Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/327089 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Citation: 
[Journal:] BRQ Business Research Quarterly [ISSN:] 2340-9444 [Volume:] 28 [Issue:] 3 [Year:] 2025 [Pages:] 635-650
Publisher: 
Sage Publishing, London
Abstract: 
Entrepreneurs in their 50s and beyond face significant identity shifts and well-being challenges as they transition out of the businesses they have built. Grounded in Super's career-development framework and utilizing the Eisenhardt Method for case study analysis, this research explores the entrepreneurial exit process during the maturity and decline stages. With an average business tenure of 11 years, these entrepreneurs encounter emotional and practical hurdles, such as health concerns, financial pressures, and shifting priorities. The study highlights valuing identity diversification and social support in easing the transition, revealing that financial success alone does not guarantee positive post-exit well-being. Gender differences show women prioritize sustainability and family, while men focus on growth and professional identity. These insights underscore the need for early exit planning and holistic support for successful entrepreneurial succession and retirement strategies.
Subjects: 
Entrepreneurial exit
well-being
identity
Eisenhardt method
small business
JEL: 
L26
D91
M14
J14
I31
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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