SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: FOUNDATION AND SUCCESS

ASPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: FOUNDATION AND SUCCESS

Dr. Kenneth Chukwujioke Agbim

Associate Professor, School of Business, Woxsen University

Entrepreneurship is first spiritual, then physical. That is, the pre-start-up, start-up and post-start-up states in entrepreneurship development are spiritual. It is spiritual because man has a spiritual component (Agbim & Onwe, 2025). Every entrepreneur has an entrepreneurial spirit that is activated by a higher spirit. A spiritual entrepreneur sees his/her entrepreneurship as a calling and a vocation through which to remain connected to higher spirit and others. They see their enterprise as a communal center (Agbim et al., 2013). Thus, the enterprise becomes a spiritual entrepreneurship when they maintain their connection with a higher spirit, others within the entrepreneurship and community, and by bringing and integrating their whole person to the entrepreneurship (Dehler & Welsh, 1994). Agbim et al. aver that spiritual values influence one’s perception, choices, actions and relationship with others positively. Again, spiritually virtuous people act in accordance with defined principles. Yet, the spiritual aspect of entrepreneurship as a control measure for unethical behaviour and failure in business has not been sufficiently explored in the academia. This paper therefore, discusses the foundation and success of spiritual entrepreneurship.

The Foundation of Spiritual Entrepreneurship

Man is made up of spirit, soul and body. Thus, man can either be spiritual or soulical (Nee, 1992) in an endeavour. A work such as entrepreneurship is a calling when the spiritual man finds meaning and purpose in it (Agbim et al., 2013). The “spiritual” in spiritual entrepreneurship connotes the relationship the entrepreneur and/or entrepreneurship has with a higher spirit that drives it. This connection can be with the spirit of God, spirit of Satan or the spirit of any human being that influences the entrepreneur and/or the entrepreneurship. In the words of Fadillah (2015), being spiritual is the ability to achieve a closer relationship with divinity and the universe (Nurcholida et al., 2022). Spiritual entrepreneurship therefore, refers to entrepreneurships that are inspired by new age philosophies such as “self-development”, “holism” and “deep values” (Fonneland, 2012).

The Success of Spiritual Entrepreneurship

The success of spiritual entrepreneurship does not start with profit maximisation and/or wealth creation. Rather, it begins with connecting oneself and the entrepreneurship with divinity or a higher spirit and others (Fonneland, 2012). Again, it suggests a state of being-in-the world and yet being-in-communion with divinity or a higher spirit and others as an entrepreneur (Buber, 1997). It connotes an authentic life that is born out of meaningful relationships with divinity or a higher spirit and others. Additionally, it depicts conscious believe in God, transcendence of self-interests, connectedness with God’s creation and at the same time maintaining involvement in entrepreneurial activities (McGhee & Grant, 2008). The success of an entrepreneurship is defined by an entrepreneur’s spiritual life, meaningful work, and quality connection with a higher spirit and others (Ashmon & Duchon, 2000).

Conclusion

To reverse the increasing trend of failed and failing entrepreneurships, both entrepreneurs and entrepreneurships need to be connected to a higher being and others in the community.   

References

Agbim, K. C., & Onwe, C. C. (2025). The Christian faith and entrepreneurial intentions: Mediating role of planned behaviour. Covenant Journal of Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 59-71.

Agbim, K. C., Ayatse, F. A., & Oriarewo, G. O. (2013). Spirituality, ethical behaviour and ethical business: The impact of relatedness. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research, 2(9), 76-86.

Ashmon, D. P., & Duchon, D. (2000). Spirituality at work: A conceptualization and measure. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9(2), 134-145.

Buber, M. (1997). I and Thou (W. Kaufmann, Trans.). Touchstone.

Dehler, G. E., & Welsh, M. A. (1994). Spirituality and organizational transformation: Implications for the new management paradigm. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 9(6), 17-27.

Fadillah, N. (2015). Menumbuhkan jiwa entrepreneurship muslim yang sukses. Eksis, X(1), 81–94.

Fonneland, T. (2012). Spiritual entrepreneurship in a northern landscape: Spirituality, tourism and politics. The Finnish Society for the Study of Religion, Temenos, 48(2), 155–178.

McGhee, P., & Grant, P. (2008). Spirituality and behaviour in the workplace: Wishful thinking or authentic reality.  Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organizational Studies, 13(2), 61-69.

Nee, W. (1992).  The spiritual man. Living Stream.

Nurcholida, A., Utomo, S. H., & Hermawan, A. (2022). Spiritual entrepreneurship values in student life skill learning of Islamic boarding school. International Journal of Economy, Education and Entrepreneurship, 2(2), 393-402. https://doi.org/10.53067/ije3.v2i2