Entrepreneurship Theories

Mental disorders were previously studied as problems needing remedies like medication, interventions, or counselling. A common misconception today is that those with mental health disorders are incapable of the same things that neurotypical individuals are. Neurodivergent individuals often perceive and process information differently than neurotypical individuals consider “normal.” However, that does not make them any less capable. Neurological disorders have been linked to success in many instances, particularly in entrepreneurship. In 2015, Freeman et al. (2015) studied 335 individuals, including 242 entrepreneurs. The study revealed that 49% of the entrepreneurs reported having one or more lifetime mental health conditions.  They were also significantly more likely to report a lifetime history of depression (30%), ADHD (29%), substance use conditions (12%), and bipolar diagnosis (11%) than were comparison participants.  These results suggest that while individuals with mental health