Are you an entrepreneur trying to time manage but loves watching TV? Luckily there are shows and movies out there, so you can watch and learn at the same time. Here is a list of 8 TV shows and movies every entrepreneur can benefit from:
1) Shark Tank
Pitching in front of investors can be the most terrifying and important experience for any entrepreneur. There’s a reason it’s called “Shark Tank” – the investors don’t mess around. Each one hour episode of Shark Tank is packed with lessons, great for aspiring entrepreneurs to take note of. Being an entrepreneur myself, I’ve watched many episodes and trained myself the do’s and don’ts of what to say in front of investors. As investor Kevin O’Leary, AKA ‘Mr. Wonderful’ says: “You’re dead to me.” No entrepreneur wants to hear that after pitching their idea.
2) The Social Network
The Social Network is a true story based off Mark Zuckerberg and his rise to success with his Facebook. You can see how Zuckerberg went from coding in his dorm at Harvard to launching the multi-billion dollar platform in just a few years. It’s interesting to see what Zuckerberg and his team does in the midst of all the chaos. The story is far from perfect, and there are significant lessons about trust and honesty.
3) Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a funny take on the challenging startup ecosystem, featuring a group of young software developers trying to succeed in the intense competitive environment that is the Silicon Valley. This show will give you an insight on what it’s like to work there.
4) Billions
Billions is a drama series about power politics in the world of New York high finance. The show is full of valuable quotes about startups, business, and leadership. Here’s a great quote to take away from one of the main characters, Wendy Rhoades: “Great stressors can be bonding agents instead of tearing them apart.” To me this means that stress can make a team closer and stronger.
5) Mad Men
This is one of my all-time favorite TV Shows as an entrepreneur pursuing advertising and marketing. Taking place in 1960s New York, Mad Men revolves around an ad agency, Sterling Cooper and the personal and professional lives of people who work there. I love watching shows that take place decades ago and seeing how relevant things still are. I thought I’d share another quote from the show’s protagonist, Don Draper: “Success comes from standing out, not fitting in.” This quote speaks for itself.
6) Suits
Also set in New York, Suits follows a gifted college dropout working as a law associate with no background in law. This show is full of confidence hacks and reveals how far you can go if someone just believes in you. Taking place in a quick-witted workplace, characters go through tricky circumstances, yet navigate them successfully. The most important part of this show is learning how to communicate ethically and effectively.
7) The Mind, Explained
This one is kind of random, but I wanted to mention it. This documentary takes you through five of the most intriguing parts of our minds: memory, dreams, anxiety, mindfulness and psychedelics. In general, the more you understand the mind, the more you can understand yourself and others since entrepreneurship involves independence, teamwork, and creativity.
8) Minimalism: A Documentary about the Important Things
Everyone has different motivations as entrepreneurs, but most successful entrepreneurs aren’t motivated by materialism – they are motivated by passion. This documentary shows you can live a happy and fulfilling life without spending money on things you don’t need (if you’re an entrepreneur, that money should goes toward your project!).
Depending on which industry you’re in, I wanted to highlight what each show is good for:
- Shark Tank is good for all industries
- The Social Network and Silicon Valley are good for tech
- Billions is good for finance and economics
- Mad Men is good for marketing and advertising
- Suits is good for law and communications
- The Mind, Explained and Minimalism are good for strategy
But overall, any entrepreneur can learn from these shows as it’s important to be knowledgeable about every aspect of your business.
If you were looking for more things to watch, hopefully this helps! Enjoy 🙂
