We follow celebrities and their stories for a bit of entertainment. However, in some cases, following their steps in business can bring dramatic results. Otto von Bismarck, a German statesman, says, “only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”
While it’s not a bad idea to learn from your own mistakes, feel free to learn from successful people. If you take a glimpse at the achievements and struggles of some celebrities like Steve Jobs or Will Smith, you’ll come across leadership lessons that have incredible applications in the business world.
For example, if you’re a business leader, you’ve got plenty to learn from the mistakes of Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. But let’s take a quick look at some of the celebrities from the entertainment industry to find out what we can learn from their stories!
Lana Del Rey: reinvent yourself until you succeed in building your personal brand
If you love music, you probably have heard about Lana Del Rey, a dreamy Hollywood personality with a unique voice. To learn something from the mysterious singer, you need to take a look at how Elizabeth Grant transformed into Lana Del Rey, a mysterious singer.
Before she took on the stage name Lana Del Rey, she performed under her birth name Lizzy Grant. Surprisingly, she kept changing her name. The first album she released was under the name “Mary Jailer”.
The final transformation was from “Lizzy Grant” to “Lana Del Rey”. The singer and her management wanted a name that fits her music and voice. Since her music is quite cinematic, the name Lana Del Rey reflects the glamor of her sound and goes well with her overall personality. Today, only a few young music lovers know her initial name, Lizzy Grant.
As an entrepreneur or business leader looking to build a personal or business brand, you can learn a valuable lesson from Lana Del Rey’s career. And that lesson is: do not stop exploring and redefining your brand until you hit the right spot.
Entrepreneurs often struggle to build their personal brands to position themselves in the marketplace. One of the reasons why people fail to build successful personal brands is the changing dynamics and inability to adapt.
If things are changing and you feel your personal branding efforts aren’t up to the expectations, don’t hesitate to renew or redefine your personal brand. In other words, keep reinventing yourself until you succeed in building a remarkable personal brand, just like Lana.
Emma Watson: managing imposter syndrome
Emma Watson is an English actress best known for her role as the young wizard Hermione Granger in Harry Potter. She was only nine when she came to the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone casting. Overall, she is a highly successful Hollywood actress. Besides, Emma is more than just an actress.
Have you seen her speaking in front of the UN in 2014 as a part of the UN’s HeForShe campaign? She was confident and poised as her speech led to a whole new discussion on gender equality and women in the workplace.
The interesting fact is that Emma Watson has imposter syndrome. If you don’t know about this syndrome, here is a quick definition:
“Imposter syndrome is a mental health condition that makes people feel inadequate and doubt their competencies.” Emma Watson has imposter syndrome and she doesn’t feel comfortable with fame.
It’s hard to imagine and achieve great success in business when you feel unsettled and fraudulent all the time. However, Emma Watson has done a great job of managing self-doubt.
We all have some sort of physical and mental health condition. The secret to success lies in how we manage those conditions and stay confident. Emma’s success story is certainly helpful for those who have imposter syndrome or any other health condition that is stopping them from being successful.
Justin Bieber: focusing on your niche
When do you say something on social media, how many people respond to your posts? When Justin Bieber, one of the biggest modern-day pop singers, says something, thousands of people react. When his music video launches on YouTube, it attracts billions of views.
Why? Because he is really good at identifying and attracting his core audience.
There are so many great names when it comes to music and signing. However, it’s hard to compete with Justin Beiber when it comes to fame and popularity. His work is primarily focused on young girls and he doesn’t care about what 40-years-old are going to think about his songs.
If we talk about the business world, the majority of entrepreneurs find it hard to identify their audience. Whether you’re responsible for hiring talent or you run an eCommerce business, it’s super important for you to understand your niche audience.
You can’t target everyone with your messaging. So, carefully define your audience and then create content that resonates with their unique needs and problems.
The Kardashians: seizing every opportunity for business
The Kardashians, high-profile celebrity members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, are popular across the globe for their fashion design, reality shows, business, and so much more. One of the reasons they are so successful is their ability to identify business opportunities and take full advantage of them.
Their understanding of the media landscape and cyber psychology helps them create opportunities. If you look at their work ethic, they show up at events and actively promote and engage with fans at every level.
As a business, you need to work with a similar mindset: seizing every opportunity you think your business can benefit from. Regardless of the size of your business or the nature of your job, you can identify dozens of growth opportunities. All you need to do is think strategically.
Final words
From Emma’s imposter syndrome management to the Kardashians’ work ethic, you can learn numerous leadership lessons from celebrities. Their struggles and stories offer valuable insights into leadership and business success. Therefore, feel free to explore their lives and how they managed to achieve success.
