Movies Every Entrepreneur Should Watch for Inspiration
One of the best parts of becoming an entrepreneur is continuous learning. These professionals have to improve their capabilities and reach their entrepreneurial goals. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to find their spaces flooded with books related to their field of expertise and their browser history packed with self-learning courses, business podcasts, and social trends.
However, just like any other professional, aspiring entrepreneurs need to unwind after a long day of the hustle and bustle. No matter how dedicated or hardworking they may be, they may not always have the energy to pick up a book or attend an online lecture.
Does this mean they should skip their daily dose of learning? Not necessarily.
Today, you can find thousands of entrepreneurship movies with stories revolving around people struggling to find success in different business environments.
No matter the industry, niche, or location, you can find a variety of educational genres, from inspiring works of biographical fiction to stories depicting real-world business concepts with a side of comedy, thriller, romance, and suspense. Some offer education while others offer caution – many offer a bit of both with valuable lessons at the end.
So, if you have a few hours to kill before going to bed, keep reading to learn our top picks of movies for entrepreneurs. However, we’ll steer clear of blockbusters like the Pursuit of Happiness or Wallstreet and share hidden gems you haven’t watched yet.
7 Entrepreneurship Movies You Should Watch
1. Lord of War
You may not be a fan of Nicholas Cage, but he was a big deal in the ‘90s. His performance in the dark-comedy war-crime movie, Lord of War, is regarded as one of the best in his illustrious career spanning nearly four decades.
In this movie, he plays the role of Yuri Orlov, a real-world immigrant from Ukraine who finds success in illegal weapon trading businesses. Using his ambition, clever speaking skills, and survival instincts, Yuri became one of the most famous arms traffickers worldwide.
Anyone looking to learn about growth hacking, high-risk negotiation, and customer loyalty should have Lord of War on their must-watch list. It teaches several entrepreneurial lessons you can use in real life.
For instance, some of its scenes show the importance of knowing your product. The movie also shows that inspiration can come from anywhere and that any human need can be monetized.
2. War Dogs
War Dogs is another popular movie based on arms trading. However, it’s an underrated entrepreneurship movies.
Based on a best-selling book “Arms and the Dudes,” the film tells the real-world story of how two stoned arms dealers landed one of the largest military arms contracts in US history. Jonah Hill and Miles Teller play the titular arms dealers.
The biggest lesson from this movie is how to gain customer loyalty and satisfaction. David and Efraim put their lives at risk when they delivered weapons from Jordan to Iraq by road. The second most important lesson is to avoid being involved in unethical situations and avoid bending the rules for short-term gains.
Finally, the third, and perhaps, the most important lesson for anyone struggling financially or looking for a big break is to be brave enough to take risks. You may have to forego the safety of the 9-5 life but if you put your mind to it, it can take you to unprecedented heights.
3. The Founder
No matter where you live in this world, you’ve most likely heard of McDonald’s even if you haven’t had the opportunity to try it. If you want to learn the incredible story of this fast food restaurant and how it became a global giant, then the Founder is a must-watch.
This entrepreneurship movie is essentially a biopic of Ray Kroc. Kroc was a struggling milkshake mixer salesman who visited the original McDonald’s restaurant in Downey, California, and was blown away after receiving his order in mere seconds.
After speaking to the McDonald’s brothers and learning about their operations, Kroc partnered with the brothers and set up new franchises with the same menu and operations. Eventually, he secured enough capital to get ownership rights and gradually turn it into the biggest restaurant chain in the world.
Although many people consider Ray Kroc to be a shady or controversial figure, true entrepreneurs saw him for the genius he was. He saw the big picture when the restaurant was in its infancy. He revolutionized the franchising industry and made McDonaldization one of the most important business scaling concepts in the market.
The Founder is a must-watch if you’re looking for a movie featuring a brilliant cast, an intriguing yet familiar storyline, and several business lessons.
4. Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs is perhaps the most popular figure in the tech industry besides Bill Gates. With Steve Wozniak, he founded Apple Inc, the most valuable company in the world with a market cap of nearly $2.5 trillion. As one of the key pioneers of the computer era, Steve Jobs was responsible for some of the greatest innovations in the modern age, from the Macintosh to the iPod, iPhone, and Mac.
If you want to learn about his life and achievements, we highly recommend watching his biopic starring Michael Fassbender.
However, if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the experiences, we highly recommend the latter as it focuses on his life’s most important phases, including when he got fired from the company he co-founded.
From this movie, you can pick hundreds of valuable lessons related to entrepreneurship, especially when it comes to product design and branding. From creating your market to finding simple solutions, aiming for perfection, and not fitting in, Steve Jobs has provided an extensive list of dos and don’ts any aspiring entrepreneur can use at different stages in their journeys.
5. Moneyball
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur looking to revolutionize a particular industry or market, you need to watch Moneyball. If you enjoy baseball, then you’re in for a treat.
Starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in the lead roles, the movie depicts the true story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane. Billy hires Peter Brand, an economics graduate, to use computer-generated analysis for recruiting players instead of solely based on their most recent performances.
This approach revolutionized baseball along with all major sports in the country, including football and basketball, with analysts and coaches drafting players and building teams based on statistics. Overall, Moneyball is an excellent watch for anyone looking to learn the importance of standing out and thinking outside the box.
6. Jerry Maguire
If you’ve recently watched Top Gun: Maverick and are looking for another trip down nostalgia lane with Tom Cruise as the captain, we highly recommend Jerry Maguire. Unlike most of Cruise’s action flicks, this iconic movie is about business relationships and understanding that it’s not all about money and fame.
Maguire is a sports agent who gets fired from his job when he pitches an idea that involved focusing on existing clients instead of taking on as many new ones as possible. Disgusted by his treatment, he decides to start his agency but can only land one client – Cuba Gooding Jr. Cuba is a popular football player who helps Maguire find friendship and the meaning of happiness in his line of work.
The movie shares several valuable lessons about entrepreneurship. For instance, it shows the importance of following your dreams and doing things your way instead of merely plugging into the system.
7. Becoming Warren Buffet
Warren Buffett is among the most popular names in the business industry and stock investing. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway with an astounding net worth exceeding $97 billion. Since 1951, Warren Buffett has invested in some of the largest companies in the world, including Coca-Cola, Chevron, and Kraft Heinz, to become a holdings conglomerate.
However, the path to this amazing feat wasn’t a straight one. Therefore, any aspiring entrepreneur should watch Becoming Warren Buffet, an incredible documentary about his life, expertise, and relationships. It also talks about Warren’s humility and down-to-earth nature that makes him one of the best role models for anyone to idolize when starting or running their business.
Wrapping Up
Watching movies may not make you a better entrepreneur. However, business and entrepreneurship movies could provide practical examples of different business theories and concepts you may have learned about in school or on the job. At the very least, a good watch could help you unwind and take a break from your tough routine.
If you haven’t watched the movies on our list, we highly recommend starting with Lord of War or Jerry Maguire before moving on to newer picks like War Dogs or Money Ball. You can also watch other critically-acclaimed business movies like the Social Network, the Wolf of Wall Street, or the Aviator.
