Layers of marginalisation: The transition from hardship to entrepreneurial success

Abstract

The growing and evolving interest in marginalised entrepreneurship presents opportunities to investigate the intersectionality of different marginalised entrepreneurs and the hardships they experience. This article explores how multiple hardships affect the transition of women veterans to entrepreneurship, contributing to the marginalised entrepreneurship literature by focusing on a particularly underserved group. Building upon Schlossberg’s Self, Situation, Support, and Strategies transition model, we examine how self-characteristics, support systems, situational factors and strategic responses help these entrepreneurs navigate the challenges they face, including gender bias, disability and financial struggles. Our findings reveal that successful women veteran entrepreneurs leverage strong social networks, prior experiences and self-care strategies to overcome adversity, highlighting the dynamic and multi-layered nature of hardship. This study underscores the need for comprehensive support systems and policies tailored to the complex realities faced by marginalised entrepreneurs.