High-Tech Entrepreneurial Careers: A Model of Stages, Phases, and Ages

The meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and spectacular comeback associated with Steve Jobs' career path is an evocative example of the risks and rewards associated with following a high-tech entrepreneurial career. While research on entrepreneurs has primarily focused on their characteristics, there is limited research on the career paths of entrepreneurs in either the careers or the entrepreneurship literature. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new model of entrepreneurial careers that better reflects the realities of pursuing a career in the high-tech computer industry. The proposed model considers the role that stages, phases, and ages play in the careers of hightech entrepreneurs