Killing Two Birds with One Stone? Deconstructing the Meaning of Leadership for Lone Mothers in Micro-entrepreneurial Contexts

To grasp the experiences of Lone Mother Entrepreneurs (LME), it’s crucial to identify the main factors that shape their entrepreneurial journeys. Traditionally, women were regarded as holding a lower status compared to men, often facing stereotyping and discrimination fuelled by biased attitudes, which in turn diminished their self-perception. This chapter explores and helps to understand two central questions: Why do lone mothers pursue entrepreneurship in the UK, and how do they leverage their unique circumstances to enhance their self-worth through their personal approaches to leadership?