5 Things Entrepreneurs Should Learn from The Beatles

Wish I was born in the 60′s… A very common refrain from across the globe is more often than not because of The Beatles; the golden era for Beatles, the 60′s was a decade when The Beatles ruled the music scene. As berserk as numbers can get, claims are The Beatles have sold close to 500 million albums! Arguably the world’s most successful band, The Beatles have a cult following and reasons for their success have been widely debated by fans. Some say there was a dearth of American or Canadian competition at that time, some believe that the world had finally shaken off from the trauma of the World War 2 but the majority believe that it’s purely because of their music. The Beatles were constantly in news ever since they became big in 1963 and their life and success story has been very well documented. Shaking some dust off the surface, there are starkling reasons why they were successful and there many things an entrepreneur and everyone of us can take away from their life.

1) Don’t be sentimental when it comes to building a team; Friendships might not always work

We all know that The Beatles consist of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. But was it always like that? No, when still boys, John Lennon had a very close friend, Peter Shotton who Lennon fired once he found Paul McCartney. Peter still remained a friend but he played no further part in playing. Trudging ahead, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison formed a stong trio but they had difficulties finding a drummer. They eventually filled up the spot with Pete Best but do we know him anymore? Pete was replaced by Ringo in 1962. These were hard decisions but they were all for the greater good. Friends are trustworthy but they might not always be the best for your team.

2) Has been said a million times, but “Work Hard”- Even Geniuses Have To Work

The Beatles had a hectic schedule. They were truly what one calls, working their asses off. Factually speaking, their career spanned 7 years in which they averaged 2 albums/year which is phenomenal especially when you take into account the heavy touring schedule. Having produced more than 300 songs out of which 213 were recorded, 21 reached the number 1 spot! This is no mean feat. Even if you love doing something, you need to put your head down and keep doing it. But yes, only if working that hard suits your style. There’s no point in putting long hours when you don’t have results to show.

3) Have a sense of humour; No one takes you as seriously as you think they do

Being the stars they were, The Beatles were a part of numerous interviews and they were funny. A sense of humour is very important; hard work without humour becomes a tragedy. One of the most famous incident is when The Beatles auditioned for George Martin (The record producer who was often called the fifth Beatle) at The Abbey Road Studios. Martin asked the individual Beatles if there was anything they personally did not like, to which George Harrison replied, “Well, there’s your tie, for a start.” That was the turning point, as John Lennon and Paul McCartney joined in with jokes and comic wordplay that made Martin think that he should sign them to a contract for their wit alone.

4) Competition is good; Indulge in it but don’t obsess

Internal rivalry as well as external is good for you. The Lennon-McCartney tug was probably what made them as good as they are. Had there been all hunky-dory, there wouldn’t have been the urge to do better. They were always in a tussle to outdo the other which is obviously good up till a point as finally it all comes down to The Greater Good. External competition will also make you better; one should keep a keen eye on what the competitors are doing but falling into a trap of going one up will make you falter. Do what you do best and that is what should bring you success.

5) Don’t give up. Ever!

Yes, Will Smith from the Pursuit of Happyness comes to mind more than The Beatles but this band did struggle. The Beatles weren’t an overnight success; they started out as the Blackjacks then they called themselves the Quarrymen and played wherever they got a chance. Finding a drummer was a challenge but they stuck along. They also called themselves Johnny and the Moondogs for a very brief time which failed miserably. Post this, a new member Stuart Sutcliffe came up with the name Beatals, a play on Buddy Holly’s Crickets which also didn’t last as the members went on their own ways for a while. They also played under The Silver Beats and Silver Beatles before finally settling down with just The Beatles. All this while, a good 7 years, the band kept doing their gig before they tasted big success starting from 1963. They broke and they fought but they didn’t give up!

Learnings indeed, but more than that, The Beatles are an inspiration. Impossible to imitate; they’ve left an immortal mark on the fabric of history. Hail The Beatles!