‘Tis the season! Christmas movies always have a little something for everyone. Whether you’re an avid Hallmark 25 Days of Christmas watcher or just love watching the Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer — everyone has their favorite. However, these movies aren’t just feel-good stories, they actually contain powerful lessons that you can carry into your personal and professional lives.
As an entrepreneur, you’re always looking to expand your knowledge, so what better way than with the help of some holly-jolly movies? We’re diving into five films that every entrepreneur can learn a thing or two from.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Stay True to Your Brand
In the classic movie by Tim Burton, the dashing hero Jack Skellington is a native to Halloween Town, a fictional setting where every day is Halloween. The town is filled with characters like ghosts and witches with lots of spooky festivities. However, Jack soon becomes bored with the same daily activities of Halloween Town and decides to switch up who he is.
The movie follows Jack as he discovers a holiday-centric town parallel to his own but where every day is Christmas. He embraces the difference, taking a liking to the gifts, lights, reindeer, and Christmas spirit. So, he goes back to Halloween Town to convince others to celebrate the holiday. It results in a puzzling mash of skeletons and reindeer, ghosts and elves, spiders, and snowflakes.
The business lesson: Don’t try to be something you’re not. You don’t need to shape what you offer to that of what everyone else wants. Just stick to a cohesive and consistent brand, and focus on what you do best.
A Christmas Carol: Learn From Other’s Mistakes
The movie tells a story about an old man named Ebenezer Scrooge, who is miserable after the death of his business partner. He resents Christmas, wants to be alone, and refuses to accept his nephew’s invite to holiday dinner year after year. Until one night, the ghost of his former business partner visits him and brings the spirits of Christmas Part, Present, and Future. Through the journey, Scrooge realizes his mistakes and vows to become a changed man who will treat others with kindness and compassion.
The business lesson: You can reflect on other’s experiences and learn from their decisions. There are many ways you can do this, such as reading books by entrepreneurs and assessing how other industry players have overcome challenges, and using that insight to better your business. Another option is joining a community of like-minded entrepreneurs. One of these platforms is with us, eWomenNetwork, as we help provide the resources and tools to help you learn from the journey of others.
The Grinch: Compassion and Empathy Works Wonders
Everyone probably knows the Christmas classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas, so you know The Grinch is unlikeable and unpleasant to be around. But unlike the many antagonists of movies, The Grinch has an actual heart, and when all is said and done, he’s not an evil person.
Even though The Grinch steals Christmas from Whoville, at the end of the movie, the Whos invite him to celebrate the holiday with a festive feast. All because they are compassionate and empathetic people, and they realize The Grinch was just sad and lonely because he felt different and unconnected from others.
The business lesson: Compassion and empathy can truly work wonders. As you’re getting to know your target audience, potential consumers, and team members, make sure you are able to truly understand their wants and needs. What do they worry about? What do they like to do outside of business? Having these two traits can make a big difference.
Home Alone: Believe in Yourself, Be Resourceful, and Think On Your Feet
In this Christmas movie, you get to know the main character Kevin and his big family that forgets him as they leave on a holiday trip. He’s excited to be without adult supervision and enjoys his freedom eating and watching whatever he wants. But, his house soon becomes a robbery target, and he gets in a battle with the criminals. As a kid, it forces him to get creative with tricks to protect his home and himself.
The business lesson: Always trust your gut and don’t be afraid to get creative. Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, but in the face of challenges or competitors, you must stand your ground and maintain your business. Being able to adapt to any environment by getting creative and utilizing all the resources available can lead to success.
Elf: Embrace Your Differences
The comedy filled Christmas movie features Buddy the Elf as the main character. But, he isn’t an elf at all. Buddy is a human who was adopted by Santa Claus and his elves. He doesn’t quite fit into either environment because his hands are bigger than the elves, making it difficult for him to build toys, but his cheery and naive personality is out of place in the human world.
Buddy’s father, Walter, works at a publishing company and is under immense stress after the company’s last children’s book failed to sell. Throughout the movie, you see Walter become less creative and more frustrated with the pressure on his back at all times. At the climax of the movie, he quits his job to focus on his family and finally accepts his son for who he is. A year later, you watch as Walter starts his own publishing company and releases a hit book all about Buddy’s adventures in the North Pole.
The business lesson: It’s rewarding to embrace how different you and your ideas are from others. It takes that kind of mindset to create unique products that achieve success. But, the first step is betting on yourself.
We hope you can take some grand lessons from these classics. If you have time this season, watch them with your loved ones. Wishing you all a very Merry and safe Christmas, and happy holidays from your family at eWomenNetwork!
