If you grew up in the 80's, there's a good chance that Harold Ramis movies were a constant source of amusement (and most of your clever one-liners with your friends). His passing this week has brought up fond memories for many of us, and though he brought us a lot of great material, Ghostbusters stands out as one of his funniest movies. Why is such a memorable movie? It certainly isn't the special effects. One of reasons might be the fact that each member of the group brought such a strong and unique personality to the team. Each of them played a very specific role; and when they played off of each other, hilarity ensued. They created a … [Read more...]
Leadership Lessons from The Commitments
When people ask me about my favorite movies, they're usually unprepared for one of my top choices, The Commitments, the tale of a scrappy Dublin soul band struggling to break away from the travails of working class life. Even though many people haven't seen (or have even heard) of it, the exploits of Jimmy Rabbitte and his band have deeply influenced my approaches to music, business, and life. The fact that it's also full of witty Irish repartee and has a solid soul soundtrack helps a little bit. There are some powerful lessons on leadership that can be pulled from the story. Are you putting together a soul band or a new … [Read more...]
Rock n’ Roll Bands and the New Entrepreneurial World
I remember reading Daniel Pink's Free Agent Nation a few years ago back and thinking, "This guy is on to something." Its description of an economy driven by the short-term partnerships of solopreneurs and freelancers turned out to be prescient. It's hard to define and a quickly-moving target. But the number of professionals working for themselves is trending up in a significant way. (here are some statistics for you). For many professionals, this new arrangement for business is overwhelming and a little scary. There's a lot of coming together and breaking apart and reforming into something new. It's conceivable to work with someone … [Read more...]
Non-Linear Growth for Entrepreneurs
There's a question that comes up a lot when working with clients who are struggling to build their businesses: What causes entrepreneurs to fail? Even new business owners who are doing well often feel that they are close to the edge of insolvency. They get frustrated by how quickly (or rather, how slowly) their businesses are growing. Obviously, starting and growing a new enterprise is challenging, or everyone would be doing it. By where does that challenge come from? Aside from the many logistical obstacles (capital, training, economic viability, etc.), one of the main struggles is psychological. This is an area that most new … [Read more...]