Research on reputation has mainly focused on established companies ignoring the relevance of reputation for start-ups. However, start-ups also need to consider factors that influence their reputation with regard to different stakeholders, especially potential investors. In this article, we develop a model of the so-called ‘entrepreneurial reputation’ from a venture capitalist’s perspective. For that purpose, the RepTrak® System – a model of corporate reputation developed by the Reputation Institute – is discussed in the context of entrepreneurship. With the help of a literature review, we work out relevant criteria used by venture capitalists in their decision-making process of whether to invest or not to invest in a new venture and integrate these in the RepTrak® System. The following five dimensions appear to be the key drivers of entrepreneurial reputation from a venture capitalist’s perspective: (1) entrepreneur/team, (2) market/industry, (3) products/services, (4) innovation and (5) finance.

This thesis is dedicated to my parents Anke and Horst, my sister Dorothée, my niece Stella Clara, and my husband Marius. You are simply the best! PrefaceInterest in the phenomenon of work-life balance has increased drastically among researchers and practitioners in recent decades. There are a vast number of publications on work-life balance in both academic journals and the popular press. Various reasons for the current interest in work-life balance can be identified. For example, the literature often highlights increased work demands for women and men or the integration of women-who are still responsible for a larger share of family and home responsibilities-in the labor market as important reasons. Furthermore, technological tools such as e-mail, mobile phones, and portable computers allow for work to be done "twenty-four seven" (24/7). These changes in society are provoking private and public discussions on work-life balance. It is sometimes believed that self-employment is a solution to many workplace problems-above all to the balancing of work and life-in particular, women are motivated to become entrepreneurs due to expectations of a higher work-life balance. However, the existing literature provides only initial answers regarding the relationship between work-life balance and women's entrepreneurship. Research on work-life balance has focused almost exclusively on the experiences of individuals employed in large businesses or other organizations. However, these lessons from large organizations' employees are not transferable to the entrepreneurship context. Entrepreneurs are said to have considerably more flexibility and autonomy regarding their working lives in comparison to organizationally employed individuals. This results in a research need concerning work-life balance in the context of entrepreneurshipespecially women's entrepreneurship.Based on this research need, the objective of this thesis is to explore work-life balance in the context of women's entrepreneurship to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence the work-life balance of women entrepreneurs. To achieve this objective, the women's entrepreneurship "5M" framework by Brush, De Bruin, and Welter (2009) is chosen as the conceptual foundation. It is a comprehensive framework to investigate women's entrepreneurship. The framework encompasses five dimensions-management, money, market, motherhood, vii

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