What does Star Wars have to do with business—much less startups? Turns out, there are some lessons for all entrepreneurs to use courtesy of the Force.
Take Luke Skywalker: he learns to listen to those around him, to inspire trust and confidence. Those are the qualities that any great CEO knows are essential to building a successful team. Tech help? Of course, that’s courtesy of robots like R2D2—specialized, but with diverse skills and adaptability, too. C3PO is alert to danger (and opportunity) and takes technical information and parses it down; sounds like marketing, right? Sales and service come from Han and Leia, respectively, while scavenger Rey happens to demonstrate some remarkable insights into operations.
Need help in a tough situation? Former Storm Trooper Finn demonstrates what it’s like to be a pinch hitter, while Chewy is certainly part of the legal team, with expertise in managing situations and relationships. Obi Wan and Yoda certainly indicate the qualities entrepreneurs want in investors. And then there’s the mascot—memorable, morale-building BB-8.
It’s a cultural force and a business explanation all in one. Thanks again, Star Wars.
Adam Toren
Star Wars for Startups: A Guide to Building Your Team
Adam Toren
Adam Toren is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, advisor, award-winning author and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com. He is co-author, with his brother Matthew, of Kidpreneurs and Small Business, BIG Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right.
