitely. There are businesses that work great for introverts and extroverts. Use this list above as a guide to find your calling, in a small business.
These are great ideas which will help introverts thrive and achieve their goal of running their own business.
Final Thoughts
That wraps things up. To recap, we just shared 8 smart business ideas for introverts:
- Freelance writer
- Transcriptionist
- Ecommerce store owner
- Graphic designer
- Copy Editor
- Landscaper
- Photographer
- House cleaning
Which business idea for introverts appeals to you most? Share your thoughts below in the comments!
