We often explain venture failure through markets, strategies, funding, or team conflict. But what if the explanation is far more personal?
We talk a lot about entrepreneurs’ mental health, but there is another dimension we often overlook. #Physical #health.
In this study, Yasmine Van Heghe, Mirjam Knockaert, Holger Patzelt & Johan Wiklund examine how entrepreneurs’ physical health relates to venture distress and exit. Rather than assuming failure is purely based on strategy, the research explores whether the founder’s physical health condition could affect the venture.
The findings suggest that entrepreneurs frequently identify physical health problems as a source of venture distress, and these challenges meaningfully influence whether ventures continue or exit.
Importantly, physical health operates differently from mental health in the entrepreneurial context. It is more visible, harder to conceal, and can directly shape the stakeholders’ perceptions of reliability and stability. These dynamics help explain why founders’ physical well-being may carry distinct consequences for their ventures.
Sometimes venture failure is not just strategic; it is biological. Behind every startup is not just a visionary mind. There is a human body. And when that body struggles, the venture often does too.
Link to paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352673424000544?via%3Dihub
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