When I heard about "Celebrity Inc(orporated)" by Jo Piazza, I was doubly excited. Firstly, I adore business books, and I could not wait to peek behind the curtain at assorted aspects of the entertaining sector. Second, I was looking forward to some escapism from the celebrity examples. As a career coach, my full focus is on career stories, but celebs have that aura of unattainability, of being different from me and you. But after reading the book, I spotted that, while the stories have an acute, ridiculous quality you'd expect from stars, the career lessons still apply to everyday people like you and me:
Compensation is situation-specific (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt). The opening chapter of the book is focused on the run-up of costs in celebrity baby footage, with a spotlight on the Jolie-Pitt photographs. The bidding war peaks and then bursts, and the prices paid for photos don't always follow a glaring reason. Even celebrities are not immune to compensation market trends. Don't compare what you make to folks, in different circumstances, during different time periods.
Know your allies and advocates (Tim McGraw). When Tim McGraw entered the perfume business, he selected his production partner and his sales outlets based totally on his existing and target shoppers. He did not just decide on the top of the range stores. When you make a decision about your next employer or perhaps your next project, do this in the frame of reference of the relationships you wish to build. It's not solely about picking the brand name or highest profile opportunity.
Being fired or fired is not the end of everything (Taylor Hicks) .American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks, was dropped by his label after his first album, so he went on tour with the musical theatre production of Greaseand sold his very own albums at each stop, making 1 or 2 million dollars in the procedure. If your high-flying career hits an obstacle, you can spin it round with creativity, persistence, and continuing to put yourself out there.
A strong work ethic matters (Kim Kardashian). Yes, Piazza highlights Kim Kardashian's work ethic- reliably showing up at events, actively promoting, signing autographs and engaging with fans at all levels. Even if a job does not look hard, there is difficult work behind it. If you'd like to succeed, put in the work.
Consistency matters (Lindsay Lohan v. Charlie Glaze). Piazza maintains that it isn't Lindsay Lohan's bad girl persona that's derailing her career, as Charlie Sheen is able to persuade it to work for him. It's lack of consistency in her imaging. For the non-celebrity pro, it's similarly vital to recognise that there is no one trail to career success but it does take a little time to build a track record.
Don't underrate the importance of likeability (Valerie Bertinelli). Celebrity weightloss contracts can translate into six figures per pound. Weight-loss companies select their celebrity members based mostly on relatability, so Bertinelli is cashing in on her likeability. The non-celebrity pro can also profit from likeability. The choices of who to hire, who to promote, who to give the plum assignment to, who to let go vs who to keep often come down to who is supported and liked.
Adapt to a changing marketplace by learning new skills (Ashton Kutcher). Social media modified the market for celebs also , and Kutcher's willingness and capability to embrace the new media has enabled him to jump in on the ground floor of moneymaking tech company investments and build himself as a go-to person in this rapidly growing field. Focus on new trends. Be content to meet new folks and explore different firms and networks.
Create assets that go past your working years (Michael Jackson). Piazza covers the "deleb" or dead celebrity market, with Michael Jackson being a shining example showing how lucrative it can be when you earn money even after you aren't working. For the non-celebrity professional this underlines the significance of making earnings stream for after you retire. For many it's going to be a retirement fund, like a 401k. But the Jackson example shows how it can be extensions of work made years back and it's worth pondering how you might extend this to work you are currently doing.
Diversify your earnings streams (all). Each celebrity featured in the book had projects in multiple areas, whether or not it is Tim McGraw with entertainment and retail or Ashton Kutcher with entertainment and social media. You don't need to be your day job. This might. Mean running a side business, actively setting aside money to invest, or consulting for industries outside your current one.
You've always got to hustle (all). I see many executives with great careers and 10, 20 or more years of experience, lamenting how difficult the market is even for them. There's this expectation that things should be easier now, after setting yourself up and amassing all these abilities and experiences. Celebs recognise how fleeting success can be so the best ones are always hustling. Whether it's the fired American Idol, Taylor Hicks, selling his very own records or Valerie Bertinelli, using weight loss to transition into the acting focus, celebrities who succeed show a tenacity to come back, to try new things, to always try again.
These are crucial lessons from stars that are worth focusing on.
Compensation is situation-specific (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt). The opening chapter of the book is focused on the run-up of costs in celebrity baby footage, with a spotlight on the Jolie-Pitt photographs. The bidding war peaks and then bursts, and the prices paid for photos don't always follow a glaring reason. Even celebrities are not immune to compensation market trends. Don't compare what you make to folks, in different circumstances, during different time periods.
Know your allies and advocates (Tim McGraw). When Tim McGraw entered the perfume business, he selected his production partner and his sales outlets based totally on his existing and target shoppers. He did not just decide on the top of the range stores. When you make a decision about your next employer or perhaps your next project, do this in the frame of reference of the relationships you wish to build. It's not solely about picking the brand name or highest profile opportunity.
Being fired or fired is not the end of everything (Taylor Hicks) .American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks, was dropped by his label after his first album, so he went on tour with the musical theatre production of Greaseand sold his very own albums at each stop, making 1 or 2 million dollars in the procedure. If your high-flying career hits an obstacle, you can spin it round with creativity, persistence, and continuing to put yourself out there.
A strong work ethic matters (Kim Kardashian). Yes, Piazza highlights Kim Kardashian's work ethic- reliably showing up at events, actively promoting, signing autographs and engaging with fans at all levels. Even if a job does not look hard, there is difficult work behind it. If you'd like to succeed, put in the work.
Consistency matters (Lindsay Lohan v. Charlie Glaze). Piazza maintains that it isn't Lindsay Lohan's bad girl persona that's derailing her career, as Charlie Sheen is able to persuade it to work for him. It's lack of consistency in her imaging. For the non-celebrity pro, it's similarly vital to recognise that there is no one trail to career success but it does take a little time to build a track record.
Don't underrate the importance of likeability (Valerie Bertinelli). Celebrity weightloss contracts can translate into six figures per pound. Weight-loss companies select their celebrity members based mostly on relatability, so Bertinelli is cashing in on her likeability. The non-celebrity pro can also profit from likeability. The choices of who to hire, who to promote, who to give the plum assignment to, who to let go vs who to keep often come down to who is supported and liked.
Adapt to a changing marketplace by learning new skills (Ashton Kutcher). Social media modified the market for celebs also , and Kutcher's willingness and capability to embrace the new media has enabled him to jump in on the ground floor of moneymaking tech company investments and build himself as a go-to person in this rapidly growing field. Focus on new trends. Be content to meet new folks and explore different firms and networks.
Create assets that go past your working years (Michael Jackson). Piazza covers the "deleb" or dead celebrity market, with Michael Jackson being a shining example showing how lucrative it can be when you earn money even after you aren't working. For the non-celebrity professional this underlines the significance of making earnings stream for after you retire. For many it's going to be a retirement fund, like a 401k. But the Jackson example shows how it can be extensions of work made years back and it's worth pondering how you might extend this to work you are currently doing.
Diversify your earnings streams (all). Each celebrity featured in the book had projects in multiple areas, whether or not it is Tim McGraw with entertainment and retail or Ashton Kutcher with entertainment and social media. You don't need to be your day job. This might. Mean running a side business, actively setting aside money to invest, or consulting for industries outside your current one.
You've always got to hustle (all). I see many executives with great careers and 10, 20 or more years of experience, lamenting how difficult the market is even for them. There's this expectation that things should be easier now, after setting yourself up and amassing all these abilities and experiences. Celebs recognise how fleeting success can be so the best ones are always hustling. Whether it's the fired American Idol, Taylor Hicks, selling his very own records or Valerie Bertinelli, using weight loss to transition into the acting focus, celebrities who succeed show a tenacity to come back, to try new things, to always try again.
These are crucial lessons from stars that are worth focusing on.
About the Author:
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is one-time Fortune 500 recruiter who now offers career coaching for your dream occupation. Her company SixFigureStart.com also provides guidance for those hunting for job search success.
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