Grace Tien (Brandeis University)

“Culture” and “Charisma” in Startups: Founders’ Story Construction and Audience Resonance

Under Review, 2020 American Sociological Association Award for Best Student Paper in Economic Sociology and Entrepreneurship

Cultural entrepreneurship shows us that storytelling is an important part of shaping organizational identity and resource acquisition, but who constructs stories? And how does story construction impact investor (audience) resonance? This study builds on existing scholarship and suggests that different types of founders, like “charismatic” founders, together with their teams, construct stories in such a way that attract and resonate with certain types of audiences. Drawing on years of participant observation and one-hundred interviews with entrepreneurs and investors, this study develops a model for story construction, the roles founders and teams play in this process, and how this resonates with and attract different kinds of investors. In the conclusion, this article discusses implications for research on culture, organizations, and social movements.