Det sådde ett frö inom mig, att jag skulle med vilja skapa ett eget företag. : En studie om kvinnliga företagares upplevelser av etableringsfasen

Sammanfattning: A business owner describes as an individual that identifies new business opportunities and turn them into new business activities. The establishment phase is where the business owner starts the business and see if the business idea works. The business owner also identifies the market and produces products and services during this phase. The establishment phase involves a high risk because it arises unexpected activities that the business owner needs to handle, to be able to survive the phase. Personal attitudes, control and social norms affect an individual's driving force to start a business. A business owner often starts a business to be able to control their own time and also to be able to implement business ideas. Female business owners are often considered leaving their employment because the lack of job satisfaction and therefore choose to start a new business. Something that often affects female business owners experience during the establishment phase is networks, family situations and attitudes from both yourself and society. The purpose of this study is to generate an understanding of how the establishment phase perceives by female business owners in Sweden. This study had used a qualitative method with an inductive approach. Female business owners have been interviewed through unstructured interviews. The material that had been collected during the interviews, resulted in stories by female business owners. Criteria to choose respondents have been created to make sure that the study only includes relevant information for the purpose and research question. It was required that the respondents were a female business owner in Sweden. It was also required that they have survived the establishment phase and founder of the business in which they operate. The business owners’ stories, resulted in information that it is important to be energetic and actionable as a business owner and also believe in the business idea. The establishment phase involves a high risk, but the respondents think that it is important to dare to take a risk to be able to reach success. The respondents also think that a good self-esteem and a good self-awareness are two important characteristics to become a successful business owner. The respondents did perceive experiences during the establishment phase, similar but also different. One of the business owners described the establishment phase divided into two different periods. The first period of the establishment phase was perceived as fun and exciting. The second period consisted of doubts about the own ability and also a worse self-esteem. The respondents did also explain financial uncertainty as an experienced because of that the business income is not certain during the establishment phase. Networking was a positive experience because it has been giving the business owners good relationships, new ideas and also a marketing tool. It has also resulted in new potential employees, business partners and customers. The female business owners described that the feeling of security has made the establishment phase easier and therefore they describe this feeling as important. Keywords: female business owners, experiences, the establishment phase and Sweden.