interviewed had been employed by a private firm.
Additionally, it was found that more than onethird
had previously been self-employed, 14 per
cent had experience of employing others and more
than 70 per cent of participants were involved in
the work of another social initiative at the time of
interview. In common with many profit-orientated
small business owners, these findings suggest that
a significant number within the sample might be
described as “portfolio” or “serial” entrepreneurs
(Carter, 2001; Westhead and Wright, 1998;
Westhead and Wright, 1999), that is individuals
who own and manage a range of enterprises or
follow a pattern of setting up one enterprise and
developing and growing it before setting up
another. Additionally, the history of involvement
in the social economy found to be common to
many respondents suggests that many possessed
the job and industry experience which Carson et al.