5 Documentaries Every Entrepreneur Needs To See
As the weekend rapidly approaches many of you are getting prepared to curl up on your couch and fire up Netflix. Instead of zoning out and watching mindless entertainment here are 5 documentaries that are not only illuminating, inspiring and entertaining but will expand your field of knowledge and make you a better entrepreneur.
- Print The Legend
This 2014 documentary chronicles the rise of the 3D Printing industry. We get to peak behind the curtain of MakerBot, Formlabs, Stratasys, and 3D Systems as they compete for dominance. The film follows these companies from infancy to (in some cases)acquisition. Along they way there are fights among co-founders, IP lawsuits and interpersonal drama. We also watch Makerbot as they question their open source ethos in the face of mounting market pressure. This is a must see for any aspiring entrepreneur or anybody who works or wants to work in a startup.
2. Downloaded:
Follow the meteoric rise and rapid demise of Napster. This documentary gives a poignant look at what its like to be a true paradigm changer. Shawn Fanning was only a teenager when he taught himself to code. It wasn’t long after that he wrote the code for what would eventually become Napster. The rest is history. The way we consumed media was forever changed and the music industry would never be the same. The world isn’t kind to mavericks and Fanning learned that the hard way. The fallout that would ensue can only be described as epic.
3. Atari Game Over:
On the surface this documentary is about the biggest flop in video game history. We watch as a crew attempts to find and excavate thousands of cartridges of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” from a landfill. In the process we are taken on a nostalgic journey through Atari’s turbulent past. Atari’s unique culture and colorful characters give this film its zest, while its success and failures are parables that we can all learn from.
4. The Network:
If you think working at a startup is hard imagine doing it in one of the most unstable and dangerous places on earth, Afghanistan. Watch as a brave group of expatriate Afghani’s return after the fall of the Taliban to establish the countries first free media outlet, NOLA, as it evolves from a radio station to television conglomerate and has a massive social impact in the process. This is truly an inspiring tale of perseverance and fearlessness.
5. Steve Jobs The Man In The Machine:
This films succeeds where others fell short. You may have seen other documentaries about Jobs but none capture the contradiction and nuances that comprised the totally of his existence quite like this. His story holds a valuable lessons for entrepreneurs of any breed.
click here for a more in depth review of Steve Jobs The Man In The Machine
