The Hybrid Edge: Investigating well-being in part-time entrepreneurship

Abstract

The combination of entrepreneurship with other means of livelihood has become more common, leading to different forms of part-time entrepreneurship. Whereas part-time entrepreneurship is a catch-all term for all combinations of entrepreneurship with other means of livelihood, hybrid entrepreneurship specifically refers to the combination of entrepreneurship with waged employment. There are still gaps in research-based knowledge concerning these forms of entrepreneurship. This study focuses on part-time entrepreneurs’ well-being, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative survey involved 486 part-time entrepreneurs from Finland, while the qualitative interviews zoom in on a specific subgroup of part-time entrepreneurs and were conducted with 12 hybrid entrepreneurs. The results indicate that although some respondents reported feelings of stress, the overall well-being among part-time entrepreneurs is good. Hybrid entrepreneurs, who combine part-time entrepreneurship with a primary job in wage employment, demonstrate the highest levels of well-being. The increased well-being among these individuals can be attributed to opportunities for self-fulfillment and work characteristics of their entrepreneurial pursuits.