Canadian Nascent Entrepreneurs’ Start-up Efforts: Outcomes and Individual Influences on Sustainability

Abstract

Of the people who attempt to start a business, how many actually bring their venture to fruition? Until now, the answer to this question has eluded researchers, because of the difficulty in identifying and contacting people in the gestation phase of business start-up. In overcoming this sampling challenge, the research upon which this article is based tracks the start-up efforts of 151 Canadian nascent entrepreneurs (individuals engaging in activities to start a business from scratch) over a two-year period. In addition to providing new insights into the dynamics of small business .births. and .deaths,. the paper explores the role individual-level factors play in sustaining efforts to start a business. While finding no significant differences in personal background factors (socio-demographic, work, and career backgrounds) within the sample, certain aspects of personal context and personal predispositions were shown to differentiate those who disengaged from the start-up process from those who persevered. Problem-solving style and goal orientation were especially significant. The implications of the findings are discussed.

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