In the world of business and entrepreneurship, which is rapidly growing day by day, movies have been an inspiration for a long time to create, innovate, and take risks. Entrepreneurial films offer insight into the struggles, triumphs, and challenges that business owners face in their journey to success. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or someone interested in understanding the mindset of self-made moguls, these movies are motivation and lessons.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best entrepreneur movies that highlight real-world stories of individuals who built successful companies from the ground up. These films not only entertain but also provide a wealth of knowledge on what it takes to succeed in business.
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1. The Social Network (2010): The Creation of Facebook
Plot Overview
Among the most iconic entrepreneur movies of the last decade, one stands out: The Social Network, directed by David Fincher. The movie tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook, and how the social media platform became a global phenomenon.
The movie portrays the story of how Facebook was created in a college dorm room, the internal conflicts between Zuckerberg and his business partners, and the legal battles that followed. It is a thrilling portrayal of ambition, innovation, and the complexities of building a billion-dollar company.
Key Lessons
- Innovation: The Social Network proves that successful entrepreneurs often begin with an idea that disrupts the status quo. Zuckerberg did not create Facebook to connect people; he aimed to change the way the world communicates.
- Partnerships: The film also shows how important partnerships are to a startup’s success, but it also demonstrates the importance of setting clear agreements and maintaining trust among co-founders.
- Adaptation: This film demonstrates the process by which Zuckerberg had to adapt and pivot his business model to catch up with the exponential growth of the company.
2. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006): Conquering Business and Life Challenges
Summary
Starring Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness is a biographical drama inspired by the real life of Chris Gardner, who becomes homeless during his struggle as a salesman trying to bring better life opportunities to himself and his son. After facing all kinds of disappointment, Gardner wins an internship with a powerful brokerage firm and opens up his own company.
Key Takeaways
- Perseverance: This film emphasizes the importance of persistence, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Chris Gardner’s determination to build a better life for himself and his son is an inspiring reminder that success often requires grit and resilience.
- Sacrifice: Gardner’s journey demonstrates that entrepreneurship isn’t easy and comes with a price. Entrepreneurs must often make personal sacrifices to achieve their business goals.
- Vision and Determination: The determination of Chris Gardner toward his goal while the odds seemed to be on the other side of the court presents the importance of having a vision and staying on track.
3. Moneyball (2011): Innovation in Business Strategy
Plot Summary
Moneyball is a film directed by Bennett Miller, based on the true story of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, who, through the use of data-driven decision-making, creates a competitive team by choosing players based on statistical analysis rather than scouting.
Although the movie is based on baseball, the message it sends is for any entrepreneur. The story of Beane shows how breaking the rules and using creative approaches to business can bring about massive success in business.
Important Takeaways
- Innovation through Data: Beane’s approach to using data analysis to make decisions was innovative. Entrepreneurs can learn that using data in decision-making can bring about opportunities that may have been missed otherwise.
- Challenging Traditions: Success often requires challenging traditional thinking and being bold. It is only through risking going against the grain that an entrepreneur can make a difference.
- Resourcefulness: Beane’s ability to construct a competitive team on a limited budget proves resourcefulness is one of the keys in dealing with financial problems.
4. The Founder (2016): The Story of McDonald’s
Plot Summary
The Founder chronicles the rise of the McDonald’s fast food empire and the complex relationship between Ray Kroc, a struggling milkshake machine salesman, and the McDonald brothers, Richard and Maurice. Kroc’s vision and business acumen helped transform McDonald’s from a small family-run restaurant into a global franchise.
Key Lessons
- A Business Model That Is a Power Tool: Ray Kroc saw that the McDonald brothers’ restaurant model could be scaled and transformed into a global franchise. This lesson to the future entrepreneur is about having a replicable business model.
- Persistence and Visions: Kroc was rejected several times before getting the deal with the McDonald brothers. Persistence has proven that staying glued to your vision through tough times leads to long-lasting success.
- Value of Scaling: The movie has proven the importance of expanding one’s business. Kroc found potential in the mass scalability of McDonald’s, which revolutionized the fast-food industry.
5. Joy (2015): The Miracle Mop Invention
Plot Summary
Joy is a film inspired by the life of Joy Mangano, an inventor and entrepreneur who invented the “Miracle Mop” and developed a business empire from scratch. Jennifer Lawrence portrays Mangano in her struggles as she encounters personal and professional setbacks trying to get her product to market.
Key Takeaways
- Innovation and Persistence: The case of Joy Mangano indicates the need for innovative products solving real-world problems. She was considered a dreamer and faced multiple rejections. However, with persistence, things worked out eventually.
- Dealing with Rejection: The movie teaches that rejection is part of the entrepreneurial journey. Investors, customers, or partners may reject it, but the key to success is to learn from rejection and move on.
- The Importance of Self-Belief: Joy Mangano believed in her product. Entrepreneurs need to believe in their ideas even when others don’t see the same potential.
6. Steve Jobs (2015): A Visionary Leader
Plot Summary
Steve Jobs is a biographical film about the co-founder of Apple Inc., directed by Danny Boyle. It follows the launches of three of Steve Jobs’ most important products: the original Macintosh, the NeXT computer, and the iPod. It provides a glimpse into Jobs’ personality, leadership style, and sometimes turbulent relationships with colleagues.
Key Lessons
- Visionary Thinking: Steve Jobs is the epitome of visionary thinking. His ability to foresee consumer needs and product quality before it existed provides an excellent lesson to entrepreneurs in any industry.
- Focus on Quality: Steve Jobs always attached a lot of importance to quality. His kind of obsessiveness over products shows how important it is not to compromise on quality, no matter how much time or money it takes.
- Leadership: The movie focuses on the difficulties of leadership, especially in dealing with brilliant but sometimes hard-to-deal-with people. Entrepreneurs have to learn how to handle people in order to succeed.
7. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992): The Cutthroat World of Sales
Plot Summary
Based on the play by David Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross is a movie that involves a group of real estate salesmen who have to fight to keep their jobs in the midst of competing for good leads. The movie depicts the brutal world of sales, where the characters manipulate and lie to one another to get the deal done.
Key Takeaways
- Salesmanship: The movie gives an unflinching look at the art of salesmanship and how persuasion and negotiation are vital in business.
- Ethics in Business: While the characters in the movie frequently act unethically, it is a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs about the need to maintain integrity and ethics in business.
- Pressure and Competition: The cutthroat environment of the real estate market depicted in the movie points to the pressure entrepreneurs face under such intense competition.
8. Wall Street (1987): Greed and Ambition in the Financial Sector
Plot Summary
Oliver Stone’s Wall Street follows the life of Bud Fox, a young stockbroker who is seduced by the power and wealth of Gordon Gekko, a ruthless corporate raider. This film is an iconic portrayal of the 1980s financial world, showing how ambition and greed can sometimes cloud ethical judgment.
Key Lessons
- The Dangers of Greed: Gordon Gekko’s famous line, “Greed is good,” summarizes the dangers of putting wealth above everything else. Entrepreneurs must be very careful not to lose their values in the process of achieving success.
- Ambition and Ethics: The movie takes a nuanced approach to ambition by showing how it can be a driving force to success and yet a source of moral compromise.
- Mentorship: The bond between Bud Fox and Gordon Gekko exemplifies how mentorship can shape the career of an entrepreneur for good or ill.
9. Flash of Genius (2008): The Story of the Windshield Wiper Patent
Synopsis
Based on the true story of Robert Kearns, Flash of Genius is a story about the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper. He has to fight the car industry for the alleged theft of his invention. Flash of Genius is a perfectly crafted drama that unfolds the intellectual property, resilience, and justice.
Key Lessons
- It illustrates the need for protection of one’s ideas and inventions. An entrepreneur has to be familiar with the legal aspect of business so that others cannot take undue advantage of it.
- Justice and Perseverance: Robert Kearns’ long fight shows the importance of standing firm in the face of injustice and the power of persistence.
