1. The wolf of wall street
Sell me this pen. A single task that can open your minds to understanding what you should offer, how you should think and what you will have to do to go into business. The life of Mr. Belfort is one of those films where you think “this is impossible that happened”. Actually, and according to Mr. Belfort himself, this is only a “light” version of how life was like at Stratton Oakmont. I wouldn't recommend anyone learning to fraud, scam or incur into any type of crime in relation to the stock market, but we can all learn a lot about how to sell business, think without limits and jump into the unknown.
I really like the moment Jordan Belfort (real) interviews Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo Di-Caprio), have you missed this moment? You will have to watch the film again.
2. The social network
Amazing film about how The Facebook was born back in 2007 in a dorm of the Harvard university. We can learn from this film how to take things with calm, without making too much noise and be willing to wait some time to get profits back instead of jumping to a small pile of money. Apart from the dizzy amounts of money mentioned all over the film, the twist and turns generated by Mr. Zuckenberg and the general feeling that, well, he could be a better person; it is really interesting the small capsules about business thinking that are worth notes taking:
Know your power: people don't want to see anyone online, they want to find people they already know.
Find your differentiating factor: what are you going to offer that is different to the others?
Don't rush into profits: better to have a million people and no ads, than having a million ads and no one to look at them.
Always think about your value, don't sell your idea cheap. If you don't know how to make it grow, ask for help; but don't sell the 100% to the first bidder.
3. The founder
Have you heard of a fast food chain with scotish name? You do, in fact 1% of the global population eats at least once a day in a Mcdonalds. As mentioned in the previous film, is all about knowing your power. You have to focus on what people are willing to have (no matter if it is a place to eat or if they want to have a franchise), and focus on the client. The amazing history of how this international real estate giant (yes, it is real estate, food is just the alibi) starts with two brothers in a tiny village in California. From the very first sentence to the very last sentence of the film, it is worth having a notepad next to us to take note. Spoiler alert: you will end up hating Ray Krock and somehow taking off your hat for him.
4. The pursuit of happiness
Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something. The sweetest sentence you should repeat to yourself, and to your loved ones each morning. This is one of those films that touch the rock button just to teach us how to never surround, no matter what happens. Winning is not luck, it is a path full of problems, twists, pains, emotional devastating problems and even injustices that will make you stronger each day until you finally reach your goal. That is why it is so important setting a goal, that way you will have something to fight for each morning.
Remember: Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something.
5. Wall Street
Gordon Gekko, one of the 50 movie villains of all time and probably the only one that didn't kill anyone. His greed doesn't have limits, the goal is to have more and it doesn't matter who you have to take down for it. Another movie you shouldnt learn anything from the main character, instead you should focus on how numbers and stocks are analyzed to get the best out of them. They made a second part of the film but the only thing I find interesting about this one is how solitude was the only true friend to Mr. Gekko, a lesson very important to learn for those willing just to own more: MORE (money) IS LESS (true people next to you).
6. The big short
2007 and the house market bubble is about to burst. It seems like we have already forgotten but the consequences are still really visible in many countries. The film, not based on bankers profiting off their speculative moves, but based on the people trying to alert about the incoming crisis, is a masterpiece of how to analyse the economy even though it may be hard for us to assume that it is falling. Signals that are now very clear where back then something impossible for many to see. Watch, learn and be ready for the next bubble, even if your friends think you are crazy.
7. Tucker
You will probably have not heard about this car, this man or even this film. Is by far one of the greatest minds of the 20th century and a person capable of reinventing himself. The products he developed are even nowadays present in our cars as safety features, but the story behind this short live american car company is worth a film. You may think this is an old topic, but we are now seeing with the electric car, the birth and fights of many new brands all over the world searching to have some recognition just as Tucker did back in the 50’s. We should learn how to deal, when we are starting a new business, with people that will want us to fail just out of jealousy and the injustice of a system that will only value you when they can take something from you.
8. Margin call
This is a tricky one, and you will probably have to see it a couple of times. Apart from the dream team actors in the film, the theme they talk about is only 12 years old. The chaos they generated in a night still makes many have nightmares and many countries still suffer the economics consequences they talk about. Was all their fault? No. They were the one that pulled the trigger, but the problem was already something real that people didnt wanted to see. Spoiler alert, you will end up hating this people. To understand a little more about why you have this feeling I recommend you this 1.53 minutes video of Simon Sinek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6rPRNjeozA
9. A good year
You can always aim for more money but you have to set clear goals. In this delightful Ridley Scott film you will enjoy not only the Rusell Crowe and Marion Cotillard acting, but also learn about not selling your soul just for money.
Even being a rich and a little bastard broker, Max manages to live only from the restaurant to work, seeing in things only their market value and not the joy of having them. Everything changes when he is forced to take a week's vacation (how often do we see those people only working and accumulating holidays for next year). In that moment, the “fuck you million” slowly begin to be a more attractive, life enjoying, memories bringing and relaxing place that his broker sit in The City of London.
You will have to see the film to understand how money, art, cars and houses are nothing if you can't enjoy them more than a few minutes a week.
10. Full monty
Probably, if you are anything
like my wife, you are thinking “this is a gay film”. Truth to be told, this is one of the best films for startups thinkers and fast business makers. This hilarious film shows how a group of unemployed people want to make some money, in a highly unemployment rate city in the UK.
They are broke and they don’t want the money for them, they want the money for the family.
They don’t have the same skills or knowledge, but they are equal.
They don’t have any idea about what they are going to do, but they know they want to do it.
At a point they all want to give up because they think no one will want their product.
They fight until the end, against what the other people think.
They have a timeline and only one shot.
The families can also not understand them.
THEY GO FOR IT, THEY SUCCEED. They earn not only money, but more importantly: the respect of the people. They are there, naked, offering literally everything to their customers, not hiding anything. They have gone for THE FULL MONTY... and they have nailed it...
Now think of Facebook, Tesla, Apple, Virgin... didn’t they also go for the full monty?