Abstract
Despite increasing interest in the narratives of entrepreneurial failure, the understanding of how entrepreneurs reconstruct their identity as they advance from experiences of failure to new ventures remains partial. Based on a narrative analysis of 49 entrepreneurs' experiences, we uncover three narrative types used by entrepreneurs when moving on: shielding, transformation, and authenticity. In particular, we elaborate on how the entrepreneurs employ specific discursive practices in their narratives to deal with three central aspects of identity reconstruction: construction of responsibility, identity transition, and identity validation. Thus, our analysis elucidates the narrative underpinnings of dealing with failure and deepens our understanding of entrepreneurial identity construction in the context of moving on.
•Entrepreneurs need to reconstruct their identity when moving on from experiences of failure•We uncover three narrative types used by such entrepreneurs: shielding, transformation, and authenticity narratives•We show how entrepreneurs employed discursive practices in these narratives to deal with their identity reconstruction•Our analysis deepens the understanding of entrepreneurial identity construction in the context of moving on.