I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Knowing Better
I caught this little snippet of an interview with the famed (and infamous) screenwriter/film director Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) last week, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.
There were two key things that Welles spoke about that contain excellent advice for entrepreneurs and really anyone—entrepreneur or not.
The first is about how Welles got the opportunity to not just make a film when he had absolutely zero movie-making experience, but was able to secure complete creative control over his very first film.
Creative control is unheard of in Hollywood now, let alone under the old studio system that was in place when Welles began.
So, in his own words, this is how he did it:
It took a year of negotiating for Welles to get the 'offer he couldn't refuse.'
(I know, I know, that's another movie.)
There are some great lessons in this—
- Saying 'no' is definitely a power move.
Whenever an opportunity arises, don't be afraid to walk away. I like to say, "It's only a deal if you're happy to sign the contract."
- Money isn't the only thing of value to consider when negotiating deals.
Consider what else is critical to you and put those on the table.
- Ask and hold out for what you need and want.
Don't let your desire to close a deal keep you from getting the best deal possible.
The interviewer then asks Welles, "Where did you get the confidence to make the movie [given that you'd never made a film before]."
Whether or not you believe, as the American Film Institute (AFI) does, that Citizen Kane is the greatest movie ever made, there's no denying it holds a place in the pantheon of great American films. Quite a feat as it was released over 80 years ago, in 1941.
Welles himself is still revered by many as a true creative genius.
So, what gave Welles the confidence to make this cinematic masterpiece the first time he stepped behind the camera and into the director's chair?
Welles says, 'I thought you could do anything with a camera that the eye could do, that the imagination could do.'
In other words, he didn't understand the limitations, so he didn't put any on himself or his vision.
And he was fortunate to work with consummate professionals who knew what was possible at the time but were more than willing to test and break the rules to create something utterly new, which is still seen as revolutionary today.
The lessons in this, I hope, are obvious:
- Stop putting limitations on yourself, especially when you're in creative mode.
- Stop listening to the 'no brigade'—All those people who love to tell you,"that's not the way it's done" or "you can't do that."
- Partner with people who buy into your vision and help you achieve it rather than compromising your vision to accommodate others.
I don't know whether Welles was a genius, but he was, without a doubt, ambitious, audacious, and inspirational.
Until next week, embrace your inner maverick and moxxy, and don't let not knowing better keep you from doing bigger, better things.
P.S. — If you missed it, last week I asked, are you All in on AI?
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Easily Said & Done
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
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