Real Rad Magazine : Summer Quarterly 2015

BY TODD LITTLE
Here is a list of seven films I think embody the passion, ingenuity, and resourcefulness of what it means to be an
entrepreneur. Whether it be a documentary or a feature film, there are strong lessons to be learned from all of
these films, good and bad. I’ve found that in all these selections there are ideas that any driven person can use to
succeed. Hopefully by watching these they will inspire you to take your game to the next level in whatever it is you do.
30 for 30: Sole Man (2015)
One of the best entries in ESPN’s “30 for 30” series takes a look at Sonny Vaccaro,
a man who pretty much changed how college basketball and shoe companies
work. We learn about Vaccaro’s early days but where his legacy took off is when
he went to Nike and sold them on the idea of giving shoes to kids in exchange
for money going to the coaches. From this point on summer camps and various
other programs started happening but the story turned a lot darker when shoe
companies started bidding over players. Vaccaro was really the “Godfather” of
this as he was involved in signing Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and trying to land
LeBron James.
Take-away: If you’re enough of a visionary you can create your own market.
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)
A documentary about Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - two movie-obsessed
cousins from Israel whose passion for cinema changed the way movies were made
and marketed - and the tale of how this passion ultimately led to the demise of the
company they built together. They notably made “Breakin” (1984) which brought the
phenomenon of break dancing, and hip-hop into the mainstream. They also made
“Bloodsport” and many other well-known films. They essentially made Chuck Norris
the badass he is today, as well as discovered Jean-Claude van Damme. They were
known for their ability to sell a movie to investors on poster artwork alone. They made
close to 50 movies in one year, that’s almost 1 a week. It goes to show you work ethic
is important, but not always a winning formula.
Take-away: Quantity over quality will only allow you to burn out quickly.
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon (2013)
In his directorial debut, Mike Myers documents the astounding career of Hollywood insider,
the loveable Shep Gordon, who fell into music management by chance after moving to
LA straight out of college, and befriending Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.
Shep managed rock stars such as Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and
Alice Cooper, and later went on to manage chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, ushering in the
era of celebrity chefs on television. Stuffed with fantastic archive footage the film traces
Shep’s transformation from the 1970’s hedonist to today’s practicing Buddhist yearning for
a family of his own.
Take-away: Business doesn’t always have to be ruthless. If your’re a standup person, you
can still succeed, just as long you have morals, standards and can handle your drugs.