Behind every Superman there is a Clark Kent: discovering the silent strengths in the entrepreneurial journey

Abstract

Entrepreneurs act under uncertain conditions and resource constraints to bring new products or services to life. While examining what characteristics and behaviours help entrepreneurs traverse the challenging period between idea conception and venture sustainability, the academic and popular discourse has emphasized fiery traits and such behaviours as risk-taking, perseverance and passion. Patience, the propensity to wait calmly in the face of frustration and adversity, has largely gone unnoticed. An inductive, longitudinal study of nascent entrepreneurs in the early stages of venture building finds that patience is an important trait that could partly explain why some entrepreneurs stay the course while others give up. The paper contributes to the study of nascent entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial action by lending empirical evidence to the existence of ‘entrepreneurial patience’ as a trait that can influence the venture creation process.