When you want to form a startup but are letting fear stop you from completing the last step in your entrepreneurial journey, the needed boost may just come in the form of a movie. Movies are great for inspiring us to follow our dreams or move on to the next chapter in our lives, whether it’s starting a new company or getting married. They give us the information and courage needed to turn an idea into a reality. There have been many movies that showcase entrepreneurial qualities, such as leadership, perseverance, hard work, innovation and creativity. Read on for ten films that, while not obvious choices, exemplify entrepreneurship.

  1. Twelve Angry Men – This movie is about the men on a jury and how they work to reach a verdict. It is an excellent example of leadership, perseverance, and teamwork. Creating a startup depends on many factors, including valuing other people’s opinions and getting along with others from different walks of life.
  2. Joy – This movie is based on the story of entrepreneur Joy Mangano. Her perseverance, innovation and creativity lead her to patent over 100 inventions and become a multi-millionaire selling her products on QVC.
  3. The Founder – This is the story of Ray Croc, the man behind McDonald’s success. Croc’s leadership, hard work, and innovation transformed the hamburger stand into a franchise business.
  4. The Social Network – Everyone knows the story of how Facebook was founded. This movie is a prime example of how a lack of teamwork leads to a multi-million dollar lawsuit. Every entrepreneur will take away the crucial morsels of nailing down a contract and knowing who the team players of your startup are.
  5. Office Space – This comedy is almost a case study on corporate culture in the 1990s. There are examples of leadership, innovation, creativity and hard work, albeit for the wrong reasons. This look at corporate life may ignite the spark of entrepreneurship.
  6. Pirates of Silicon Valley – Like Facebook, this movie is about being on the same page with team members when starting a new company. This movie is genuinely about innovation, networking, and creativity.
  7. The Godfather – This shouldn’t surprise you that this movie made the list. The film embodies leadership, creativity, networking and mentoring; however, they are used to create a criminal empire.
  8. The Pursuit of Happiness – The focus of this movie is on self-motivation, which proves that hard work, perseverance, and creativity pay off.
  9. Start Up.com – This is a documentary of a startup called govWorks.com. It gives you an in-depth look at what goes into creating a company – and what causes its downfall.
  10. The Aviator – Howard Hughes’ climb to fame shows how leadership can become unhealthy. Although he was a successful entrepreneur, Hughes’ struggle with OCD caused him to focus on a pet project instead of his lucrative contracts, resulting in lost revenue and credibility.