Abstract
Entrepreneurship has long been regarded as a powerful mechanism for economic growth and development. Emerging economies continue to have a vast number of small businesses and start-ups that emerge. The ventures are, however, borne within uncertain and at times tumultuous contexts. The entrepreneurs who conceptualise and build these businesses require a range of support mechanisms to ensure their success. Coaching has proven effective as a developmental resource, enabling individuals to reach their goals and those of the organisations they have built. The exploration of the intersection of entrepreneurship and the practice of coaching is the foundation of this study. The study seeks to understand the perspectives of entrepreneurs who have undergone entrepreneurial coaching. The
The study utilised a qualitative research design. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample of nine entrepreneurs who had undergone entrepreneurial coaching. The interviews were conducted to allow the research participants to share as much of their lived experience as possible. This enabled rich data to be extracted from their responses. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), allowing an in-depth exploration of participants’ lived experiences and the meanings they attributed to entrepreneurial coaching. The study’s findings reveal the importance of recognising and leveraging entrepreneurs’ existing innate abilities and capacities as a foundation for developmental support. Entrepreneurial coaching further cultivated self-efficacy, a growth-oriented mindset, and resilience in navigating uncertainty and ambiguity. Drawing on these insights, a conceptual figure was developed. The study recommends that entrepreneurial coaching be integrated into policy frameworks and incorporated as a core component of entrepreneurial support systems. Adopting a holistic approach to supporting entrepreneurs enhances their ability to navigate the complex, often challenging entrepreneurial landscape with greater clarity, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a strengthened sense of self-trust.