What if you have a vision but no money to implement it?
This a common thread points of all start-ups.
There is a spate of miniseries on streaming services right now regarding high profile business struggles that I think are worth checking out.
WeCrashed
“The valuation is just the amount someone is willing to pay.”
Apple TV+ (2022) Trailer
This dramatization is about the founders of WeWork who pioneered the co-working real estate model.
This one caught my attention immediately because the business plan is tied so strongly to their commercial real estate.
The series details the rapid growth and market share growth of the company driven by mad man founder Adam Neumann.
He banked on knocking out his competition to grow his company during the inception of the “gig economy.”
As CEO, Neumann seemed to disregard all fundamentals of co-work leasing in that he couldn’t lease space himself for more than he could recover off his clients.
He further muddies the waters when he starts buying commercial real estate personally and then leases it back to his company.
I won’t spoil the ending for those of you that don’t know the rest of the story but I can tell you that WeWork is still in business with 756 locations in 38 countries (according to their Wikipedia).
The Dropout
“Science is trying. That’s all that it is.”
Hulu (Disney+ in Canada) (2022) Trailer
The Dropout centres around a biotech wunderkind named Elizabeth Holmes.
A lifelong overachiever, Holmes real life story sees her dropping out of Stanford after two years to start Theranos.
Holmes has her eye on the prize: being successful for inventing a massive revolution in healthcare delivery.
Problem is that Holmes can never quite get her vision to the finish line but not before she gets into bed with Walgreens.
Her meteoric rise to fame and the funding she raises is admirable considering she covered up the ineptitudes of her blood testing technology nearly from the beginning.
The story just gets better when the company expands their physical footprint and really start doubling down on burning through their funds.
The series ends with the exposure of her lies, and Holmes is now awaiting sentencing for her corporate misdeeds but thankfully she’s landed on her feet.
This cat hasn’t even begun to use up her nine lives.
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber
“You know who wins fights? Whoever wants it more.”
Showtime (Crave in Canada) (2022) Trailer
There is a reason Uber has 71 per cent of the current rideshare market.
This series tells you why.
Like Adam Neumann and Elizabeth Holmes, Uber founder Travis Kalanick’s eyes were nearly bigger than his stomach.
He will stop at nothing to see his company make good to their investors even if it tarnishes his reputation forever.
Uber has faced controversy regarding their treatment of drivers, safety of passengers and sabotage of their competitors.
And yet they’ve come out on top. How? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
Silicon Valley sandbox bullies
All of these entrepreneurs had singular goals of disrupting their respective industries while bulldozing all competitors in their wake.
They all learned the hard way, however, that success at this level not only takes a toll on them but cannot be sustained.
Each of these founders lost control of their companies and cost investors millions of dollars.
Holmes wins top prize, though, for burning hers to ground as she cruised out the door.
While this post is coming to you via the home theatre, I’ve previously shared my top real estate flicks that are also worthy of a view.
Posted by Kelly Macsymic
