And the winner is...

Entrepreneur awards and the quantified success

Abstract

This paper deals with three contemporary topics. The first one is the prominence of the entrepreneur in today’s neoliberal culture. The second topic highlights the importance of success. Thirdly, the central role of data in the growing role of quantification plays in the neoliberal mode of being. By analysing two awards granted to the entrepreneurs in Brazil: Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Successful Entrepreneur Award, we argue that such awards can be seen as a means of summoning people to take up the "entrepreneur" mode of subjectivity. Taken as symbol of the current cultural trends, the successful entrepreneur is socially valued as an individual who fosters innovation, is willing to takes risks, able to overcome challenges, among other aspects. This individual is also valued in the way they manage their business to be profitable and grow, thus maintaining the current capitalist system in a backdrop of uncertainty.