In an inspiring display of academic collaboration and mentorship, faculty and students from LMU College of Business Administration have published a research paper in the Small Business Institute Journal titled “Integrating Theory and Practice: A Typology of Adversity and Resilience Strategies Among Entrepreneurs.” The paper, coauthored by Management Professor Ellen Ensher, Entrepreneurship Professor Jason D’Mello, former undergraduate business students Avery Clark ’24 and Olivia “Dell” Bledsoe ’22, and Professor Vicki Whiting of Westminster College, explores how entrepreneurs build resilience in the face of adversity.
The project began with Ensher’s pre-pandemic interviews with 12 entrepreneurs, including high-profile founders like Richard Sheridan (Menlo Innovations) and Sarah LaFleur (MM.LaFleur). A mentoring researcher by training, Ensher was particularly interested in the interpersonal dynamics and support systems that contribute to entrepreneurial endurance. With the onset of COVID-19, she and D’Mello combined efforts to expand the research. “It was a natural collaboration,” he said. “We were both exploring resilience, and the pandemic made that topic even more urgent and personal.”
Avery and Dell joined the team through the LMU Rains Research Assistant Program, where they played a vital role in analyzing the qualitative data – transcribing interviews, coding themes, and using NVivo software to organize findings. Their intellectual curiosity and leadership ultimately earned them coauthor status on the paper.
Together, the team conducted 25 interviews with entrepreneurs from various backgrounds. The research uncovered recurring strategies business leaders use to navigate crises, particularly during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Themes such as the importance of support systems, self-care, and a growth mindset emerged as central to entrepreneurial resilience.
The research culminated in a presentation at the Western Academy of Management (WAM) conference in Hawaii, where Avery and Dell presented the findings and participated in the doctoral consortium, impressing seasoned scholars with their insights.
“Mentoring Avery and Dell was a true joy,” said D’Mello. “They entered the project with curiosity, showed incredible growth, and brought great energy. It felt like collaborating with fellow scholars rather than teaching students.”
According to Dell, researching with the team cemented her love for asking questions, holistic thinking, and collaboration across domains. The published paper is just a small outcome from this experience.
“It’s the connections and mentors I made along the way and the notion to keep going even when it might make sense to stop,” she said. “I hope everyone finds something that requires resiliency, because working toward something that you can only see and then experiencing the joy of others seeing it too, is a gift.”
For Avery, the experience was empowering. “At first, I wasn’t sure I had enough to contribute,” she reflected. “But this process taught me how capable I am. It taught me to be diligent, ask tough questions, and use research as a tool to uncover more about the world and, ultimately, about myself.”
Ensher echoed that sentiment. “During the pandemic, we were all struggling and this project allowed us to focus and reclaim our scholarly selves. We created a space for both intellectual discovery and emotional support. It was one of the most meaningful collaborations I’ve been a part of.”
More than just a publication, this paper highlights the strength of interdisciplinary and intergenerational scholarship at LMU and the powerful outcomes that emerge when faculty and students work together to explore real-world challenges.
Avery Clark ’24 earned a degree in marketing and a minor in psychology from LMU. She is a commercial real estate analyst at The Azzi Group of Marcus & Millichap.
Olivia “Dell” Bledsoe ’22 earned dual degrees in marketing and psychology from LMU. She is a senior people consultant at EY.
