Entrepreneurship
About Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship – About Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs, including the six archetypes defined by the EPT, possess unique characteristics that contribute to their success. This concept was initially based on international research that identified five profiles.
After Lindström’s time at Boston University’s Entrepreneurial Institute in 2005 and his experiences within the Boston ecosystem, his observations, along with research conducted in collaboration with the university’s Entrepreneurship Program, became the foundation for his studies. By 2007, he developed his first hypotheses, and the idea of a sixth archetype began to emerge.
In 2009, Lindström presented this research—culminating in the identification of the sixth archetype—at The International Conference on Thinking, ICOT, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This milestone presentation paved the way for the creation of the world’s first Entrepreneur Profile Test (EPT), developed in collaboration with licensed psychologist Hans-Olle Frummerin and officially launched in late 2010.
The EPT helps individuals discover which of the six archetypes they align with and provides insights into their unique strengths and behavioral patterns. Participants also receive a detailed personality profile.
Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mindset
An entrepreneur can be described as a creative and driven individual who successfully starts and manages a business. Entrepreneurs are often characterized by high autonomy, anti-conformity, visionary thinking, and a proactive approach to creating solutions and taking responsibility.
An entrepreneur is also someone who takes an idea for a product or service, evaluates the risks, identifies opportunities, gathers resources, and implements the plan. In essence, entrepreneurs are action-oriented and adaptable.
The Evolution of the Entrepreneur Profile Test (EPT)
The Entrepreneur Profile Test (EPT) EntrepreneurProfileTest, was first introduced in 2010 at the Own Business Fair in Stockholm, Sweden. It was designed as a comprehensive assessment to help individuals determine which of the six entrepreneurial archetypes they align with most closely.
The concept for the EPT originated from an idea by Nicklas Mattsson, who was then the editor-in-chief of the Swedish magazine Entreprenör. Lindström and Hans-Olle Frummerin developed the test by combining Lindström’s expertise in entrepreneurial research with Frummerin’s extensive experience in psychology and behavioral assessments. Together, they brought decades of experience in personnel and organizational development.
The EPT has evolved since its inception, with a major update in 2017 and the English-language launch in 2020. It continues to be a widely used tool for gaining insights into entrepreneurial traits.
A Global Platform for Sharing Research
In 2018, Lindström shared his research through his TEDx talk, What’s So Special About Entrepreneurs?. In this presentation, he highlighted how factors such as birth order and education levels influence the six EPT archetypes.
The TEDx Talk explored the core question: What makes an entrepreneur? By showcasing the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and behaviors of different entrepreneurial types, Lindström emphasized the shared traits that contribute to their success.
Stefan Lindstrom
Research
Research and Publications
Lindström’s research on entrepreneurial archetypes has contributed to several publications, including:
- Journal of Psycology & Neuroscience – Volume 3 Issue 2 Year 2021 | What Does Different Personality Test and Behavioral Test Measure, and Do We Overuse Them? (researchgate.net)
- Journal of Ageing Science & Mental Health Studies. | Clarification of research study, ADHD does not provide special conditions for entrepreneurship (researchgate.net)
- Journal of Applied Psychiatry. | Do Typical ADHD Traits Offer Advantages to Entrepreneurs? (researchgate.net)
- What Does Different Test measure and do we overuse … – Google Scholar
- The swede whose research found the 6th entrepreneurial archetype (researchgate.net)
More Research on Entreprenology
The latest publications can be found here on ResearchGate.
ResearchGate is a European commercial network for scientists and researchers to share articles, ask questions, and find collaborators. According to a 2014 study by Nature and a 2016 article in Higher Education,, it is the largest academic network in terms of active users.
No registration is required to read articles, but becoming a member requires either an email address from a recognized institution or confirmation as a published researcher.
Keynote Speaker and International Conferences
Stefan Lindström has also been invited as a keynote speaker to share his latest research at the International Conference on Thinking (ICOT). https://web.archive.org/web/20170314035822/http:/www.qub.ac.uk/sites/ICOT2011/SpeakersandBiogs/
This conference is regarded as the premier platform for presenting ideas on education, leadership, business, health and medicine, science and technology, the environment, and the humanities. ICOT is operated by a U.S. committee headed by David Perkins, professor of education at Harvard University.
From ICOT: “Lindström himself is an entrepreneur who became interested in how people, especially entrepreneurs, work and think. He presents his ideas on how one can benefit from their experience in the business world for individual, personnel, and organizational development.”
From Boston to Breakthrough: A Personal Story
My time at Boston University’s Entrepreneurial Institute in 2005 was pivotal, shaping my understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset. By 2007, I was developing the first concepts that would later lead to the sixth archetype. Presenting these findings at the International Conference on Thinking in 2009 was a defining moment in my career, paving the way for the creation of the EPT.
In my TEDx talk, What’s So Special About Entrepreneurs?, I shared insights from this research, focusing on the impact of birth order, education, and other formative factors on the six distinct entrepreneurial archetypes. The talk explored the core question: What makes an entrepreneur? By examining various entrepreneurial backgrounds, motivations, and outcomes, I highlighted the shared traits that define these archetypes and contribute to their success.
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–Thank you, Mr. Peter Russo – former Director of Entrepreneurial Institute, Boston University School of Management for all your help through all these years of my studying and guiding me on my research – entrepreneurs and “how they think” that help me to figure out the 6th archetype (workstyle) (The swede whose research found the 6th entrepreneurial archetype (researchgate.net) that was later launched at The International Conference on Thinking in 2011. That also gave me the privilege to contribute with these six archetypes in my TEDx. talk in April 2018 where you were of big help and support!
