10 Movies and Series That Will Teach You About Business

I don’t know about you but I have a list of comforting shows I watch over and over. Like Gilmore Girls, Schitt's Creek, or New Girl, but sometimes I like to spice it up and watch new movies and shows.

I have collected a list of interesting business related movies and series that I found and really liked. Some put into perspective what can happen if you make a wrong move and others inspire you to make that business dream a reality. Check them out!

On Netflix:

1. The Last Blockbuster

This documentary is a very nostalgic story of what Blockbuster was and what it became. It takes you to Bend, Oregon where the last Blockbuster is located and it’s nice to see how some comedians and actors felt about the video store. They also explain the reason why they had to close all the stores, leaving one last standing.

Technology is a very interesting thing. Things move on so fast and if you can’t pivot and adjust to new ideas then it's over. It's a great lesson on not just thinking about what is happening today but what could happen in the future. You can't stay stagnant. You realize it's not just one event but multiple events and choices that lead to the end result. Making a bad call can change everything!

2.Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

A story about a festival that did not live up to the hype. Billy and Ja Rule brought in many influencers to share this “grandiose” private island party that promoted the launch of their app. The app is created to help book top musical acts. But quickly their dream fell apart when they had to change islands, and lie to everyone about what was truly happening behind the scenes.

Big egos are a problem in business. It takes more than smooth talking to get something that big done. Billy was way in over his head and wouldn’t listen to his team when they expressed concerns. If something isn’t working you need to be transparent with your employees and your customers because the truth always comes out. Customers should be the first priority. They are the reason your business is running. And remember people on social media only show you the best of the best. Nothing is what it seems.

3.Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

This limited series takes you on the journey of one of the first ever self made african american business woman! After a lot of hardships Madam C.J. Walker creates a hair empire. As society is freshly done with slavery there is still a lot of prejudice and racism that Walker had to deal with but that didn't stop her from creating a business because her products spoke to customers.

I found this very inspiring. Madam C.J. Walker is a big dreamer! She believes in herself even after so much negativity and setbacks. I admire her perseverance and determination to go door to door and to talk to people who wouldn’t listen in the beginning. A no is just a redirection. Keep in mind that people will appreciate your product or service more if you have a story that connects with them. Humans just want to be seen and heard.

4. Dirty Money

A documentary series that tackles the corruption and scandals from companies that we interact with everyday. From luxury brands, cars, banks, and everything in between the series does their due diligence for us.

I know that people are greedy!! The more you have, the more you want. But this was such an eye opener. It’s hard to know that these lies and schemes are right under our noses. There are facts and secrets we will never know, unless someone like Alex Gibney exposes them. That’s why I’m a huge advocate for social entrepreneurship! Or at the very least, human decency.

5. The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

Based on a true story, a young boy in Malawi has to leave school because his family can’t afford for him to go. That doesn’t stop him from learning. He seeks the knowledge of library books and creates a windmill to be able to feed his family and others. Which leads him to get a scholarship for school. Against all odds he finds a way to change his life and the lives of his community.

This is one of those movies that is so inspirational and cuts deep. It really makes me appreciate the life that I have. We are so fortunate to be able to have an education. It showed that even with not having much you can still create something magnificent. If you have a dream or an idea and the resilience to push through you can achieve something great! There really isn't an excuse, just lack of willpower.

On Hulu:

6.The Dropout

This mini series is about how Elizbeth Holmes started Theranos, a biotechnology startup company. Elizabeth dropped out of Stanford to start this illusion that she invented a way to test blood for hundreds of things in one finger prick. Investors loved the idea so much that they failed to see the facts and figures.

It reminds me of “Inventing Anna” where she convinced a bunch of investors to take her idea seriously without having actual money behind her. Everyone was fooled! I do appreciate how determined Elizabeth was to create a business. She didn’t let the no’s get in her way. She was also really good at pitching her idea to investors.

On the other hand, she had a lot of problems. She needed more patience. If you are creating something innovative it’s important to test and do trials and let your product speak for itself. In business and life you should have good ethics and morals, especially when it’s about people’s health. You also can’t make work your whole life. You need to take breaks and have a life outside of work because you are no good to anyone if you are burned out. Finally, the truth ALWAYS comes out so don’t lie.

7.Tesla

Nikola Tesla was a great inventor in electrical power and light. In search of more, in the 1800’s Tesla moved from Croatia to America to work for Thomas Edison. But he soon realized that Edison lied about their deal so he quit. Throughout his life he pioneered new inventions and acquired people like George Westinghouse and J.P. Morgan as investors for his work. In the end he outlived his peers without seeing the world we live in today.

The movie was a bit slow for my taste but I still learned a lot about Nikola Tesla’s work and his impact on the world we live in today. He was a person who cared about humanity more than himself. He was willing to do whatever it took to make his ideas a reality. He believed in himself and what he was capable of. That’s truly admirable. It’s also important to look at what he did wrong. In the end he died poor and alone with no family. He was a great inventor but not such a great business man. We still live in a capitalist society so it would be nice to have some financial knowledge and learn how to not lose your patents that you worked so hard to create.

8.The Devil Wears Prada

This is a classic! A young woman just out of college is seeking a new job in journalism and instead lands a job with Miranda Priestly, at a Runway Magazine Company. Her boss is cruel, and demanding but Andrea decides to stay because she is thinking about the connections for her dream job. She has to learn how to assimilate but takes it too far. Andrea wants to please Miranda and her personal life suffers.

I love watching this movie because the actors are great and I love fashion but it always makes me mad! I see myself in Andrea so maybe I’m mad at myself because I know deep down I might have made the same choices if I was her. I’m working on not being a people pleaser. I’m also learning that a job does not define you. Nothing and no one is worth that much pain!

9.Gandhi

Gandhi realizes how discriminating certain laws are against Indians. So, he decides to start a non-violent protest campaign for the rights of Indians in South Africa. He got arrested many times, but still pushes through with no violence. Then he is invited back home to India where they want him to continue his fight against unjust behavior from the British Empire. The campaign creates a buzz and Britain finally gives independence to India. Now Gandhi is dealing with religious fights between his people so he goes on a hunger strike to get them to stop. India is divided and Gandhi’s last fight was trying to make peace between India and Pakistan before he was shot and killed.

“Gandhi” is a really long (3 hours), old movie but time flew by because of the great story told. Ben Kingsley did a fantastic job playing Gandhi! I would like to say that Gandhi was a human being, not a god. He had flaws and wasn’t perfect (do your research). But I would like to just talk about his leadership skills. With no official title, he led a whole country into freedom. Without violence, he was able to get his idea across to his people and the British empire. Gandhi didn’t order people to do anything, he was in the front lines every chance he got because he was leading by example. He was a man of truth. He was kind but firm. Gandhi let people know what he was thinking and wanted others to do the same. He was good at networking. Finally, he was persistent. If things didn’t go as planned he pivoted and carried on. Nothing could stop him.

10.The Donut King

Ted Ngoy had to flee Cambodia in the 1970’s because of the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist movement. He takes us through that journey and how he got to California and made a multi million dollar donut empire. He also helped fellow Cambodian refugees come to America by offering visas and employment in his shops. He had it all, money, status, family, community but he lost it all when he made poor choices in life. Now his donut stores are owned by the Cambodian refugees and passed down to their children, evolving into the next generation!

I thought this was going to be about a man and his journey to creating a donut store. It was way more than that. I cried, laughed, and was in awe of the whole thing. This story shows the trials and tribulations refugees go through. It also shows you what the American dream can do for people. We are lucky to be in America and have the opportunities to succeed! We can’t take that for granted. Ted taught me that it’s so easy to get caught up in greed. He also taught me about kindness, humility, and hard work.

There are about 100 other movies and series that I want to talk about so maybe I’ll do another list soon. Let me know which one was your favorite and if you have any reccomendations?