The Entrepreneur

http://www.hulu.com/watch/85122/the-entrepreneur

by mynameishere • 17 years ago

31 20 17 years ago

This is a documentary about serial entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin, who introduced the Subaru and the Yugo the US.

I'm in the middle of this still, but it's a pretty interesting look at Malcolm Bricklin, who brought the Subaru and the Yugo to the USA. He's at retirement age, working on his latest venture.

rokhayakebe2• 17 years ago

This was actually a good watch. It teaches entrepreneurs a few important lessons:

1- Don't waste time trying to raise capital unless the money is crucial to your survival.

2- Persistence is almost the single most important quality of successful entrepreneurs.

3- A deal is never truly a deal even if it is on paper. Sometimes the guys across the table will make it so difficult you wish you never signed a deal with them.

4- If a partner cannot make his mind in x days, move forward and when they come back, respectfully turned them down.

5- (Repeating 2) Never ever quit. "Be water" and adapt to the market.

iamwil• 17 years ago

While I agreed it was a good watch, instead I found it taught me what not to do and what to watchout for.

What struck me was how he often talks about the future as the obvious, when in fact, he doesn't know. "Everyone knows that Chinese cars are going to flood the US market". I guess that's what some call entrepreneurial optimism or being a visionary, but to not admit that your vision won't pan out doesn't win me over.

There were a couple scenes of him saying, it's his way, or the highway. Table pounding, everyone's-an-asshole, I make the final decision. In fact, they start off arguing about the logo. That doesn't inspire any sense of leadership, and doesn't make me want to help him achieve his vision.

It struck me also that his company didn't make anything. So when a single deal fell through, they went under as well.

He does have good qualities, like persistence and making arguments for how a deal might benefit the other side, but in the end, it seemed like he'd be a person really hard to work for and with. Life's too short to deal with that, and there are plenty of other entrepreneurs.

rokhayakebe2• 17 years ago

I agree. They do not necessarily talk about the making of a company, essentially because there was no company. Only people trying to raise money for it.

devin2• 17 years ago

Great movie. It is so sad to watch the old man bumble with the Chinese, though. He is incredibly clueless about how they do business. The Chinese take their time, and even a successful deal with the Chinese rarely results in a signed contract.

I haven't finished it yet, but the only thing that could possibly save him with the Chinese is his age.

devin2• 17 years ago

Real quickly I just want to say I hope this comment didn't sound ageist. I didn't mean that he is less talented because he is old, only that I really wondered if he understood a post-WWII China instead of modern China.

spitfire• 17 years ago

Any links for those outside of the US?

garply2• 17 years ago

I'm using a US proxy - in China - and somehow Hulu is still blocking me: 'Sorry, we are unable to stream this video. Please check your internet connection and try again.' How does Hulu know?

kierank• 17 years ago

Flash connects to the RTMP server directly unless you firewall it correctly and thus can do the geolocation there.

xiaoma• 17 years ago

"We're sorry. Currently our video library can only be streamed in the United States."

I hate Hulu.

PStamatiou• 17 years ago

Spotify is the same way... but US users cant use it. :-(

"Unfortunately, due to licensing restrictions we are not yet available in your country. We understand that you are currently in United States"

paul9290• 17 years ago

I'd rather have Hulu then Spotify!

I have YouTube and million other sites for music.

wishful_thinker• 17 years ago

Outside of the USA you can watch it using this tool: http://hotspotshield.com/

inovica• 17 years ago

I've just tried via this and it didn't work. The message is that "based on the IP address we notice you are trying to access Hulu via an anonymous proxy...". Any other ideas? Anyone seen this film anywhere else?

samson• 17 years ago

Well it worked for me. So all I can think to say is thanks.

Dauntless• 17 years ago

Exciting, and real life stuff... thanks, great view.

vaksel• 17 years ago

This guy seems to have a knack for crappy little cars:

1965 - Started selling the Subaru 360, which was named most unsafe car in America. Then was selling Subaru franchises(back then Subaru was worse than Daewoo)

1970s - Started his own sports car company, that had horrible sales and was forced to close.

1980s- Started selling Fiats(crap in the 80s).

1980s- Started selling Yugos. And we all know how great they were.

rmason• 17 years ago

Superbly inspiring movie. Seeing Malcolm in action against impossible odds time and time again has only raised my already high opinion of him.

cellis• 17 years ago

For those that are interested, I found the Wall Street series on hulu to be absolutely captivating.

http://www.hulu.com/wall-street-warriors

The Entrepreneur

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