The 5 Top Movies All Entrepreneurs Must Watch
 1. Miracle On 34th Street
What You’ll Learn: The greatest lesson in salesmanship that no one follows.
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Santa Claus, working at Macy’s, goes out of his way to help customers often encouraging them to shop elsewhere for the best deals. Instead of losing customers, Macy’s becomes overwhelmed with customers seeking Santa’s help. Macy’s sales increased simply by doing the best for the customer – too bad they don’t do this in the real world, but you should. |
 2. Click
What You’ll Learn: What it’s like to fast-forward life.
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Adam Sandler wants to keep fast-forwarding to the major accomplishments of his career. He loses the balance between work and home, and misses the lessons hidden in life’s daily routine. Entrepreneurs are generally of the “I want it all now” breed, and this movie will show you how wrong that is. Take the good with the bad, and never stop pursuing you entrepreneurial AND family dreams. |
 3. Glengarry Glen Ross
What You’ll Learn: Lying, cheating, stealing never works long term.
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Hard close sales work… for a single sale. Ultimately your reputation is ruined, and deceived people lay in your wake. This movie is all about what not to do as an entrepreneur. Unfortunately too many businesses still follow these practices. Get in an industry with a “Glengarry” reputation and be honest, reliable and go out of your way to be helpful. Your business will flourish. |
 4. Office Space
What You’ll Learn: If you don’t like what you are doing, change.
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Follow your gut. If you hate what you do, change. Just don’t steal – that never works. Instead find your passion and pursue it. And if you already own a business that you love, don’t mess with Melvin. He might just burn down your entire building. |
 5. Jerry MaGuire
What You’ll Learn: What you expect when launching your business never comes true.
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Hands down, the best movie for entrepreneurs of all time. Jerry leaves his big money agency position to go out and start his own shop. Just like any entrepreneur that leaves to start their own business, he suspects every client will leave with him. There is no easier way to start a business, right? This movie shows the real deal. Nothing ever goes as planned. |
Do you know of better movies for entrepreneurs? Put your comments below.
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January 29th, 2009
You’re missing some of the best entrepreneurial films of all time in:
Hudsucker Proxy
Boiler Room
Citizen Kane
It’s a Wonderful Life
Startup.com
You could also make a strong case for each of these:
Flash of Genius
Forrest Gump
The Pursuit of Happyness
Antitrust
The Game
Nine to Five
No Reservations
Clerks
Wallstreet
The Aviator
The Insider
High Fidelity
Lost in Translation
Trading Places
Swimming with Sharks
The Insider
Working Girl
Pirates of Silicon Valley
January 29th, 2009
I loved Jerry McGuire. For me, that movie was about loyalty. And flash backs to Top Gun (and volley ball).
Glengarry Glen Ross – I hate that movie! Call me Bubble Boy but I don’t like to watch negative stuff. I know how I want to be treated as a customer. My company is built on that principal. So I’ll pass on repeating this train wreck.
The other 3 movies – I will check them out. Like Chris Brogan, I listen to the TPE guy’s suggestions. Bought that Money Ball book and should have checked to see if Mike uses that Amazon affiliate program. If Mike would get a last name I could spell, I would do cart wheels!
My go-to movie for sales: Boiler Room. Just the nice parts though. It even has a scene showing sales people watching a sales movie. And a phone call is worth 100 emails or letters (maybe more). Owning the phone is a key part of sales for B2B. When my kid is old enough to pitch her company to Mike, I will encourage her to do so. Obsidian Launch Walks the Walk.
January 29th, 2009
Well I wouldn’t necessarily say “better” but how about this one…
“The Pursuit of Happyness”
What You’ll Learn: life will throw many challenges at you but a little self-confidence goes a long way!
The Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Business is tough and life can be down-right hard! You can let it get the best of you and call it quits, or you can keep pushing forward. With the right amount of self-confidence, you’ll get your “lucky break.”
–
I read this quote somewhere: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” I believe that to a certain extent ya know…
January 29th, 2009
Hi guys there’s a couple I haven’t heard of here so good stuff! Here’s a couple of my personal fav’s to add to the list:
1. The World’s Fastest Indian – Fantastic and true story, highly inspirational, and shows you that you’re never too old to achieve your wildest dreams.
2. StartUp.com – A documentary style movie of a dot com startup going through the VC, startup, and ultimate failure stages. Many many important lessons to learn.
3. The Aviator – If you can stand Leonardo DiCaprio this is a good flick about one of the US’s most successful entrepreneurs. Must see viewing for anyone with BIG ambitions as there are some good lessons to be learnt.
4. Pirates of SIlicone Valley – the movie made about the start of Apple out of a garage and the parallel start of Microsoft. Inspiring stuff!
And finally … 5. The Bucket List – This movie will help put life into perspective and the message it delivers really hit a chord with myself.
I would also add Yes Man and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People to the list. Not to mention Wall Street … ahh so many good ones!
January 29th, 2009
“The Pursuit of Happiness” hands down.
January 29th, 2009
It’s funny that you have Click on the list. I just recently watched it, and found myself squirming as many of the excuses Adam Sandler gave in the movie were ones I’ve said to my own family (heck, probably earlier that day).
I don’t think of Adam Sandler is delivering cautionary tales, but for me, Click is one.
Though, I do think there’s a fundamental difference in slaving to get the next promotion from an ungrateful boss, and owning your own business. When you’re building your own business, at the very least, you know that your energy is at least having a valuable impact.
Thanks for a fun post.
-Ben
January 29th, 2009
I loved Glengarry. Probably because I have so much sales experience and it seemed like I was in the movie.
January 29th, 2009
Apollo 13
A Beautiful Mind (learning to move forward thru fear)
Rocky II (Spousal Support is powerful)
The Godfather
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off (Have fun. See what you can do)
The TV Series: 24 (Managing the micro tasks with the macro vision)
American Beauty (Finding oneself, others’ perspectives is their reality – as far as actions are concerned)
Thank You For Smoking (Communications, and using your natural abilities for what’s most important)
January 29th, 2009
i would love to add this article to my delicious…
January 29th, 2009
@Duygu – definitely put it on delicious – Thanks!!!!
January 29th, 2009
Patton is one of my favorities. I watch it at least once per year. It’s a great example of leadership and intensity.
January 30th, 2009
[...] Toilet Paper recently published a list of the top five movies that entrepreneurs must watch whenever they have the chance. These included “Miracle On 34th Street”, “Click”, “Glengerry Glen Ross”, “Office [...]
February 3rd, 2009
Great idea for a post! My vote goes with Hudsucker Proxy … it’s old and not that well known, but there are so many business lessons in there it’s worth watching.
February 5th, 2009
A movie that I think chronicles the experience of a single entrepreneur from initial desire through start up and growth of a business is LORD OF WAR.
February 6th, 2009
[...] Toiletpaper Entrepreneur: 1. Miracle On 34th Street What You’ll Learn: The greatest lesson in salesmanship that no one follows. [...]
February 6th, 2009
Office Space….I saw that movie in the theater completely by accident. Classic cult movie.
Boiler Room that @Matt mentioned — wow, who would’ve guessed how close to real life that movie would be?
And I saw the Pursuit of Happiness, that was a great entrepreneurial movie as well.
The others I haven’t seen, not even Miracle on 34th Street. If you can believe it, last year for the first time ever I saw the Sound of Music. Anyway, I will pick up some of those movies on DVD and watch them at the beach this summer
February 8th, 2009
_30 Rock_, though not a movie, has great lessons on work-life balance, letting go of preconceptions when your circumstances change, mentoring, market research… Great stuff.
March 4th, 2009
[...] The 5 Top Movies All Entrepreneurs Must Watch : Get the popcorn ready while reading this article. Watch these movies for a dose of entrepreneurial lessons. [...]
January 27th, 2010
[...] The 5 Top Movies All Entrepreneurs Must Watch : Get the popcorn ready while reading this article. Watch these movies for a dose of entrepreneurial lessons. [...]