Passion driving entrepreneurship and lifestyle migration: insights from the lutherie of Cremona

Passion is one the most observed phenomena in the entrepreneurial process. While most of the literature on this topic focuses on aspects linked to the individual emotional process, studies acknowledging the role of passion as a driver of entrepreneurship and lifestyle migration are scarce. This article aims to bridge this gap through framing lifestyle entrepreneurs who migrate due to their desire to pursue higher skills in their passion domain and to share the culture that pervades their migration destination. As a key antecedent of the lifestyle entrepreneur, passion can also create a true passion collective. Sharing passion with others is an important driver of the emergence of new cultural-social activities and networks of passionate people, today a vital resource for many entrepreneurs and businesses. Passion also provides the lifestyle entrepreneur with access to networks and the opportunity to interact with actors, resources, and activities embedded in the passion network. In this paper, we adopt a qualitative methodology using a single-case study of a lifestyle entrepreneur of a lutherie in an important Italian district. Creative districts provide an excellent setting to contribute to the field of passion, as ventures are mainly established as a result of the entrepreneurs’ passion and love for their business activities that are at the heart of their life choices.