Who said watching TV shows is a waste of time? Some of them are more than just entertainment, and some are even inspiring and full of learning. Over the past few years, the world of TV has witnessed some excellent TV shows centered on startups, entrepreneurship, and earning money.
In this article, you’ll learn about a few such TV shows to add to your watchlist if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur.
Silicon Valley
As the name suggests, the show takes place in Silicon Valley. It is a story of a group of young software programmers who are struggling to succeed.
Created by Mike Judge and a powerful cast, including Thomas Middleditch and TJ Miller, the show is a hilarious yet inspiring take on the startup ecosystem. It demonstrates how challenging it can be for aspiring entrepreneurs to stand out and make it big in a highly competitive environment of Silicon Valley.
The show has six seasons and 53 episodes, with the sixth being that final season that aired in Oct-Dec 2019. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, especially from a technical background, this show will provide insights into the real-life of struggling startup owners. The show has a great learning experience as well, and you’ll surely have a bunch of takeaways by the time you conclude the final season.
Shark Tank
Directed by Mark Bunnet, Shark Tank is a business, investment, and startup-related TV show. It takes you into the life of the “sharks,” a group of five investors who see business presentations of investment-seeking entrepreneurs and decide whether to invest in their company or not.
The panel members of the show include business tycoons, such a Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Mark Cuban, Daymond John, and Lori Greiner. Besides, renowned names like Richard Branson and Ashton Churner have also appeared in the show as guest sharks.
If you have a product or business idea, but you aren’t sure how to pitch it to potential investors, this show is for you. You will come across some of the best and worst product pitches to give you an idea about how to trigger investors the right way.
Dragon’s Den
Do you know what encouraged Mark Bunnet to make Shark Tank? This show we’re talking about – Dragon’s Den. Dragon’s Den originated initially in Japan and has since been produced in more than 30 countries. But the British version of the show has gained the most popularity.
The premise of the show is more or less similar to Shark Tank. Budding entrepreneurs pitch their startup ideas to five investors (also known as dragons), who then decide whether to invest in the business or not.
Better Call Saul
If you have watched Breaking Bad, you may already be familiar with Saul Goodman. Better Call Saul is a prequel to the blockbuster TV series and is centered on the character of Jimmy McGill (Saul Goodman).
The show takes place six years before Breaking Bad. It portrays how Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer, and scam artist, became a lawyer who represents criminals, along with becoming involved in the criminal world himself.
While the show might not exactly resonate with aspiring entrepreneurs, it’ll surely help you develop some interpersonal and interpersonal skills. Besides, the show also features a brilliant cast and some stellar performances. The show is currently in its fifth season, which premiered on Feb 23, 2020.
Planet of the Apps
With Gary Vaynerchuk as one of the leads, it’s pretty obvious what Planet of the Apps is all about. The show is more or less similar to Shark Tank, but it’s only for mobile apps. Software developers have 60 seconds to pitch the idea of their app in front of four judges, and if selected, the owner gets a chance to partner with one of them for six weeks.
Planet of the Apps was Apple’s first original TV series. While it was canceled just after the first season, it’s fun to watch, especially if you’re an app developer or tech entrepreneur.
StartUp
StartUp takes you through the journey of GenCoin, a revolutionary yet controversial crypto startup. The series features powerful cast, including Adam Brody, Martin Freeman, Addison Timlin, Ron Perlman, and Mira Sorvino. The first season of StartUp garnered mixed responses, but it has managed to gain a lot of loyal fans over the years.
Three seasons, with a total of 30 episodes of StartUp, are live now. There’s no news of the fourth season yet, but the first three seasons are worth a watch.
Billions
Billions is a drama series about power politics in the world of high finance in New York. Starring Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti, the plot of the series is centered on legal battles between hedge fund king Bobby and U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades.
The show has four seasons and a total of 48 episodes, and it has been reviewed for the fifth season.
Ballers
Starring none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ballers is a comedy-drama series that portrays the story of an NFL financial manager. Dwayne plays Spencer Strasmore, a retired NFL player who takes up a new career as a financial manager of other NFL players. Also called as the NFL version of Entourage, Ballers is a critically acclaimed show praised by both fans and critics. The show has a total of five seasons and 47 episodes, with the fifth being the final season.
Empire
Empire is a drama series that tells the story of Empire entertainment, hip-hop music, and entertainment company. Created by Danny Strong and Lee Daniels, Empire takes you into the secrets of the music industry, as well as the drama that unfolds between the founding members. The series has six seasons, and the sixth and final season premiered in Sept. 2019.
Dirty Money
Dirty Money is a Netflix original series that documents stories of corruption and corporate fraud. What makes this series unique is it’s six-hour-long episodes, with each episode focusing on one instance of corporate corruption.
Not exactly the show you should watch for inspiration, but Dirty Money can be full of entertainment and learning about how the corporate world works. The show has two seasons, both having six episodes each.
Some honorable mentions
Did your favorite show not make to the list above? Check out a few more shows to add to your watchlist.
Mad Men: This insanely popular drama series has given the world one of its most iconic TV characters, Don Draper. The show is centered on the Sterling Cooper ad agency in 1960s New York. The series has a total of 7 seasons, and the last season was premiered in 2015.
Kitchen Nightmares: If you’re a fan of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, this show is for you. While Gordon has done a bunch of shows, this is the once that’ll resonate with entrepreneurs and business owners. In each episode, Ramsay spends one week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to help their business stay afloat.
Conclusion
People don’t really watch TV shows to learn something. And it’s fine; they’re meant to have fun and get entertained. But if you believe in spending every minute of your life productively, give these shows a try.
