Top 5 great documentaries every entrepreneur needs to see

A day in the life of a small business owner can be long and tiring. You have payments to chase, clients to impress and a ton of other stuff that can come at a moment’s notice. This was never designed to be easy which is what makes it so rewarding. It makes downtime so important. You should enjoy your leisure time doing things you enjoy. But, you might actually find that downtime (when you aren’t under pressure) can be the time where real ideas can filter through.

We think, as well as doing things you enjoy, you should also be attempting to engage your mind by watching (some) documentaries. With so much on the telly and a plethora of streaming options (Netflix and Amazon Prime) available, you might find that you are spending more time choosing than you do watching - a real first world problem right. But fear not. At Payzone, we are here once again to save you from this dilemma of ‘too much choice’ with some of our favourite documentaries which make great viewing for enjoyment and maybe for ideas as well.

Banking on Bitcoin

Cryptocurrency is one of the most talked about subjects in the world today and Bitcoin is the most well known type of digital currency out there. It’s a subject that has been often talked about but perhaps not fully understood. If this is something you want to know a bit more about, then this excellent documentary will tell you all about one of the most disruptive innovations since the internet itself.

Elon Musk: How I became the real Iron man

Who is the biggest innovator in the world at the moment? If you ask this question to entrepreneurs in tech, it is likely that the answer will be Elon Musk. But why: well the South African born head of Tesla is pioneering so many different innovations, that it's genuinely difficult to track. Underground cities, solar paneled roofs and even communities on Mars are just a few ideas that Musk is turning from ideas into reality - oh and he also created PayPal. This documentary provides a fascinating insight on the man. You can watch the documentary on YouTube - great for a lunch break.

Food inc

If you are partial to feeling nauseous, then this is probably something you’ll want to stay clear of. Director Robert Kenner takes a long and brutal look at America’s meat production and why much of the food is unfit for purpose - we told you it’s not for people with a nervous disposition. This film is over ten years old, but the premise of this is still very relevant and highlights why it’s important that we check the contents of the food that we eat.

Amy

Going off on a tangent slightly (because why not), this is the dark story of Amy Winehouse. This film takes a look at her routes from North West London and how she turned into an international sensation with unbelievable talent. If there is anything to learn here, it’s about how some people are born with talent but are sometimes flawed as human beings - and Amy Winehouse was all of those things and more. Although this isn’t directly related to business, it’s a lesson about being human and how fragile we can be - this can affect every walk of life.

Jiro dreams of Sushi

Going away from Silicon Valley and other startup hotspots is this tale of a Sushi chef in Tokyo passionate about one thing and one thing only - making his Sushi the best. What’s even more remarkable is that when this film was made in 2011, Jiro was 85 - demonstrating that you’re never too old to perfect your craft. Jiro’s restaurant has become a major success since this documentary with customers willing to spend a great deal of money for his product. This proves if you are passionate enough about what you do and you are great at it, you’ll be a success.