“I have someone who takes care of me.” social and economic capital of entrepreneurs with disabilities

Purpose This article examines how social capital influences the entrepreneurial experiences of persons with disabilities (PwD), who often pursue self-employment due to limited access to traditional employment. Although entrepreneurship can promote autonomy, PwD encounter various structural, institutional and social challenges. Using the concept of underdog entrepreneurship, the study explores how social and economic capital can act as both a resource and a constraint. It addresses a critical gap in the literature by asking to what extent social capital supports or limits the entrepreneurial activities of PwD. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative, biographical approach to explore the entrepreneurial experiences of 24 PwD in France. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, ensuring diversity in personal and professional backgrounds. Data were collected through two rounds of semi-structured interviews, allowing for a rich understanding of each individual's entrepreneurial journey and social environment. An inductive thematic analysis, grounded in the Gioia methodology, was used to identify emerging patterns and construct theoretical insights. Ethical considerations and reflexivity practices were integrated throughout the research process. Findings This research advances theoretical understanding of entrepreneurship for PwD by integrating the underdog entrepreneurship framework with a strength-based perspective, emphasizing the role of distinctive forms of capital in constrained environments. It highlights the social capital paradox, which emerges as networks simultaneously provide vital support and create dependency and vulnerability. By showing how social capital evolves in response to the needs of EwD and how economic capital may emerge as a consequence, the study reveals tensions between autonomy and reliance. It also deepens understanding of symbolic strategies to navigate legitimacy, stigma and visibility, while tracing how this paradox unfolds over time. Originality/value This research offers original insights into the entrepreneurial experiences of PwD by combining the underdog entrepreneurship framework with a strength-based perspective. It highlights the social capital paradox, underscoring the complex and ambivalent role of social capital, an area still underexplored in existing literature. Through a biographical and interpretive approach, the study reveals how social and economic capital simultaneously enable and constrain entrepreneurial activity. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of disability and entrepreneurship, with practical implications for policy and support systems.