Nicki Minaj (Source: Wikipedia)
Don't get me wrong: successful entertainers are entrepreneurs. They have to compete with tens of thousands of other performers chasing the same client's money. At the beginning of their careers, they have to market themselves with little to no budget and differentiate their offering enough to attract attention without alienating many potential customers.
It's too easy to say that an artist's success is simply a matter of luck. While a minority of performers achieve their goals early in their careers, for most performers, the key to success is a combination of preparation and opportunity. In fact, many of the lessons that lead to startup success are also precursors to performers becoming stars.
You don't have to enjoy (or even admire) the music, costumes, or eccentric behavior of pop culture divas to learn from their entrepreneurial spirit and drive.
1. Fear of mediocrity
“I think the only thing that stops someone is fear. For a moment I was scared… (Then) I went into the dressing room and beat my fear…” lady gaga
Entrepreneurs and entertainers alike have to face their fears. If you're not feeling anxious, you're probably not working hard enough on yourself or your startup. The inevitable pressures of a startup aren't inherently negative. As serial entrepreneur Seth Epstein points out: 6 practical exercises to overcome entrepreneurial fearsEntrepreneurs should face scary obstacles. “It expands our capacity to meet challenges.” Self-imposed pressure, channeled properly, can be motivating and exhilarating. The key is to draw energy from stress and anxiety, rather than letting it sap your energy.
2. Successful women have to work harder
“Women lack ambition in their quest to be equal to men.” Marilyn Monroe
Despite the proliferation of misleading headlines and politically divisive messages, women teeth Generally, women are paid the same as men: taking into account experience, education, and comparable job roles, women earn about 98% of what men earn. But despite relative pay parity, there remain far fewer female entrepreneurs in tech.
As a father of an entrepreneur daughter and a professional investor, I find this reality disturbing and disheartening: Female entrepreneurs should take cues from successful female entertainers who are competing in a predominantly male-dominated world.
Female entrepreneurs must accept the reality that they will have a harder time raising capital because most professional investors cannot match their patterns with other successful female entrepreneurs. They also have fewer mentors who can share their gender-specific experiences. Adopt a realistic attitude like Nicki Minaj. “No matter what, I know that in the end it's not my talent that matters. My connections don't matter. It's not how I look. What matters is who wants it the most. And I want it the most.”
In the analog world, record companies controlled the distribution of content and played a major role in a diva's success. In today's digital marketplace, up-and-coming entertainers can't rely on business experts to position, market, and distribute their “product.” So they're forced to get proactively smart, like a startup founder.
Katy Perry similarly understands the (non)sense of entitlement, saying: “…the rug has been pulled out from under my feet so many times. It's like 'Listen @itch this isn't being served to you on a silver platter, you have to work for it!' I don't feel like I can act like an entitled @itch yet! I still have a lot to prove.”
3. Screw in rocks and sticks
“It's a shame to call someone a 'diva' just because they work harder than anyone else.”“ J.Lo
Despite the persistent double standards that label strong-willed men as “ambitious” and driven women as “mean,” women should not be discouraged from being proactive and pursuing their dreams.
Successful entrepreneurs and entertainers focus on the positive aspects of unchangeable external problems rather than using them as excuses for failure. This positive mindset is well exemplified by Whitney Houston's approach to the entertainment industry. “I like being a woman, even in a man's world. After all, men can't wear dresses, but they can wear pants.”
4. The person you're dating
“Those who are prone to hate are also prone to losers. Losers can never celebrate winners. They just can’t.” Nicki Minaj
Even under ideal circumstances, it's hard to develop enough confidence to take on unfamiliar challenges. It's nearly impossible when you're surrounded by unsupportive, negative influences. Mariah Carey, who is biracial and grew up in a lower-middle class household, knows how discouraging such hostile voices can be, telling fans: “…never give up! Never listen when someone tries to put you down, because they will, trust me!” Aspiring entrepreneurs and entertainers would be wise to surround themselves with positive winners and avoid miserable losers.
5. Dance like no one is watching
“You'll never have a shot at greatness unless you're prepared to look foolish.” Cher
If these divas had only stared in their bathroom mirrors and sang to their hairbrushes, we would never have heard of them. Aspiring Entrepreneurs Those who lack the courage to test their talents and ideas in an unforgiving market are doomed to remain unknown.
The following video gives a good idea of what a startup founder is like: It starts with the “founder” dancing alone, oblivious to the people around him. Undaunted, the founder slowly builds his team, first with a few co-founders, then a few entrepreneurial aides, and eventually a large group of people encouraging each other to join his “venture.”
At the beginning, a woman can be heard laughing in the background as she takes a video on her cell phone. in Not with the founder. She must have thought she was capturing a funny moment that she could mockingly post on Facebook.
With over 6 million views, the “Drunk Dance” has become a startup meme. Watch the entire three-minute video and hear what the sarcastic videographer says at the end of the video. She's asking the same question that many non-entrepreneurs pose to startup founders after they achieve the seemingly impossible. She'll never know the answer to this pitifully obvious question:
As Drunk Guy Dancing proves, budding entrepreneurs and aspiring entertainers cannot afford to fear public ridicule; rather, they should fear mediocrity. A strong negative reaction is better than a lukewarm collective shrug because it is more actionable and informative. To have the courage to navigate market turmoil, you must be confident and comfortable with yourself. As Mariah Carey once said: “You have to look within yourself and find your inner strength and say, 'I'm proud of who I am and who I am, and I'm going to live my life.'
Follow my startup Twitter feed here: John GreathouseI promise I'll never tweet about divas, politics, or that delicious burrito I just had. Also, check out my blog for emerging entrepreneurs. here.
Note: This is part of the Iconic Advice series. Other series include: Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban, Richard Branson, Walt Disney, Mark Zuckerberg and Michael Dell.
