As an entrepreneur or self-employed professional, you are the face of your business, and accordingly, you need good people skills to inspire public confidence and trust in you.
Your ability to create a meaningful connection with people will influence their willingness to give you feedback to improve your business idea or recommend your service to potential customers. Also, you need good people skills to make a good first impression on potential employees and customers, and to earn the trust of investors, bankers, friends, and family to fund your business.
However, note that people skills is not all about what you can gain from people, but it is more so about building a good personal brand and touching the lives of people around you. Therefore, be courteous, humble, and empathetic, accept feedback, smile, serve others, project an air of confident optimism, and be quick to make friends.