Learning to be an entrepreneur means building connections as well as studying business
Entrepreneurs drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute to economic growth. But entrepreneurship is not just about having a brilliant idea. It requires skills that often must be learnt. Structured entrepreneurship education is designed to give people the knowledge they need to start and run their own businesses. It is typically provided through university courses, business schools and specialised training programmes. It includes a variety of subjects: business planning, financial management, marketing and innovation. However, there is a significant gap between traditional entrepreneurship education and the practical ways in which entrepreneurs actually learn. Traditional entrepreneurship education often focuses on theoretical knowledge and structured business planning. These aspects are important but they tend to overlook the dynamic and practical aspects of entrepreneurial learning. Entrepreneurs learn through experience, experimentation and, importantly, through interactions within their social networks. We carried out research to explore how entrepreneurs learn. We observed working practices in five co-working spaces, held discussions with 41 people and carried out more structured research interviews with six entrepreneurs. Our findings suggest that relationships and social networks play …
