Reviewing Representations of the Ubiquitous “Entrepreneurs Wife”

Much emphasis is placed on the “male centric” ideology of entrepreneurship; and on the heroic male entrepreneur when entrepreneurs patently operate within long-term relationships. Their wives play a central part in their unfolding entrepreneurial identity and narrative. We examine academic literature and media representations and in particular gendered social constructions of the “Entrepreneurs wife” as a distinctive, entrepreneurial identity. Indeed, the heroic entrepreneur story is shared with their partners. The qualitative methodology used consists of a blend of netnography and media analysis techniques. From an interrogation of the literature and publically available representations, salient themes and typologies emerged. This research develops our understanding of gendered entrepreneurial identities and narratives as socially constructed. Developing a better understanding of the personal sides of entrepreneurial couples is helpful to policymakers in understanding the entrepreneurial personality more holistically because of the financial stability that a long-term partnership brings to an entrepreneurial venture. This study illuminates an under-researched area of entrepreneurial identity and narrative shedding new light on the topic.