For Subscribers

You've Got Personality Let it guide you to the right business.

By Pamela Rohland

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

You may have a passion for BIZ Experiencesship, but if youdon't take your core personality traits into account, your newventure could be destined for failure.

"Your personality traits will help you select the bestindustry," says Marc Becker, a business psychologist inAnaheim Hills, California, "and that will help you weatheradversity during the start-up process.'

Here are common personality types and their best businessbets.

Social Butterfly
Not content in an office in front of a computer or working solofrom home, you'll be happiest out among clients and colleagues.You'd likely flourish in sales, teaching or consultingbusinesses that require interaction. Consider any business thatinvolves networking, marketing and interacting.

Party-energizing service (people who pose as party guestsand mingle at social events, creating interesting conversation,getting people to dance and so on)
Real estate sales
Catering
Management or executive recruiting
Public relations or marketing
Mobile DJ

Loner
Is working from the privacy of home your dream scenario? Then ane-business is your ideal option-and you don't need to betechnologically sophisticated to get an online business going. Butyou need to be a good decision-maker, self-sufficient and able toplay multiple roles.

Web site selling gardening tools, baseball cards,cookies-choose your product
Lifestyle Web site
House- and plant-sitting
Chauffeur service
Web site design

Nuturer
You feel best when helping others. Many BIZ Experiencess who don'thave strictly "nurturing" businesses are satisfied withnurturing and mentoring employees, but nurturers sometimes allowthemselves to be taken advantage of, so balance the nurturing withtoughness and authority.

Massage therapist
Senior care
Restaurant selling comfort foods such as peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches, meat loaf and mashed potatoes

Early Riser
Up before the sun? Being early is a trait most BIZ Experiencess wouldlove to have. Consider a business that provides products orserv-ices to help those who get a later start.

Breakfast restaurant or food cart offering customerseye-opening drinks and entrees
Morning transportation service to make sureclients' children get to school or day care
Newspaper abstracting service for companies (readingnewspapers and writing brief summaries of the key articles to keepbusy clients well informed of breaking events)
Early pickup and delivery service
Wake-up call service

Night Owl
Night owls do well in homebased businesses, independent consultantroles, and computer and Internet-related services allowing them towork when they're most productive: in the wee hours.

Customer service center
Security service
After-hours dance club, book or video store,cybercafe, etc.
Food-service business targeting late-shiftmanufacturing or service operations
Secretarial or administrative support services

Worrier
Unpredictable income and uncertainties about the future will bestressful. Try making a gradual transition from full-timeemployment to BIZ Experiencesship, and focus on low-risk ventures.Consider businesses that will lessen your own anxiety.

Yoga school
Manufacturer or marketer of stress-reduction products(aromatherapy, massage oils, worry beads, relaxation tapes)

Hyper-Energetic
You're best-suited to fast-paced, challenging and constantlychanging activities. Businesses that require physical exertion andtravel are also a good match for you. But stay away from solowork-at-home options.

Child photographer
Adventure-travel coordinator
Personal trainer
Telemarketer
Firm that organizes and coaches pep rallies at largegroup events
Training service


Pamela Rohland writes about the joys and tribulations ofentrepreneurship for a variety of regional and national businesspublications.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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