Know your type
How understanding your entrepreneurial identity unlocks growth, clarity, and resilience in business—and life
There’s this idea floating around that entrepreneurs are a particular type of person—risk-averse, boundary-pushers with a singular vision, unshakeable confidence, and an appetite for late nights and venture capital. Let’s face it, social media — and media, media for that matter — have reinforced the stereotype. But after nearly two decades building my own businesses, interviewing hundreds of founders, and working through more startup ideas than I can count, I’ve come to a different conclusion: there isn’t one kind of “entrepreneur”—there are many.
For years, I’ve joked that I’m a creative person first, and a business guy somewhere around fourth or fifth on the list. My happy place is building bridges—between brands and customers, businesses and partners, founders and funders. That instinct to connect, to recognize patterns that others don’t, has driven a portion of my success, no doubt. But, it’s not about being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about knowing who should be in the room together.
And yet for a long time, I struggled with the pressure to be the other kind of entrepreneur—the one with the spreadsheets, the operations manual, the 5-year plan. I thought I was doing it wrong because I wasn’t obsessed with scale, or because I needed someone else to help turn my chaos into execution.
Once I wrapped my head around this notion, I stopped trying to force myself into roles I simply didn’t belong in. I started thinking instead about how to maximize my positives to make the most of them. Sometimes that meant partnering with someone who could scale the vision. Other times it meant architecting workflows around what I do best. Either way, the clarity came not from changing who I was—but from understanding how to leverage it.
Trying to be every type of entrepreneur at once is like trying to play every instrument in the band—you might be able to make noise, but you won’t make music. Some people are Starters. Some are Scalers. Some of us are Connectors, and others are Optimizers. We may all be playing the same tune, but we’re not meant to play the same parts—and that’s where the harmony comes from.
This week’s guest and Eggs! The Podcast alum Jeff Amerine, is someone who not only figured that out for himself—he’s helped thousands of founders do the same. With a military-meets-startup background and a long track record of turning flyover towns into innovation hubs, Jeff has a clear-eyed perspective on the different archetypes of entrepreneurship. He’s seen firsthand how understanding your entrepreneurial role—and building the right team around it—can be the difference between a dream that fizzles and a business that thrives.
Helping Founders Find Their Fit — Meet Jeff Amerine.
Jeff Amerine, has spent the last two decades helping entrepreneurs not just launch businesses—but figure out who they are as builders. A former Air Force officer turned venture-backed founder turned startup ecosystem pioneer, Jeff brings a rare mix of discipline, improvisation, and insight to the world of entrepreneurship.
He’s the founder of Startup Junkie, a consulting firm and entrepreneurial support network that reaches thousands of founders each year across the central U.S. and abroad. What started as a part-time effort to help Arkansas build a more vibrant startup community has since grown into one of the most successful venture ecosystem models in the country—proof that innovation doesn't need a coastal zip code to thrive.
Through his work with early-stage companies, universities, foundations, and policymakers, Jeff has developed a keen eye for helping founders identify their strengths, avoid common pitfalls, and build momentum where they are—with what they have. Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or five exits deep, Jeff’s message is clear: You don’t have to do it all, you just have to know your part.
How Top Founders Leverage Their Entrepreneurial Identity
1. Understand what kind of entrepreneur you actually are.
“I realized early on, I was good at being the starter, good at the vision. If I was going to build a business that scaled, I needed an integrator—a good point A to point B person.”
Actionable Insight: Get clear on your role and amplify it. Visionaries go further when paired with tactical integrators.
2. Surround yourself strategically.
“I brought in [my son]… he very much had those skills I didn’t—point A to point B, process-oriented, details.”
Actionable Insight: Self-awareness is strategic: know your gaps, then seek complementary strengths.
3. Resist the urge to become something you’re not.
“I was always a bit of a rogue cowboy or rebel in large organizations. I had to accept I didn’t fit that mold—and that it was okay.”
Actionable Insight: Fighting against your nature drains energy. Own your authentic style to build sustainably.
4. Take incremental risks to build resilience.
“Educate young entrepreneurs that taking small risks helps build confidence. Ask yourself: ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen?’”
Actionable Insight: Don’t chase perfection—take thoughtful risks, adjust quickly, and let resilience follow.
5. Translate your purpose into action.
“Make meaning and the money will follow. The happiest people I’ve met solved a problem they cared about—and the money showed up as a result.”
Actionable Insight: Pursue purpose over profit—meaning-driven ventures create sustained impact.
6. Embrace action to drive clarity.
“You’re never going to have more than 70% of the information you need. You learn more by actually doing something.”
Actionable Insight: Decide, act, refine. Entrepreneurial clarity often appears after you’ve moved forward, not before.
7. Cultivate community intentionally.
“The only way you reinforce the realm of what’s possible is having a regular cadence of events that draw people out—creating intentional, creative collisions.”
Actionable Insight: Curate your community proactively. Innovation thrives in intentional, collaborative spaces.
Why entrepreneurial clarity changes everything
We spend so much time looking outside ourselves for the answers—scanning LinkedIn feeds, binge-reading business books, or chasing after somebody else’s blueprint. But if Jeff Amerine teaches us anything, it’s that the most impactful step you can take as an entrepreneur doesn’t require looking outward—it requires looking inward. It starts with figuring out who you truly are, what you naturally bring to the table, and then aligning your strategy, partnerships, and actions to amplify that strength.
If you’re a Connector (like me), double down on fostering relationships. If you’re a Starter, focus your energy on launching and building momentum. If you’re an Optimizer or a Scaler, embrace that identity fully and make decisions from your center of gravity. Because the best businesses aren’t built by founders who are “everything to everyone”—they’re built by people who know exactly who they are, and execute with clarity.
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan
Bonus: The Entrepreneurial Identity Cheat Sheet
Which entrepreneurial type resonates most with you? Use this quick guide to clarify your natural strengths and discover your greatest leverage points:
The Connector
Traits: Natural relationship builder, excellent communicator, spots opportunities others miss.
Best use: Focus on partnerships, sales, and networking. Lean into your relationships to create strategic opportunities.The Starter
Traits: Idea-driven, creative, visionary, comfortable with uncertainty.
Best use: Your best role is launching projects and getting things off the ground. Create momentum, then build a team to operationalize.The Scaler
Traits: Growth-oriented, loves structure, thrives on measurable progress.
Best use: Step in once the foundation is laid. You're the person who transforms early traction into exponential growth.The Optimizer
Traits: Systems thinker, detail-oriented, analytical problem-solver.
Best use: Your strength is making existing operations more efficient and effective. Step into roles that require steady improvement.The Supporter
Traits: Empathetic, team-oriented, stabilizing influence, excels at internal culture.
Best use: Lead through culture and mentorship. Foster healthy environments where creativity and productivity flourish.
While these entrepreneur types cover a lot of ground, the truth is, every founder is unique, and you might recognize parts of yourself in more than one category (or none at all). I'd love to hear how you see your own entrepreneurial identity. Reach out, share your insights, and let's keep the conversation going.
Ready for more?
Catch Jeff Amerine’s interview in its entirety on Eggs! The Podcast.
Don’t miss a show! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere great podcasts are found.
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Reading list
If you're looking to dive deeper into the ideas discussed in this piece, here are some recommended books and resources that align with Kyle McDowell's principles:
Creating Startup Junkies by Jeff Amerine
A practical guide for building entrepreneurial ecosystems in unexpected places, with real-world wisdom from Jeff's own journey.Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
Discover whether you’re a “Visionary” or an “Integrator,” and how this clarity can unlock your business potential.The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
The seminal resource on validating your business assumptions, taking action, and learning through rapid experimentation.Running Lean by Ash Maurya
How to systematically test your ideas, validate your business model, and find the right product-market fit.Talking to Humans by Giff Constable
A practical, no-nonsense guide on customer discovery—learn how to ask better questions and avoid confirmation bias.
More to explore
Jeff Amerine
https://startupjunkie.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffamerine/
https://x.com/Jamerine
Work with me
Ryan Roghaar - Fractional CMO/Creative Director/Art Director: https://rogha.ar/portfolio
R2 - Creative Services for Agencies and SMBs: https://www.r2mg.com
Eggs! The Podcast: https://www.eggscast.com
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