To all the ladies out there, we are always eager to make our mark in anything we do. For a businesswoman, however, the drive to go above and beyond is more hungry than the ordinary. This article showcases three top Entrepreneurial films with the best female leads. Each female endures life-changing experiences along the journey while realizing the appropriate steps for success. The road to inspiration begins here, so let’s see what this list has in store.
1. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Director: David Frankel
This thrilling movie is based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger. Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a recent Northwestern University graduate, who is eager to start her career as a New York City journalist. She lands an interview at the competitive Runway Fashion Magazine, but there’s just one problem. She knows zilch about fashion and has a sense of style that doesn’t qualify magazine standards. This is absolutely concerning to the dominant editor in chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), as well as her cold assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt). From the get-go, Andy does not fit in and is forced to do hard tasks, instead of writing.
With the help of creative director, Nigel (Stanley Tucci), she is able to turn heads with her new outfits and newfound confidence. However, she fell into the trap of essentially “being married to her work” and forced her personal relationships out of her life. She essentially becomes a younger version of Miranda without realizing it and struggles to divide work and personal life. Just as Miranda betrays Nigel by sacrificing him to get ahead, Andy does the same with Emily by attending prestigious fashion events she’s always wanted to go to.
How to overcome the Miranda in your life
If there’s anything that can be taken away from the film, it is to not be pressured to stay in a stressful environment. Anybody who works at Runway is afraid of “The Dragon Lady” and will do anything to impress her intimidating demeanor. Andy is only forced to stay, just to impress recruiters and so her career can skyrocket. There are moments when she is miserable and wants to quit but is lured back in.
After her friends finally open her eyes, she instantly quits her job after only a few months and lands an interview with the New York Mirror. Instead of having to get coffee and find ‘Harry Potter’ manuscripts, she finally is content in her dream job. Even though a job can help you build a reputation, think to yourself if it’s really worth it or not. In the end, it can cost you your personal happiness and support system, so don’t feel the need to stay.
Another really important tip is to do your research before applying. Andy had no idea what she signed up for and snagged the job “a million girls would die for”. She also didn’t make the best first impression with her outfit and laughed during an important fashion fitting. If you’re interested in working in a particular industry, don’t solely focus on the reputation aspect. Make sure you have knowledgeable skills that fit the role and be serious about achieving the right things. Recruiters don’t want to have to think twice about hiring you, so make sure you have valuable experience and confidence.
2. The Intern (2015)
Director: Nancy Meyers
70-year-old Ben Whittaker (Robert DeNiro) is a recent widower and retiree. As atypical as it sounds, he lands an internship at About the Fit clothing startup, founded by entrepreneur Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). Jules wants the best for her company and employees but is constantly running around and is moving too fast. She has a constant weight on her shoulders and is advised to have a seasoned and knowledgeable CEO to replace her in the role. This upsets her greatly, as she wants to be her boss in a field she is passionate about. But, with the help of her intern and family, she realizes she is the best fit and the possibilities to excel are endless.
Be the change like Ben
Since Jules has so much on her plate, she completely forgot that she even agreed to do the Senior Internship program. She thought the job shouldn’t be taken seriously, and was hesitant to work with Ben. Throughout the film, however, she learned a lot of valuable lessons from him and saw how integral he was to the company. With his prior experience in the professional world, he was able to help his colleagues make the right product choices for clients.
The key lesson here is to not judge someone based on their age. Jules wanted to transfer Ben somewhere else because of his observance, keenness, and health and initially saw those as obstacles. She then saw them as assets thereafter, as he helped her realize that she should never let go of being the company’s CEO. No matter the age, anyone can make an amazing impact on you, so don’t underestimate their advice and insight. Ben became a valuable mentor to Jules, and she couldn’t have succeeded without him.
Another lesson rooted within the film is how respect and warmth go a long way. Unlike a harsh and stern entrepreneur, Jules strives to work hard for all and has a caring personality. She shows that she has a desire to grow within the field, which pushes her colleagues to do the same. She has a genuine love for what she does and is respectful of everyone around her. If you want to be successful in a certain field, make sure you are respectable and attentive. This way, your team will be attentive and positive too, as well as keep their creative juices flowing at all times.
3. Chocolat (2000)
Director: Lasse Hallström
This heartfelt movie takes place in 1959 France, in the cold winter. Nomads Vianne Rocher (Juliette Bionchi) and her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) travel across Europe in search of finding a new home and story. They reside in a strictly traditional Catholic village, under the leadership of the harsh mayor Comte Reymound (Alfred Molina). Vianne is resented in the village, due to having an illegitimate child and not going to church. Along with this, she made the rash decision to open a chocolate shop during Lent, which is seen as sinful and wrong. She also welcomes an immoral outsider named Roux (Johnny Depp), and is an aid to the abused housewife Josephine (Lena Olin).
The chocolate shop ends up being an inviting place to so many people within the village, especially to the short-tempered Amande (Judi Dench) and grandson Luc (Aurelien Koenig). Villagers end up stopping the resistance to chocolate and come together as a whole by the end of the film. Reymound and Vianne also end up respecting each other and end their silly rivalry.
Add the sweet instead of the sour
An important lesson identified since the beginning is to never give up. People picture Vianne as a villain, for going against village standards and not being a proper woman. However, she is so sweet to everyone she encounters and always welcomes them in to try some chocolate. Although there are some moments where she really ponders over people’s remarks, she doesn’t entirely let them get to her and just moves on. She ends up being a positive influence on her daughter, Josephine, and others. Her perseverance shows us to always be courageous in everything we do. She was brave enough to go against standard norms and do what she loved most in a critical time period. It’s important to never let your spark for a passion fizz out and to motivate yourself through each challenge.
Another lesson is to not paint everything as evil. Vianne is shown to be going against the will of God for providing people with sweets. Instead, she is bringing happiness and delicacy into her treats and has a caring heart. People judge her way too quickly because of how she lives her life, which is a real sin. If you strive to be a businesswoman, be like Vianne and promote positivity, instead of hate. You will succeed and grow much more, as a result, and will attract customers by the second.
Unleash your inner strengths
The businesswomen mentioned each go through their challenges in their particular ways. But, that did not deter them from being successful and purely inspiring. Your journey to becoming a powerful businesswoman is sure to be amazing– so be sure to unleash your inner potential and give it your all!
