ISFPs are sensitive and artistic people who usually find their own interests lead them into entrepreneurship. They often struggle to find the physical and creative freedom that they need in other workplaces and so building their own business is a good fit for this type.
Vision and Insight
ISFPs are imaginative and creative people who can use these skills to start their own business and to find success through their efforts. They love coming up with new ideas, usually ideas that are connected to other people’s needs in some way, and if they go into business on their own it will be based on an idea that’s both creative and sensitive to others. This love of new things comes from their extraverted sensing auxiliary, which explores the world in search of new experiences and new sensations. And they’ll bring the insight this function gives them to their own business too. ISFPs are also usually fairly artistic, so whatever idea or business they start will usually have this quality about it, some kind of connection to aesthetic beauty that amazes other people. This is one of the biggest draws that ISFPs have to encourage others to follow their vision.
But this isn’t the only draw. ISFPs are passionate people who have good social skills and so they usually don’t have any trouble sharing their vision or insight with other people. And because they’re usually almost universally liked, they usually have no shortage of people who want to support them in their entrepreneurship efforts.
Emotional Strengths and Weaknesses
ISFPs are extremely passionate people. This type are dedicated to understanding and following their own emotions and values. These qualities are usually what drive ISFPs, and if they set up their own business based on these values, they will have endless passion and drive for their work. However, if they build a business that isn’t based on those values, or one that doesn’t appeal to them on that deep emotional level, they’ll struggle with motivation. This type has a natural independence and a need to find a life path that truly resonates with them, and they’ll quickly leave a business if they can’t find those qualities in their work. This can be bad enough when it’s just their career that they’re leaving, but they’ll also leave their own business without a backward glance. So ISFJs need to be very careful when they’re setting up their business and ensure that it’s congruent with their deepest emotions and beliefs.
Workplace Strengths
ISFPs can be a little sensitive to criticism sometimes. This type uses introverted feeling as their dominant, which takes in information and muses on it in private. Because of this function, this type holds onto criticisms, sometimes even twisting the words around until they’re a personal attack even if they didn’t start out that way. This is a problem that ISFPs need to overcome if they’re going to be successful in the competitive business world and if they want to grow their business in healthy ways.
Despite this obvious area of concern, ISFPs are actually very competitive people and this can be a bonus in entrepreneurship. Most ISFPs enjoy the challenge of setting up their business and working out how to do well in it, and this will often help to drive their career efforts. They just need to ensure that they focus on the big picture and don’t get too competitive over the little details that don’t really matter.
Social Skills and Networking
ISFPs are warm, relaxed people who usually have lots of emotional intelligence. This combination of social skills means that they’re often very good at networking. This type draws others to them naturally and can use their introverted feeling dominant to understand their motivations and their emotions. And this puts them in a very good position to connect with people in the business environment, and gain their help in their business ventures. They do need to balance out this socializing with some time alone though. Like other introvert types, ISFPs need that time alone to examine and categorize the emotional data they collect through their daily interactions. But as long as they can get the time they need, they’ll be expert and engaged networkers who easily build the connections they need to be successful.
In the Planning Stages
ISFPs aren’t usually the best planners. They’re present focused people, dedicated to wringing every drop of enjoyment they can out of the present moment. And the idea of doing paperwork or surrendering to bureaucracy when they’re setting up their business can feel like chains to this type. ISFPs have very little patience for traditional rules or ways of doing things, so if they have to deal with a lot of red tape or regulations to set up their business it will usually irritate and frustrate them. They’ll usually be happiest if they can find someone else to take care of the planning stages so they can get on with the work of creating and innovating.
Building the Business
ISFPs are flexible people who don’t like to be restricted. They don’t like rules or schedules and this dislike is often one of the primary reasons why this type goes into their own business. With this in mind, ISFPs will often rebel at the idea that they have to set up schedules and structures in their own business. They would prefer to work according to their own whims and creative drive, and this is often the way they work best. However, too much freedom isn’t always a good thing and setting some boundaries in their business will help ISFPs build a business that actually lasts rather than one that just burns out.
Final Thoughts
Building their own business gives ISFPs the physical and mental freedom they need. They enjoy setting up a business in a way that suits their rhythms, their need for autonomy, and their desire to experience and create new things. For ISFPs, who often struggle to find workplaces that suit them, this can be the ideal solution.
References
- Irish, Chelsea. “Developing “Sensation” for ISFPs and ISTPs“. Apr 3, 2017. (Retrieved May 2018).
- Dr. Drenth, A. J. “Introverted Feeling (Fi) vs. Ti, Ni & Fe“. (Retrieved May 2018).
- Chang, Laura. “Myers-Briggs: 8 Introverted Personality Types“. (Retrieved May 2018).
- “ISFP – The Artist“.
- “The ISFP Career Path“.
- “The ISFP in the Workplace“.