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Informal investors as entrepreneurs--the development of an entrepreneurial career

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  • Diamanto Politis
  • Hans Landström

Abstract

Informal investors have proved to be highly valuable for the growth of the firms in which they have invested. Therefore, it is important to understand what motivates potential informal investors to make their initial investment as well as how already active investors develop their entrepreneurial careers. Such an understanding may prove helpful in directing efforts to locate and attract potential and existing informal investors. This paper investigates the entrepreneurial career of four informal investors. Based on the personal stories of these individuals, we explore their career patterns and present the central concepts of the different career phases they have progressed through. The results indicate that informal investors have experienced three overall career phases: (1) the corporate career phase; (2) the entrepreneurial learning phase; and (3) the integrated investment career phase. Each career phase provides informal investors with possibilities for learning and developing valuable competencies in order to advance in their entrepreneurial career. During the corporate career phase, the investors learn a 'managerial logic' and create a platform on which they can build up their managerial competence, establish a network, and legitimize their reputation. In the following entrepreneurial learning phase, the investors make use of this platform in varying entrepreneurial projects, mainly as consultants, which in turn provides them with the possibilities for learning the 'logic' behind entrepreneurial processes. During the integrated investment career phase, informal investors extend the platform by making use of their managerial and entrepreneurial competence in the firms in which they invest, and thus act as both entrepreneurs and informal investors in the firms in which they are involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Diamanto Politis & Hans Landström, 2002. "Informal investors as entrepreneurs--the development of an entrepreneurial career," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 78-101, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:veecee:v:4:y:2002:i:2:p:78-101
    DOI: 10.1080/13691060210816
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jeffrey E. Sohl, 2006. "Angel Investing: Changing Strategies During Volatile Times," Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance, Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management, vol. 11(2), pages 27-48, Summer.
    2. O'Connor, Allan, 2013. "A conceptual framework for entrepreneurship education policy: Meeting government and economic purposes," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 546-563.
    3. Fei Qin & Tomasz Mickiewicz & Saul Estrin, 2022. "Homophily and peer influence in early-stage new venture informal investment," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 93-116, June.
    4. Herrmann, Johannes & Hjertström, Alexander & Avdeitchikova, Sofia, 2015. "The Influence of Functional and Relational Proximities on Business Angel Investments," Ratio Working Papers 253, The Ratio Institute.
    5. Györfy Lehel & Madaras Szilárd, 2020. "Influencing Factors of the Informal Investment in Central Europe," Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 34(1), pages 78-91, February.
    6. Bonnet, Christophe & Capizzi, Vincenzo & Cohen, Laurence & Petit, Aurelien & Wirtz, Peter, 2022. "What drives the active involvement in business angel groups? The role of angels' decision-making style, investment-specific human capital and motivations," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Hoyos Iruarrizaga, Jon & Saiz Santos, María, 2013. "The informal investment context: specific issues concerned with business angels," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 26, pages 179-198.
    8. Chao Wang & Xiu-e Zhang, 2022. "Binary effects of exploratory and exploitative learning on opportunity identification: The different moderations of environmental munificence and entrepreneurial commitment," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(4), pages 497-524, September.
    9. László Szerb & Siri Terjesen & Gábor Rappai, 2007. "Seeding new ventures -- green thumbs and fertile fields: Individual and environmental drivers of informal investment," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(4), pages 257-284, April.
    10. Cipollone, Angela & Giordani, Paolo E., 2019. "Entrepreneurs meet financiers: Evidence from the business angel market," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1-1.
    11. Politis, Diamanto & Gabrielsson, Jonas, 2006. "Entrepreneurial Decision Making: Examining Preferences for Causal and Effectual Reasoning in the New Venture Creation Process," Working Paper Series 2006/5, Lund University, Institute of Economic Research.
    12. Nadine Levratto & Luc Tessier, 2014. "La croissance des PME est-elle favorisée par les Business Angels ? Une analyse à partir du cas français en 2008 et 2009," Working Papers hal-04141308, HAL.
    13. Johannes Wallmeroth & Peter Wirtz & Alexander Peter Groh, 2017. "Institutional Seed Financing, Angel Financing, and Crowdfunding of Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Literature Review," Working Papers hal-01527999, HAL.
    14. Nadine Levratto & Luc Tessier, 2014. "La croissance des PME est-elle favorisée par les Business Angels ? Une analyse à partir du cas français en 2008 et 2009," EconomiX Working Papers 2014-48, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.

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