The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur From the Kauffman Foundation

The Kauffman Foundation's The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur: Family Background and Motivation study covers the backgrounds, life histories, motivations and beliefs of company founders based on a survey of mostly high tech entrepreneurs. 

Findings include:

- Company founders tend to be middle-aged and well educated and 95% of their survey respondents had completed college and 47% held advanced degrees. 

- Building wealth (75%), capitalizing on a business idea (64%) and owning a business (64%) were the top reasons given for starting a business.

- Most had significant industry experience prior to starting their business.  Also, 70% were married and 60% had at least one child when they started their business.  The average respondent was middle-aged when they started their business. 

It is an excellent piece of the work and survey results provide interesting insights into the lives and motivations of high tech, high growth entrepreneurs.

It is important to note that 77% survey respondents are founders of high tech companies.  And although there isn't much company data, it is likely most of the respondents started high growth employer businesses with significant invested capital.  Because of this, the survey results do not apply to the founders of typical small businesses.   

The key data source listed in the report is OneSource Information Services.   Coincidentally, based on the definitions used in the report I am one of the founders of OneSource.  My marketing team came up with the company name.  It is fun to see they are still around and still using the OneSource name.   

Comments

[Geri Stengel]

Good insights from Kauffman. I'd also like to know how resources factor into the success of an entrepreneur.

Please take this survey and tell others to do so too. The more people who take the survey the more accurate and useful the results. Please take the small business and nonprofit leader survey (here is the link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=yf1vL9cJGNQSCSlzvB3_2bhw_3d_3d) and pass it on to others.

Results will be shared.

[Ken Langhorn]

This survey is a good base for every one who is planing to start a high tech company.

In the area the start up company is doing business most entrepreneuers have significant knowledge. This shows the importance to have the right background.

This survey is really limited to the high tech area and should not serve as a base for other markets.

However, every entrepreneur can test his entrepreneur ideas against the mind, motivations and beliefs of company founders in this survey of mostly high tech entrepreneurs.

[susan01]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Margaret

http://businesseshome.net

[Alena]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Alena

http://smallbusinessgrant.info

[Club Penguin Cheats]

n the area the start up company is doing business most entrepreneuers have significant knowledge. This shows the importance to have the right background.

[Jun]

What an interesting read. This provides a good outlook for anyone looking to start up a new business in today's world. Well-written and properly researched, thanks for sharing!

[Regan Marye]

I guess the experience they have backs them up, since most people trust companies that have either a reputation that goes way back or a staff with a good reputation. I bet when they started to promote their businesses, they made websites and used some SEO techniques for better visibility in the local searches part of search engines. My friends from Jacksonville, Florida started their business without experience. They've always wanted to put up a company right after finishing college. They've been doing pretty well, I guess. They have a long way to go against those old companies, though.