1. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

The name “Enron” alone has become synonymous with a business cautionary tale, ever since the Texas-based energy and commodities company infamously went bankrupt in 2001. To pay their sky-high corporate salaries, Enron’s top brass resorted to some shady business practices, to say the least.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a fascinating look at corporate greed run amok, and an important lesson in not letting arrogance and vanity define your organizational culture. These guys clearly missed the “Don’t Be Evil” memo from Google’s corporate values.

2. American Factory

The American dream meets the Chinese work ethic. American Factory explores what happens when down-to-earth factory workers in Ohio go to work for a Chinese tech billionaire. Define corporate culture is always a major obstacle for any business, and this may just be one of the most extreme and fascinating examples out there.

It would be reductive to boil American Factory down to a mere lesson in “culture clash”. It is a poignant and poignant look at globalization, the wealth gap, and the state of American industrialization. For entrepreneurs, it provides an acute insight into how the core of your business is the people who work for you, and why your leadership style is so vital.

3. Jiro: Dreams of Sushi

Do you want to start a successful business? You need a quality product. The film focuses on sushi master Jiro Ono, owner of the then three Michelin star Sukiyabashi Jiro restaurant, and how he strives for perfection in his work.

Jiro: Dreams of Sushi is a charming watch, but it also has valuable lessons to impart about precision and pride in the product you put out into the world. When you’re loading hundreds of pounds per plate, you need one exceptional customer experience for! A doc that will make your mouth water, as well as sharpen your business skills.

4. FOUR: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

Billy McFarland has made headlines again after announcing Fyre Festival 2. A music festival aimed at those who have never heard of the phrase “fool me once…”. McFarland promised festival goers an exotic luxury experience. But upon arriving at the island resort, they quickly discovered that the reality was far from the marketing game. Fyre Festival offers a master class in how not to run a business.

Over-promising and under-delivering is a common killer for new businesses and entrepreneurs. Just avoid the blueprint from McFarland and his brainchild, Fyre Festival, and you’ll be off to a strong start. McFarland was a self-serving con artist who ignored the advice of those around him, leading to inevitable disaster. Running a business successfully is good teamwork that makes the dream work.

5. Startup.com

Not to be confused with the fantastic Startups.co.uk, a documentary now a time capsule capturing the dotcom boom of the early 2000s, Startup.com provides a detailed look at the life cycle of a company. It gives an insight into how unsafe going into business for yourself can be.

Now over two decades old, it may seem outdated, but the lessons are timeless. Even with the best of intentions, things can go wrong, and quickly. That’s why you need a rock-solid one contingency plan for your company. Startups.com stands as a sober document about the mistakes that can doom a company trouble working with your best buddiesand how quickly the ground can disappear beneath you.

6. Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates

Given that he is currently the second richest man in the world, and one of the most influential businessmen of all time, there is not much that an aspiring entrepreneur could not learn from Bill Gates. The series touches on Gates’ philanthropy, his problem-solving skills, his tumultuousness business partnership with Paul Allen and how his childhood shaped his introversion leadership style.

Inside Bill’s Brain is a three-part Netflix series that gives us an insight into the Microsoft co-founder’s thought process, straight from the horse’s mouth, and dives into what makes the billionaire business guru tick. If you have your sights set on becoming one of the most influential entrepreneurs through the ages it only makes sense to learn from the best.

7. Indie Games: The Movie

Following four indie game developers, Indie Game: The Movie is an inspiring look at confidence, creativity and how you don’t need a huge staff or millions in funding to get your idea off the ground and into reality.

For all the entrepreneurs dragging themselves through development hell and feeling like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, prepare to be inspired by developer Jonathan Blow and his uphill battle to complete his passion project Braid. An uplifting example of how you can find meaning in your work.

What next?

Now the neurons are firing and the inspiration is taking off, you can look at our guide to 101 small business ideas to help you get started on your next venture.

If you want even more media to help you along your startup journey, you can also check out our roundup of the top podcasts for small business owners.

Or just listen to Speaking of startups, the brand new podcast from Startups.co.uk. Our very first episode is with the founders of Two Chicks, Anna Richey and Alla Ouvarova.