The 11 movies that every entrepreneur should watch

Entrepreneurship, popcorn, and sofa. Those words don't seem to have anything to do with each other, do they? But there is! There are several films for entrepreneurs that source, often biographical, to seek inspiration, motivation, and a lot of learning.

To undertake it is necessary to have the courage and, above all, will. So, nothing better than learning from real and fictional big names that show us how not to give up on our ideas and get them off the ground.

How about uniting the useful with the pleasant? Prepare the TV and check our list of 11 films with entrepreneurial and overcoming stories to get inspired.

1. Hunger for Power (2017)

Much of the films for entrepreneurs are based on real stories of small and simple employees who have become great entrepreneurs. Hunger for Power is one of them.

The feature, which is available on Netflix, depicts the story of how salesman Ray Kroc transformed (and took over) the McDonald brothers' small cafeteria into one of the largest fast-food chains in the world, through strategies that can be questioned in moral scope. The Big Mac we eat has more history than we think!

2. In Search of Happiness (2006)

Based on a true story, In Search of Happiness is about Chris Gardner, a single father who is experiencing turmoil in his life and huge financial problems. Owing rent, running the risk of being evicted, left by his wife, and bathing his son in the bathroom of a subway station, Christopher uses his skills and competences as a salesman to try to sell medical equipment.

Unsuccessfully, and after going through great difficulties, he gets an internship at a stockbroker. Even though he is unpaid, Chris does his best every day at work to achieve hiring. This is a film about entrepreneurship, but, above all, it is about studying, learning, innovating, standing out, and about overcoming your blocks. As Christopher Gardner says: "You will never reach 100% if you are satisfied with 99%".

3. Walt Before Mickey (2015)

Much more than just a children's channel or show, Walt Disney has become an empire of global impact. In Walt Before Mickey, we see how the most famous mouse on television was created and how he became the face of the brand.

However, nothing went overnight. Walt was very creative and dreamy since he was a child, but he was often scolded by his parents who find the drawings a great waste of time. This feature film is one of the films for entrepreneurs that inspire us to believe in our abilities, idealizations, and talents, even if people close to us do not believe it.

4. The Imitation Game (2014)

Also based on a true story, The Imitation Game is a work by British mathematician Alan Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch (our Dr. Strange).

In the Second World War scenario, Alan has 18 hours to decrypt encrypted messages from Germany. With extreme difficulties to work in a team, lonely, totally arrogant, but very persistent and a true genius, the mathematician was seen as abnormal due to his homosexuality.

The lesson that can be drawn from this and taken to business is about leadership, the importance of believing in our projects, and working as a team, even with all the negativity and barriers we encounter in the business world.

5. Jobs (2013)

It is even contradictory to talk about films for entrepreneurs and not to mention Steve Jobs, the owner of the most famous apple in the world. The feature reveals the decisive moments in the life of one of the most respected entrepreneurs, from his first Macintosh, like a garage, to the iMac.

If we're going to talk about all the entrepreneurial lessons from this CEO who didn't even have a college degree, we would need a few more days. However, what made him most valuable were the teachings that we don't need to be first in what we do, but we have to be the best.

So, if you think about getting an idea out of paper, but you think the market is already full of it, look for alternatives to do what others don't.

6. Envy Kills (2004)

To relax a little our list of films for entrepreneurs we have a relentless duo: Ben Stiller and Jack Black. The plot is between two neighbors who are also great friends and work together.

With everything going beautifully and harmoniously, the friendship starts to be shaken when Nick (Jack Black) invites Tim (Ben Stiller) to become his partner in a very strange business, about the development of a vaporizer that transforms waste, like feces of dogs, in steam.

Tim denies the invitation but needs to put up with the great success that the friend begins to make and swallow the envy. The lesson of this film is not about vaporizing dog feces, but to take advantage of the opportunities that appear and to encourage and believe in the projects of friends, since they can be worth a lot of money.

7. Julie & Julia (2009)

Have you ever stopped to think about how many businesses come up without any pretensions? They are hobbies, interests, and curiosities that reveal great entrepreneurs.

When trying a dish that changed her life, Julia Child (Meryl Streep), who is already in her 40s, decides to join one of the biggest culinary schools, Le Cordon Bleu, in France.

It was so successful that Julia became an expert and author of several cookbooks. Years later, Julie (Amy Adams) decides to make all 524 dishes from a famous Julie book and publish them on a blog. Despite never meeting in person, the two begin to exchange experiences, difficulties, and a lot of butter.

8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Do the ends justify the means? The Wolf of Wall Street is ruled by exaggerations and the premise: do whatever it takes to stand out, even if it means the failure of other investors.

In the long, a broker of the Stock Exchange, which has no qualms, wants to enrich no matter the consequences, even if it means being a criminal.

The best thing about it (or worse) is that this is a story based on the biography of Jordan Belfort, accused of money laundering and drug use. So many of the films for entrepreneurs teach us what not to do in business.

9. Wall Street - Power and Greed (1987)

Speaking of Wall Street and the rotten financial markets, this film shows how ambitious Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a stockbroker, who lacks ethics in the dictionary, became a billionaire after discovering valuable information about a company that had the open capital.

Hence, we see, in practice, the importance of data and information management to avoid leaking valuable and confidential business matters and how the "Strongest Law" can put ethical values ​​in check.

10. Ctrl + Alt + Compete (2011)

This is not a movie, but a documentary produced by Microsoft. The plot is about the vision of five founders of startups, who show how they overcame their challenges, obstacles, and transformed realities into digital entrepreneurship.

The work makes us clear that, in addition to planning, overcoming, and innovation, it takes a little bit of sanity to have a startup in the technology market.

11. Startup.com (2001)

Startup.com reveals details from the opening until the bankruptcy of the govWorks company, responsible for developing software used by the government to track mergers and purchase contracts.

Despite the rapid growth and a business plan that, theoretically, was well structured, some things made the business fall apart and the startup closed its doors for something very common to find: a website.

The reflection left is, mainly, on the need for market studies, because, not always, what seems to be an opportunity for growth is a satisfactory option for your enterprise.

Thanks for reading!!