Something light-hearted for the 2017 Christmas holiday season; What is the greatest business start-up movie?
Inspiration comes from many sources. More than once I’ve heard business owners over a few beers quote a particular movie that motivated them along the start-up path. It’s unlikely to be the primary catalyst for quitting your job and starting out alone, but it can perhaps rattle around in the subconscious.
A quick Google search of “Business Movies” leads swiftly to the IMDb top 50 Greatest Business Movies and there some films you would expect to see in the list. “Wall Street” is up there; great movie but based around the stock exchange, rather than small business start-ups. There are plenty of sales focused titles “Glengarry Glen Ross“, “Thank you for smoking” and “Boiler Room” to name a few. Interpersonal relationships within any organisation can be pretty well summed up by “12 Angry Men“.
The worries surrounding globalisation and the financial crash of 2008 are represented by movies like “99 homes“, “the Corporation“, “Margin Call” and “Inside Job“.
But small business start-ups?
“Jerry Maguire” has come up more than once in pub discussions on motivating movies to get out on your own and is in the IMDb top 50 Business Movies at number 44. Also pleased to see comedy “Office Space” getting some appreciation at number 22. For me the most exciting part of “the Social Network” is the first 40 minutes or so when the fledgeling Facebook is first brought into existence from a few PCs in a student bedroom. Inspiring for anyone.
I’m shocked to report that the greatest small-business start-up movie of all time doesn’t get a listing. A film that answers all the big questions:
What inspired you to start your own business? Taking a chance with a new idea? A change in circumstance? What about that feeling when you found your first premises; did you know they were right for you?
And what about employing staff? Did you treat them well?
So for your festive viewing, a few clips to demonstrate that GhostBusters is, in my humble opinion, the greatest real-life small business start-up movie ever made.
All the best for a successful 2018.
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