Table 3 Identified resources and example...

Table 3

Identified resources and example quotes of connections with challenge-hindrance appraisals (N = 20 self-employed individuals)

Resource	Example quotes
Conditions (Self-employment type, Parental/ Partner Role)	Business owners who identified more strongly with the entrepreneurial role, appraised entrepreneurial tasks as challenges
	“I like to think out of box. I'm busy with questions all day. So, when I was baking fries, making burgers, etc. I also created a wireless charging system for the hospitality industry.” (male, 25 years old, catering industry)
	“I am very convinced that as an entrepreneur, you should not work in your company. The only qualities I want to have relate to entrepreneurship. In short: telling your story, binding people, developing your vision, making new plans, and connecting the right expertise, so that it can all be realized.” (male, 32 years old, financial services)
	Craftsmen appraised entrepreneurial tasks rather as hindrances
	"… if we do not advertise, if we do not have a web-page, well then you will not get any customers. It is just a huge time investment. I'd rather spend my time on creating or performing” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	Many respondents mentioned a high workload and 24/7 as a challenge
	“When the phone rings all day, yes I like that. Then I am more relaxed than when I am waiting for something to happen. You are actually available 24–7. Well you need to like that.” (male, 32 years old, financial services)
	For parents, a high workload and 24/7 was rather a hindrance
	"We have a son with special needs who still lives at home, … which has made certain aspects of entrepreneurship more of a problem." (female, 58 years old, culture)
	“My business comes first, and if it takes 100 h a week, it takes 100 h a week. … But yes, this can sometimes be an obstacle, because you feel guilty towards people you care about. This is sometimes difficult.” (male, 25 years old, catering industry)
	In contrast to what was generally reported, for a woman whose husband provided a stable income customers who cannot pay their bills was not a hindrance demand
	“If I know customers cannot afford to pay, they can just come in. I do not mind. I also do not want to bind customers, because if they do not want to come back, it's fine too.” (female, 49 years old, personal coach)
Object Resources (capital, Buildings, Tools, Machinery, solvency)	Whether business owners appraised building financial resources as challenge or hindrance demands depended on creditworthiness
	“The bank made no trouble when I started my business and asked them if I could borrow 1.5 million euros. This is also due to the fact that my business partner […] had a strong financial and market position.” (female, 36 years old, health care)
	“It gives a kick when I enter a bank and then come out and I have managed to get a loan.” (male, 58 years old, financial services)
	“In the beginning, business growth and building financial resources were actually challenges and not obstacles. Over time you come at a certain point when you want to expand and you need money, and when you arrive at the bank they say no. That is a major obstacle.” (male, 59 years old, personal services)
	“To get financing is a hindrance, absolutely, because I had to arrange almost everything with almost nothing.” (male, 48 years old, business services)
Personal Resources Big 5 Traits (openness, extraversion, conscientiousness) Lower order traits (self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, tenacity, creativity, risk tolerance and proactive tendencies)	A respondent who described herself as introverted, appraised building social resources as a hindrance demand
	“Making contact or widening the network. Actually, that's not for me. I should hire someone for that, because that's really a considerable hindrance. I'm focused on myself in my studio and somewhat reserved and shy. So, it's a big step for me.” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	A more extraverted respondent said
	“And then you just notice that it is more like enjoying a coffee together than negotiating your quote. I really like that. That social contact … the total picture, building a history together. That is very energizing.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture)
	Lower order personal resources helped appraising demands as challenges
	“Competition was an obstacle at first, but inventing new activities creatively made it a challenge.” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	“Guts and creativity, that is the most important. If you want things, but you cannot do them, just start and learning goes by itself.” (male, 48 years old, business services)
Social Resources (Business Partners, Employees Clients, Formal Networks Informal Networks)	With the right support, business owners appraisals of secondary tasks could turn from hindrances to challenges
	“Computers and systems and things like that, websites, I'm honestly not very familiar with that. So yes, I deliberately have guys around me who know more about it than I do, who are optimistic, see opportunities.” (male, 28 years old, hospitality industry)
	“When I did not see what a website could represent, I perceived building a website as a hindrance. Now, with the help of a web designer, I see it as a kind of challenge. It's a sport to get my website higher in the rankings of important search machines”. (male, 56 years old, culture)
	Social networks also helped to see adapting to changes as challenging
	“By effectively using your network, you are often able to switch very quickly. And I also get the majority of my future clients out of it. Just creating the energy together.” (male, 58 years old, ICT)
Energies (health, mental, physical, cognitive vitality, professional skills and knowledge self-management)	Health issues related to appraisals of, e.g., guaranteeing business outcomes and making long hours as hindrances
	“Since I broke my vertebra, I got scared. I'm doing better, but you realize that you run a lot of risks and that it always has financial consequences.” (male, 56 years old, construction)
	“Earlier, until about five years ago, I was just up at five and then I started working on the computer before the kids got up. Yes, some day it will break you up.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture)
	Hindrance appraisals relate to lack of relevant skills
	“I do not understand how it is going nowadays. Recently, my husband and I had to go to someone from the municipality for things we wanted and actually, we did not understand how it all worked. You get older. When I prepare myself very well, I can do it, but I believe that my capacities are not sufficient anymore”. (female, 59 years old, culture )
	“You are occupied with your core business, and next to that you also have entrepreneurial tasks, such as your personnel policy and finances. Yes, it is a challenge, but at the beginning I saw it as an obstacle. you have to keep learning and developing yourself” (male, 28 years old, hospitality industry)
Ecological systems (Environmental demands and resources)	“Delivering good quality for a good price is definitely a challenge. Only, that is getting more and more difficult now, because besides your own creativity and the relationship you build with your customers, people more and more start to watch the expenses.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture) “Sales stagnated due to customers' declining confidence in the economy. It started as a challenge and then it became an annoying hurdle.” (male, 48 years old, business services) “Nowadays you are an outlaw as a self-employed person. They hire you at strangulation rates. Before, I had to pay far less tax and VAT, too, which made it easier for me to earn my daily bread.” (male, 56 years old, culture) “Yes, you depend on the taxes and on banks and they have done too little for entrepreneurs.” (male, 59 years old, personal services)

Resource	Example quotes
Conditions (Self-employment type, Parental/ Partner Role)	Business owners who identified more strongly with the entrepreneurial role, appraised entrepreneurial tasks as challenges
	“I like to think out of box. I'm busy with questions all day. So, when I was baking fries, making burgers, etc. I also created a wireless charging system for the hospitality industry.” (male, 25 years old, catering industry)
	“I am very convinced that as an entrepreneur, you should not work in your company. The only qualities I want to have relate to entrepreneurship. In short: telling your story, binding people, developing your vision, making new plans, and connecting the right expertise, so that it can all be realized.” (male, 32 years old, financial services)
	Craftsmen appraised entrepreneurial tasks rather as hindrances
	"… if we do not advertise, if we do not have a web-page, well then you will not get any customers. It is just a huge time investment. I'd rather spend my time on creating or performing” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	Many respondents mentioned a high workload and 24/7 as a challenge
	“When the phone rings all day, yes I like that. Then I am more relaxed than when I am waiting for something to happen. You are actually available 24–7. Well you need to like that.” (male, 32 years old, financial services)
	For parents, a high workload and 24/7 was rather a hindrance
	"We have a son with special needs who still lives at home, … which has made certain aspects of entrepreneurship more of a problem." (female, 58 years old, culture)
	“My business comes first, and if it takes 100 h a week, it takes 100 h a week. … But yes, this can sometimes be an obstacle, because you feel guilty towards people you care about. This is sometimes difficult.” (male, 25 years old, catering industry)
	In contrast to what was generally reported, for a woman whose husband provided a stable income customers who cannot pay their bills was not a hindrance demand
	“If I know customers cannot afford to pay, they can just come in. I do not mind. I also do not want to bind customers, because if they do not want to come back, it's fine too.” (female, 49 years old, personal coach)
Object Resources (capital, Buildings, Tools, Machinery, solvency)	Whether business owners appraised building financial resources as challenge or hindrance demands depended on creditworthiness
	“The bank made no trouble when I started my business and asked them if I could borrow 1.5 million euros. This is also due to the fact that my business partner […] had a strong financial and market position.” (female, 36 years old, health care)
	“It gives a kick when I enter a bank and then come out and I have managed to get a loan.” (male, 58 years old, financial services)
	“In the beginning, business growth and building financial resources were actually challenges and not obstacles. Over time you come at a certain point when you want to expand and you need money, and when you arrive at the bank they say no. That is a major obstacle.” (male, 59 years old, personal services)
	“To get financing is a hindrance, absolutely, because I had to arrange almost everything with almost nothing.” (male, 48 years old, business services)
Personal ResourcesBig 5 Traits (openness, extraversion, conscientiousness)Lower order traits (self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, tenacity, creativity, risk tolerance and proactive tendencies)	A respondent who described herself as introverted, appraised building social resources as a hindrance demand
	“Making contact or widening the network. Actually, that's not for me. I should hire someone for that, because that's really a considerable hindrance. I'm focused on myself in my studio and somewhat reserved and shy. So, it's a big step for me.” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	A more extraverted respondent said
	“And then you just notice that it is more like enjoying a coffee together than negotiating your quote. I really like that. That social contact … the total picture, building a history together. That is very energizing.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture)
	Lower order personal resources helped appraising demands as challenges
	“Competition was an obstacle at first, but inventing new activities creatively made it a challenge.” (female, 59 years old, culture)
	“Guts and creativity, that is the most important. If you want things, but you cannot do them, just start and learning goes by itself.” (male, 48 years old, business services)
Social Resources (Business Partners, Employees Clients, Formal Networks Informal Networks)	With the right support, business owners appraisals of secondary tasks could turn from hindrances to challenges
	“Computers and systems and things like that, websites, I'm honestly not very familiar with that. So yes, I deliberately have guys around me who know more about it than I do, who are optimistic, see opportunities.” (male, 28 years old, hospitality industry)
	“When I did not see what a website could represent, I perceived building a website as a hindrance. Now, with the help of a web designer, I see it as a kind of challenge. It's a sport to get my website higher in the rankings of important search machines”. (male, 56 years old, culture)
	Social networks also helped to see adapting to changes as challenging
	“By effectively using your network, you are often able to switch very quickly. And I also get the majority of my future clients out of it. Just creating the energy together.” (male, 58 years old, ICT)
Energies (health, mental, physical, cognitive vitality, professional skills and knowledge self-management)	Health issues related to appraisals of, e.g., guaranteeing business outcomes and making long hours as hindrances
	“Since I broke my vertebra, I got scared. I'm doing better, but you realize that you run a lot of risks and that it always has financial consequences.” (male, 56 years old, construction)
	“Earlier, until about five years ago, I was just up at five and then I started working on the computer before the kids got up. Yes, some day it will break you up.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture)
	Hindrance appraisals relate to lack of relevant skills
	“I do not understand how it is going nowadays. Recently, my husband and I had to go to someone from the municipality for things we wanted and actually, we did not understand how it all worked. You get older. When I prepare myself very well, I can do it, but I believe that my capacities are not sufficient anymore”. (female, 59 years old, culture )
	“You are occupied with your core business, and next to that you also have entrepreneurial tasks, such as your personnel policy and finances. Yes, it is a challenge, but at the beginning I saw it as an obstacle. you have to keep learning and developing yourself” (male, 28 years old, hospitality industry)
Ecological systems (Environmental demands and resources)	“Delivering good quality for a good price is definitely a challenge. Only, that is getting more and more difficult now, because besides your own creativity and the relationship you build with your customers, people more and more start to watch the expenses.” (male, 43 years old, horticulture)“Sales stagnated due to customers' declining confidence in the economy. It started as a challenge and then it became an annoying hurdle.” (male, 48 years old, business services)“Nowadays you are an outlaw as a self-employed person. They hire you at strangulation rates. Before, I had to pay far less tax and VAT, too, which made it easier for me to earn my daily bread.” (male, 56 years old, culture)“Yes, you depend on the taxes and on banks and they have done too little for entrepreneurs.” (male, 59 years old, personal services)

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