Three Realistic Television Entrepreneurs

We've written about entrepreneurs in the movies, both realistic and unrealistic, now it's time to tackle the small screen's small business owners. Look at these three examples for great fictional depictions of small business ownership. 

Lorelai Gilmore & Sookie St. James (Gilmore Girls): these best friends meet while employed at the Independence Inn. Both work their way up in the field. Lorelai moves from being a maid to a manager, and Sookie becomes an accomplished chef.



The Business: Dragonfly Inn, a charming New England bed and breakfast

Why it Works: The two argue, but manage their respective sides of the business well. Sookie works hard to develop menus and plan events, Lorelai handles the business side of things. Both, albeit reluctantly, keep things professional and keeping the friendship in tact, but the show is honest about the bumps along the way and the compromises that are necessary when running a business with a friend.

Entrepreneur: Patricia Chase (My So-Called Life), a mother of two and the Chase family’s main breadwinner.

The Business: A print shop that she took over from her father.

Why it works: Patricia took over her family business, a print shop, when her father retired. The show honestly depicts her struggle between balancing business ownership and family, and the challenges that come from doing business with family members. She faces an IRS audit for her father’s mistakes, and even goes so far as to gently fire her husband when she realizes that he’s better cut out for another field. She manages to balance it all gracefully and realistically.




Stringer Bell (The Wire): Stringer gains responsibility in a large, successful drug ring, eventually taking entire control. On the side, he also struggles to run a real estate investment business.

The Business: The Barksdale Organization is a violent, powerful drug organization in Baltimore. When Stringer takes charge, he implements knowledge from his college business and economics classes to make the organization run more smoothly and professionally. He also attempts real estate development with less success.

Why it Works: Stringer’s real estate development gets caught up in technicalities and paperwork. He makes a bad business deal, and ends up learning about red tape, licenses, and other technicalities that hold his plan back. The show also accurately depicts not only the business end of his drug trade, but the dangers that come from running an illicit business.