The importance of the mental well-being of the small business owners and self-employed, who constitute the backbone of our economies is rarely acknowledged. When these entrepreneurs feel well, they are more persistent, productive and innovative, and their businesses perform better (Stephan, 2018 for an evidence review). The Covid-19 pandemic threatens entrepreneurs’ mental well-being and their businesses in unprecedented ways. Understanding how they can successfully navigate the current Covid-19 crisis requires understanding their resilience - the process of adapting positively to adversity. This includes how entrepreneurs handle the uncertainty and stress produced by this crisis to protect their mental well-being and keep their businesses alive; or potentially innovate and change their businesses to emerge even stronger.
This global study will generate new theoretical and practical insights about the resilience processes that enable entrepreneurs to navigate crises successfully. We study entrepreneurs’ and their business and personal responses to the Covid-19 pandemic in 31 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, UK and USA.
To learn more about the study and see the fantastic team of country leads and collaborators go to this page, or read our press release: Toll of pandemic on entrepreneurs' mental health revealed, April 2021 or download the full Global Report Entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A global study of entrepreneurs’ Challenges, Resilience, and Well-being . You can also read our Country reports for the UK, Covid-19 and Entrepreneurship: Opportunities and Challenges for UK Entrepreneurs, Germany, Spain, Sweden and India
If you are an entrepreneur: you may be interested to Read in our 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs and COVID-19: How to deal with stress, stay resilient and regain control and Watch our webinar Entrepreneurs and COVID-19: How to deal with stress, stay resilient and regain control (recording below)
If you are a women entrepreneur: Have a look at the free-to-access Cherie-Blair Foundation for Women Resilience Program that I co-created (module "How to Navigate the Stresses of Being a Women Entrepreneur")
Listen to my 15 min talk for the Happiness Festival 2020 organized by Oxford University's Happiness Institute in support the WHO COVID-19 Relief Fund, 24-26 July 2020 (recording below)
Have a look at recent systematic evidence reviews:
Stephan, U., Rauch, A. & Hatak, I. (2022). Happy Entrepreneurs? Everywhere? A Meta-Analysis of Entrepreneurship and Wellbeing. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice. doi/10.1177/10422587211072799, free download
Stephan, U. (2018). Entrepreneurs' Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review and Research Agenda. Academy of Management Perspectives, 32(3), 290-322. (link to download), for a summary see the Conversation, also covered in the Wall Street Journal (Are entrepreneurs happier than everyone else?), by Bullfrag - 7 habits to be an entrepreneurial doctor