And the Winner Is … You! And You! And You!
Quick -- do you know what you were doing on Sunday February 26th, 2017? Odds are pretty good that one year ago, you were cozied up on a couch or in a comfy chair watching the 89th Academy Awards. Nearly 33 million folks tuned in to watch last year’s Oscars, and this year, on Sunday, March 4th, multiple millions will cheer as their favorite movies and celebrities are honored in the 90th glittery, glitzy celebration.
With the big event just days away, we wanted to take a moment to shift the spotlight away from Meryl, Tom, Frances and all the other highly recognizable red carpet celebs. Instead, let’s applaud some of the lesser known, if not completely unknown, folks who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help make the famous folks, well, famous.
Why? Because most of these people – the ones whose names appear in the credits in a tiny font, usually after the lights have gone up and the only thing left in the theater is kernels of stale popcorn – are folks who work for themselves. That’s right: 87% of the movie industry workforce is made up of dedicated, driven self-employed people – who are probably a lot like you.
We’re thinking about the freelance food service team who keeps the table stocked so actors don’t get “hangry.” The costume-design contractor who fashions totally authentic Edwardian jewelry. And the self-employed Gaffers, Key Grips and Best Boys (yes, some Best Boys are women) who know what it takes to keep the lights – and everything else electrical – on.
Maybe it’s not a surprise to learn the majority of film-industry workers are self-employed. After all, when you’re trying to achieve a dream – whether it’s transforming Gary Oldman into a convincing Winston Churchill for Darkest Hour or reaching your revenue goal for your very first month in business selling hand-poured coconut wax candles – you know you’re in for some long, hard days and plenty of late nights.
You know you need to be ready for on-the-spot problem-solving, instant decision-making and flexible course-correction. You might even need to be willing to move in a completely new, unexpected direction.
All these qualities makes us think of you, and every other member of our QB Community. Like the unknown entrepreneurs credited at the tail-end of every movie, you’re probably used to putting in endless hours without ever seeing your name center-screen in a big, bold font. Chances are, you’re not particularly motivated by red carpets and fanfare.
Fair enough. But in honor of the upcoming Oscars, we hope you’ll take a few moments to indulge yourself in some good old fashioned foot stomping, cheering and wild applause – because you deserve it.
Before you go
QB Community members, imagine it’s YOUR big night at the “Oscars for Small Businesses.” In your acceptance speech, who would you thank for all their hard work and support?