Cultural heritage and entrepreneurship – inspiration for novel ventures creation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the role of networking, creating community, product development and mentoring in the experiential and entrepreneurial learning process. A close look is taken at the experiential knowledge of entrepreneurs to understand and bridge the gap between local cultures and entrepreneurial communities: how to map and implement the tacit knowledge possessed by an entrepreneur, and what sources help trainees find attractive ideas for a new venture? Design/methodology/approach After reviewing the key literature, a phenomenological approach has been applied. Data were collected using not only semi-structured interviews but also secondary data. Findings Creative entrepreneurs consider it important that learning materials are provided according to the learner’s specialist business idea. They need and expect multi-layered support from peers/coaches/mentors and social/local/specialist networks to test the ideas and products and services directly in the community. Originality/value As the conventional teaching methodology is inapplicable for creative and community entrepreneurs, the key factors of their venture-creation process focus on their personal experience, skills, capabilities and motivation.