Entrepreneurs’ Leadership Experiences with Specific Regard to Mentorship

Abstract

This paper explores leadership of entrepreneurs through the specific lens of mentorship, a dimension on which to date only limited research has been conducted. Narratives behind the motives of mentorship are examined to uncover the elements that allow for a healthy mentor relationship between entrepreneurs, the mentors, and their followers, the mentees, in organizations. Participants reported that role-models influenced them as mentors. Furthermore, participants emphasized the importance of being role-models when practicing as mentors. This paper contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between role-modeling and entrepreneurial success.