Entrepreneurship and Learning Disabilities: Patterns of Potential

This study examines how learning disability (LD) relates to entrepreneurial pathways by comparing correlates of entrepreneurial propensity and sustained engagement among entrepreneurs with and without LD. Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory, we surveyed 392 entrepreneurs, including 58 with LD, and used hierarchical regressions and Wald tests to compare patterns across groups. The findings show that creativity and age were associated with outcomes in both groups, but the pattern differed by LD status. Among entrepreneurs with LD, creativity and personal control were more strongly associated with outcomes, while among those without LD, formal education and early exposure were more strongly associated with propensity. Maternal education and adolescent interest in technological entrepreneurship were particularly associated with sustained engagement in the LD group. These findings suggest that entrepreneurship may represent an inclusive vocational pathway for some individuals with LD, while also highlighting the importance of reducing systemic barriers and strengthening neurodiversity-responsive supports.