The Real Truth About Building an Academic Career in Entrepreneurship

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-25

What does it actually mean to build a successful academic career in entrepreneurship today? That's the question that brought about 20 people together at Trinity Business School in Dublin on May 14, 2026, for the ECSB Professional Development Workshop. The room wasn't just full of seasoned professors. It was a mix of PhD researchers, early-career academics, experienced scholars, and organizers. And what happened over the course of that day felt less like a conference and more like a honest conversation about what we're all really doing here. ### The Career Path You Were Promised Doesn't Really Exist We've all heard the script. Publish. Secure funding. Get promoted. Build an international reputation. Rinse and repeat. But for most scholars, that's not how it goes at all. The workshop made space to question that narrative. Through interactive sessions and creative activities, people opened up about the moments of achievement, sure, but also the uncertainty, the transitions, and those times when you feel completely disconnected from why you started this whole thing in the first place. And let's be honest, the backdrop here matters. Higher education is increasingly shaped by performance metrics, publication rankings, and impact measures. Those things aren't inherently bad, but they can narrow how we define success. They can make you forget that there are many ways to build a meaningful academic career. ### A Day That Mixed Reflection With Real Talk The program blended keynote contributions with interactive workshops, creative exercises, and open discussion. The day kicked off with Dr. Deirdre McGillicuddy from University College Dublin, who delivered a session called "Educaring from the Heart: How to Nurture Your Wellbeing and Rediscover Your Purpose in Education." Her talk set a thoughtful tone, reminding everyone that wellbeing and self-care aren't luxuries, they're necessities. After coffee and informal networking, participants dove into "Through the Looking Glass," a reflective activity that had people examining their own academic journeys and aspirations. Then Dr. Briga Hynes from the University of Limerick led "Getting to Where We Need To – A Gender Perspective." This one sparked important conversations about gender, equity, and inclusion, exploring both the structural barriers scholars face and the opportunities to create more inclusive environments. Next came "Picking up the Pieces," an activity designed to connect the morning's discussions with personal experiences, giving space to identify challenges, recognize resilience, and think about what's next. After lunch, Professor Gary Kerr from Atlantic Technological University delivered an engaging session called "Playing the GAME: Understanding What Others Want… Shhhhhh." Through discussion and participation, attendees explored the unspoken expectations of institutions, reviewers, colleagues, and stakeholders, and how to navigate those systems without losing sight of your own values. The afternoon wrapped up with a creative exercise, "A Creative Pause – Vocalising What We Are Anticipating: Hanging Thoughts," where participants shared hopes, concerns, and ambitions for their future careers. ### What This Means for the Future of Entrepreneurship Scholarship Here's the thing: workshops like this matter because they remind us that academic careers aren't linear. They're messy. They're full of detours. And that's okay. The emphasis throughout the day was on developing authentic scholarly identities, maintaining personal values, and recognizing that success can look different for everyone. That's a message that resonates far beyond the room in Dublin. As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve, these conversations will only become more important. Because at the end of the day, building a successful academic career isn't just about what you publish or how much funding you secure. It's about staying true to why you started in the first place.