Entrepreneurship is often portrayed as a glamorous pursuit of success but conceals a darker side, exacerbated by impostorism, characterized by challenges, identity conflicts, and diminished well-being. This \"dark side\" of entrepreneurship is seldom explored due to our collective fascination with the central figure of the entrepreneur. Impostorism is a prevalent phenomenon among individuals who perceive that their role is beyond their capabilities and fear being exposed as a \"fake.\" Impostorism can have negative consequences, including self-sabotage, missed opportunities, and difficulty in seeking help or support, which can impact the ability of entrepreneurs to take entrepreneurial action and experience well-being.
This study builds on identity, entrepreneurial identity, and leadership literatures to explore the impact, antecedents, and consequences of impostorism on entrepreneurial identity. Through a qualitative approach, I explored the lived experiences of entrepreneurs contending with impostorism and its role in shaping their entrepreneurial identity. Semistructured interviews were conducted with those who identify as experiencing impostorism, as well as entrepreneurs who do not identify as experiencing impostorism. Participants were entrepreneurs who wish to grow their ventures. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns within the data, guided by the research question: How does an entrepreneur’s experience with impostorism shape their entrepreneurial identity?
","abstract_html":"<p>Entrepreneurship is often portrayed as a glamorous pursuit of success but conceals a darker side, exacerbated by impostorism, characterized by challenges, identity conflicts, and diminished well-being. This "dark side" of entrepreneurship is seldom explored due to our collective fascination with the central figure of the entrepreneur. Impostorism is a prevalent phenomenon among individuals who perceive that their role is beyond their capabilities and fear being exposed as a "fake." Impostorism can have negative consequences, including self-sabotage, missed opportunities, and difficulty in seeking help or support, which can impact the ability of entrepreneurs to take entrepreneurial action and experience well-being.</p> <p>This study builds on identity, entrepreneurial identity, and leadership literatures to explore the impact, antecedents, and consequences of impostorism on entrepreneurial identity. Through a qualitative approach, I explored the lived experiences of entrepreneurs contending with impostorism and its role in shaping their entrepreneurial identity. Semistructured interviews were conducted with those who identify as experiencing impostorism, as well as entrepreneurs who do not identify as experiencing impostorism. Participants were entrepreneurs who wish to grow their ventures. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns within the data, guided by the research question: How does an entrepreneur’s experience with impostorism shape their entrepreneurial identity?</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Weber, Megan Laura"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Daniel Baack","Ana Babic-Rosario","David Corsun"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-06-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z","subjects":["Bourdieu","Entrepreneur","Entrepreneurial identity","Habitus","Impostor syndrome","Impostorism","Business","Business Administration, Management, and Operations","Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations","Leadership","Other Psychology","Psychology"],"languages":["English (eng)"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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This study builds on identity, entrepreneurial identity, and leadership literatures to explore the impact, antecedents, and consequences of impostorism on entrepreneurial identity. Through a qualitative approach, I explored the lived experiences of entrepreneurs contending with impostorism and its role in shaping their entrepreneurial identity. Semistructured interviews were conducted with those who identify as experiencing impostorism, as well as entrepreneurs who do not identify as experiencing impostorism. Participants were entrepreneurs who wish to grow their ventures. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns within the data, guided by the research question: How does an entrepreneur’s experience with impostorism shape their entrepreneurial identity?
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Entrepreneur’s Burden: Investigating the Interplay Between Impostorism and Entrepreneurial Identity"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Daniel Baack","Ana Babic-Rosario","David Corsun"],"dc:creator":["Weber, Megan Laura"],"dc:date.available":["2026-08-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Entrepreneurship is often portrayed as a glamorous pursuit of success but conceals a darker side, exacerbated by impostorism, characterized by challenges, identity conflicts, and diminished well-being. This \"dark side\" of entrepreneurship is seldom explored due to our collective fascination with the central figure of the entrepreneur. Impostorism is a prevalent phenomenon among individuals who perceive that their role is beyond their capabilities and fear being exposed as a \"fake.\" Impostorism can have negative consequences, including self-sabotage, missed opportunities, and difficulty in seeking help or support, which can impact the ability of entrepreneurs to take entrepreneurial action and experience well-being.
This study builds on identity, entrepreneurial identity, and leadership literatures to explore the impact, antecedents, and consequences of impostorism on entrepreneurial identity. Through a qualitative approach, I explored the lived experiences of entrepreneurs contending with impostorism and its role in shaping their entrepreneurial identity. Semistructured interviews were conducted with those who identify as experiencing impostorism, as well as entrepreneurs who do not identify as experiencing impostorism. Participants were entrepreneurs who wish to grow their ventures. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns within the data, guided by the research question: How does an entrepreneur’s experience with impostorism shape their entrepreneurial identity?
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2411"],"dc:language":["English (eng)"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Bourdieu","Entrepreneur","Entrepreneurial identity","Habitus","Impostor syndrome","Impostorism","Business","Business Administration, Management, and Operations","Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations","Leadership","Other Psychology","Psychology"],"dc:title":["The Entrepreneur’s Burden: Investigating the Interplay Between Impostorism and Entrepreneurial Identity"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:48Z"}