Early‐Stage Entrepreneurial Creativity: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT The creative process has long sparked debate over which types of relationships fuel it most effectively. Taking an interpretive interactionist perspective, we carry out a qualitative study of 30 technology entrepreneurs and 11 members of their “inner circle,” uncovering how friends and family serve a critical role in the creative process, specifically, in the early stages of idea development. We find that, in this initial stage, entrepreneurs lean heavily on select, trusted individuals with specific qualities who serve to support and challenge the entrepreneur, helping modify, clarify, and refine their idea until it is deemed ready for a broader audience. Ultimately, this paper theorizes that inner‐circle ties play a unique and essential role in driving the creativity that brings fresh ideas to life.