Fellow introverted edtech founder–Here is What You Really Want.

 

A photo of a bronze and red mallet with a short chain, and the word Thor upside down, against a blue background and white smoke wisps
Bring the hammer.


TL;DR: You want permission to be yourself, and become the most trusted voice in education.

Now keep reading. 


(For the video version, watch here: https://youtu.be/A0hFlXCdwIw?si=R1dsrXlmTZfAsKma )


You keep saying you need to "work on your networking." 

That you "should be better at small talk." 

That you're "just not good at this sales stuff." 

What You Actually Want 

When you say you want to "get better at networking," what you actually want is something far more profound. 

You want to become someone you can be proud of. 

You Want to Be the Empowering Mentor. 

You don't dream about becoming the loudest voice in the room. You dream about being the leader who hires great people and gets out of the way. You want to create a culture where your team feels trusted, empowered, and genuinely heard. 

You prefer one-on-one meetings, not headlining at arenas. You listen deeply. You process what people say before responding. And that is leadership. 

Your superpower isn't commanding the room. It's making every person in that room feel like they matter. 

And that matters.

You Want to Be the Education Champion. 

You don't just want to close deals. You want to build relationships that span years.


You want to ask questions that make educators pause and think, "Wow, they actually understand what I'm dealing with." You know that education buyers are emotional buyers. They need to trust not just your product, but your purpose. 

This is your competitive advantage. Well, at least one of them

While extroverted founders are working the room at conferences, you're having those deep, meaningful conversations that actually convert. You are playing the long game, with consistency, rather than aggression. 

You understand that technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational. Quality over quantity isn't just a networking strategy for you. It's your identity. 

You Want to Be the Legacy Builder. 

The fear that keeps you up at night: "Will my kids remember me as the parent who was always working?" 

And correspondingly, you wonder, “Will my parents be proud of me?”

You are integrating work and family. You try to be the same thoughtful, principled person in every environment. You want to model authenticity, courage, emotional intelligence, and wisdom. You want to make a contribution that benefits other people, not just yourself. 

Speaking of Authenticity… 

Here is the big one: 

You are exhausted from performing extroversion. 

You are tired of putting on a game face for networking events. You are done pretending small talk energizes you when it actually drains you. 

What do you want? Permission to lead as yourself. 

The transformation you seek is not from introvert to extrovert. It is from apologetic introvert to strategic introvert.


From "I hate networking" to "I've learned to use my listening superpower strategically." 

From "I should be better at sales" to "I build partnerships that convert because I genuinely care about client success." 

You want people to respect your communication style when you show up honestly. 


Some people won’t.


But YOUR people will.



A photo of a Red Bull–branded drift car powers sideways across the track, creating smoke and dust as it drifts at high speed. Yellow stadium seating and event banners blur in the background, emphasizing the vehicle’s motion and dynamic movement.

Vroom, vroom.


The Mission That Drives You 


You didn't wake up thinking, "I should start a company to get rich." 

You woke up thinking: "Education is broken. Students deserve better. I'm going to fix this. Here is my specific solution to this specific problem." 

You believe that education is the most powerful way we can change the world. And you are building a world where every student can reach their full potential. 

Your Goals behind Your Goal

When you tell me you want to "get better at networking," what you're really saying is…

"I want to build a thriving company without sacrificing my authentic self." 

"I want to lead a team that feels empowered, not managed." 


"I want to partner with educators as equals, not targets." 

"I want to raise children who are proud of my impact." 

"I want to leave a legacy that spans generations." 

Here is What You Need to Understand. 

You don't need to become more extroverted. 

You need to use your introversion strategically.


Your listening skills are an oasis in a desert full of people who talk over each other. 

Your preference for deep conversation builds trust-based partnerships in education sales. 

Your discomfort with superficial small talk means you are wired for meaningful impact, not meaningless chatter. 

The world doesn't need more loud CEOs. It needs more intentional ones. Leaders who can leverage their natural strengths, instead of performing from someone else's playbook. 

The Truth About Who You Are 

You want to be the most trusted voice in education. 

And here's what I need you to know: 

You already are. 

Okay, maybe not the MOST. But, the person you want to be is already inside of you.

You are already that empowering mentor your team needs. You are already that education champion your clients are looking for. You are already that legacy builder your family is proud of. 

You are not broken. You do not need fixing. 

You just need permission to stop pretending to be someone you're not. 

You need tactical skills that honor your introverted strengths rather than override them. 

You need conversation frameworks that feel natural, not forced. 


You need permission to network your way. Less small talk about the weather and the big game. More intention and educational collaboration. 

What Happens Next 

You could keep trying to become more extroverted. Keep forcing yourself to work the room. Keep feeling drained after networking events that you are not prepared for, or that don’t fit your needs.


Or. 

You could embrace who you actually are and learn to leverage it strategically. 

Build your business on your terms. A business with meaningful relationships, thoughtful partnerships, and impact that lasts. 

You can stop apologizing for your introversion and start wielding it like the hammer of Thor. 🔨 

The choice is yours. 

The first path is well traveled.

But the second path is where the magic happens. 

The second path is where you become the powerful force for educational transformation, who you were always meant to be. 

Are you ready for magic? 🪄✨


If you are reading this and thinking, "Yes, that's exactly what I want", then let's talk. The world needs what you are building. And you do not have to do it while pretending to be someone you're not.

Connect with me, Mahlena-Rae Johnson, on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mahlena