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This paper examines how different dimensions of entrepreneurial experience and their combinations affect new ventures' wealth growth. Drawing on entrepreneurial experience research as well as work experience and learning theories, entrepreneurial experience is posited to involve a stream of critical events that occur throughout venture creation and growth, resulting in expert knowledge and cognition and benefiting subsequent venture performance. However, the impact of experience on subsequent venture outcomes can vary due to the diversity of exposure to these critical events, the breadth of events experienced, and the comprehensiveness of qualitative and quantitative factors considered. Findings from a sample of 346 high-growth firms support that entrepreneurs' number of prior ventures has a positive effect on venture wealth growth. Further, this effect is even stronger when (1) the average time period in their prior ventures is longer, (2) they occupied lead founder roles in prior ventures, and (3) they have experienced both prior successes and failures in their ventures. Keywords: Entrepreneurial Experience, Entrepreneurial Learning, Founders, High-Growth Ventures, Entrepreneurial learning theorists suggest the most effective way to become an 'expert' entrepreneur is through learning by doing, or learning from experience (e.g., Cope and Watts, 2000; Krueger, 2007; Minniti [...]

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