LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial identity and inclusivity

This chapter explores the field of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship through the lens of identity work and inclusive leadership. Drawing on existing literature, we synthesise key insights on how LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs navigate identity work throughout their entrepreneurial journey, build inclusive workplace cultures, and challenge dominant norms in business. We highlight the potential for strategic use of identity in LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and how authenticity can be embedded into leadership and organisational practices. At the same time, we address the tensions and paradoxes that arise when identity is both a value and a market commodity. This chapter invites the reader to rethink the narrative of entrepreneurship that depicts success as growth and instead reimagine success as inclusivity and resilience.