How do you get out of your own head and unwind as a business owner?
Some say real entrepreneurs never watch Netflix. But I know some of my best ideas and breakthroughs happen when I'm not fully focused on what's happening in my business.
Fresh ideas flow freely when you're at ease. After a long day of working on your business it's 100% ok to kick back and relax with a glass of your favorite bevy and a binge-worthy show.
There are some shows that will without a doubt inspire you and the growth of your business. So, what's a tireless business owner like you supposed to watch?
Here's a list of 13 shows online retailers should be watching now:
1. Mr. Selfridge:
American Harry Selfridge moves his family to London to start what becomes the finest department store of all time.
He was a showman and a friend of the press, using his charisma to skyrocket Selfridge's to retail fame.
Many of the groundbreaking (and sometimes scandalous) strategies Mr. Selfridge employed are still used today. We can even thank Harry for access to public restrooms for women. Selfridge's was the first store to offer this basic service for it's shoppers.
The drama and grandeur of Mr. Selfridge shows the retail world as truly intoxicating.
2. The Profit:
What makes a business worth investing in? Marcus Lemonis looks into the financials and functions of businesses to see if he can fix their struggles with an influx of cash (and his vast business knowledge).
Most of the invested businesses are in the retail sector, giving a good behind-the-scenes look at the intricacies of a retail business. From cash flow to signage, each episode displays what it takes to make a retail brand stand out.
3. Are You Being Served?:
This cult classic British comedy from the 70s was aired in the US on PBS starting in the mid 1980s. It's long heralded for the slapstick humor and racy innuendos.
Most episodes are shot on the floor of the fictional high-end department store, Grace Brothers. And highlights humorous co-worker and customer interactions anyone who's worked retail will appreciate.
4. Mary Queen of Shops:
One of the few reality shows rooted in retail, Mary Portas travels around London to save failing shops with her extensive retail industry know-how.
She's funny and endearing and most episodes leave you rooting for the shop owners to succeed. Unlike US reality shows, this British show focuses less on drama and more on human kindness.
5. Betting on Zero:
Are MLMs dangerous?
This documentary shows the true dark side of a well known MLM and how and why it's able to operate with illegal business practices. Spoiler alert, it involves politics, money, and toxic masculinity.
6. Dirty Money:
The True Crime docu-series for entrepreneurs.
Each episode highlights corruption and greed in corporate America, showing us the dire need for value-backed businesses (like yours!)
7. Abstract:
Design is the foundation of all businesses. Abstract highlights micro-industries, like typography and UX (user experience), that come together to form the visual experience a business shares with the world.
8. The Imagineering Story:
Disney thinks big, and this documentary, about its biggest thinkers, the Imagineers, will inspire you to think big in your own business.
9. Tiny Shoulders - Rethinking Barbie:
How did the #1 selling toy come to be? This documentary shows the power of taking an old product (the baby doll) and tweaking it to fill a untaped desire (a doll that doesn't require "motherly-care").
You might shed a few tears or at least leave with a revitalized appreciation for what Barbie has accomplished since her 1959 debut.
10. True Cost:
What's the global impact of manufacturing, retail, and consumerism? It's rather bleak.
As a product-based business owner this documentary sheds light on the impact we're making on the world, and will hopefully inspire you to make thoughtful choices in your own business to change this dire fore shadowing of a world without conscious consumerism.
11. How to Make It In America:
An HBO original, you can expect this comedy-drama about two guys trying to make it in the fashion world in NYC, to be raw and in today's standards, a bit dated.
The show is about hustle and grind as Ben and Cam self-promote to get their denim and tee shirt brand, Crisp, noticed by New York fashion's elite.
Think Entourage (another show worth watching for entrepreneurs) meets NY fashion industry.
Get your store noticed with this self-promoting PR trick ---->>>
12. Toys That Made Us:
What makes a product a last in the marketplace?
This docu-series digs into the toys we still know and love today, and what made them a commercial success.
13. Hotel Impossible:
There's a noticeable lack of reality shows specifically about retail. But this show (and other business fixing reality shows like Restaurant Impossible, and Tabitha's Salon Takeover) dig into the depths of how a business needs to operate to successfully function.
The importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), job descriptions, customer service, and other vital business fundamentals are all discussed in these shows. Use the shortcomings of other businesses as a stick to measure the health of your own business.
What are the 4 things every Shopify store needs? ---->>> Read on...
What's missing? What other shows should be on this list? Leave your favorite business-minded shows in the comments.
You may have noticed a prominent business show is missing from this list. Shark Tank was intentionally left off mostly because watching it gives me too much anxiety.
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