The Why and How of Social Media Entrepreneurs

Abstract

Digital technologies are transforming economic activity and opening up new opportunities, such as those being exploited by digital entrepreneurs. We study influencers and bloggers as a specific type of digital self-employment and as an under-researched phenomenon of social media entrepreneurship. The aim of this study is to explore the entrepreneurial motivations of influencers and bloggers and to investigate the specifics of their entrepreneurial process. A qualitative research approach involving interviews with 10 social media entrepreneurs provides insights into additional dimensions they bring to the concepts from entrepreneurship research. Our findings reveal the accelerated dynamics of the experimentation phase of the entrepreneurial process, which presents both advantages and disadvantages for the entrepreneur. Public exposure is one of the biggest challenges for them, suggesting that legitimacy is a crucial resource for social media entrepreneurs. We also find that they did not enter entrepreneurship in a planned and purposeful manner, but became aware of the possibility of starting a business while pursuing their interests.