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Michael Jackson History: Michael Jackson - The Icon and Entrepreneur

Guest post by: Global BX

Article Overview: Until his death at the age of 50, Michael Jackson has been all over the TV, the papers, and the magazines. He always had an iconic presence in the music industry since he started his solo career back in the 80's. In fact, a lot of music experts have declared him as Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.

Michael Jackson History: Michael Jackson - The Icon and Entrepreneur

Michael Jackson: The Icon

Until his death at the age of 50, Michael Jackson has been all over the TV, the papers, and the magazines. He always had an iconic presence in the music industry since he started his solo career back in the 80's. In fact, a lot of music experts have declared him as Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. His album "Thriller" sold more copies than any other record in its time. The concept of his music videos, which encouraged the MTV culture, showed how extremely talented he was but what most people do not know is that Michael Jackson was also an entrepreneur.

Michael Jackson: The Entrepreneur

What do you think Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet have in common? These men built something out of nothing. They came up with products and services that no other people have thought of. They dominate their respective industries for many years now as a result of their hard work and immense talent.

Michael Jackson is very similar to these people. He used his skills in music and applied them in various areas and fields that nobody else had exploited. The music videos he produced inspired many musical artists, which eventually led to the popularity of MTV and the like. Michael Jackson's album generated millions of dollars in sales. He used his money as further investment into his brand and bought 50 percent of the most valuable music assets of all time, the Lennon-McCartney (Beatles) catalogue. The royalties from this acquisition earned him millions in profits. He also bought two Australian-based music publishers which eventually merged with Sony and earned him close to $100 million.

Michael Jackson's Entrepreneurial Characteristics

If you have been looking at Michael Jackson biography, it is clear that he used his entrepreneurial spirit in almost everything that he did. The following are some of the traits he shared with other well-known business tycoons:

• Always looking for improvement - Michael rehearsed every day. He practiced not just his vocal condition, but his dance moves that electrified audiences as well.

• Be an innovator - You will understand how he is as an innovator by simply thinking about the "Moonwalk", the "Beat It" video, his sparkly white gloves, and his unique rock and funk music.

• Build customer loyalty - Millions of Michael Jackson fans were devoted to his music even if he had sideshow antics during his latter days. The concerts he planned for London were awaited by numerous fans all over the world as nearly $1 million ticket sales per concert were booked and sold in advance. This is what you call brand loyalty. Unfortunately, Michael Jackson passed away in Los Angeles when he was rehearsing for these 50 nights of concerts.

Learn From MJ

There is no perfect entrepreneur. Any Michael Jackson biography would also show his mistakes along with his triumphs. As such, business owners can learn a lot from the King of Pop. Here are some examples:

• Think first before you speak - The media is a perfect marketing tool, but saying wrong things at the wrong time can lead to life-long damage to the brand you have painstakingly created over the years.

• Stick to your values - Michael has gone through major transformations over the years, and most of these damaged his image as the Michael Jackson icon. No matter the opportunities that tempt you to change your values, these changes can be fatal to your company in the long run.

• Build a network of honest people - Michael mistakenly associated himself with people who put their own interests above his. Business success brings in wealth, but it also attracts negative elements that you and your business are better off without.

• Be financially wise - Save more and think twice before making unnecessary purchases. Watch your cash flow, and pay close attention to all the items on your balance sheet. If you have an advisor who handles your money, supervise the process and do not be just a check-signer.

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Article Tags: about michael jackson, entrepreneur, michael jackson, michael jackson biography, michael jackson dead



Related Forum Posts
Re: What would you like to see be invented? - People that feel a need for drugs are in pain at some level. The pain can be physical or spiritual. Look at the way Michael Jackson died. If you are looking for a drug induced high you should be looking for a solution to your pain.
Re: The Flaw In Personal Branding...? - Last time I posted, in the same week, Michael Jackson died. Then I thought about something-- If you remember Michael, he was far from flawless. Yet the biggest pop icon of all time. Having said this, the flaw in personal branding can exist as long as they're not hurting what people perceive you to be. In other words, if say... Toyota begins producing average quality cars, it'll eventually start to change the way the rest of the world thinks of Toyota. That's very dangerous. What's most overlooked though, is big companies wanting to become everything for everybody. Every time they do this, they give into the middle of the curve. What if Subaru said they'd give up AWD just so that they could sell more sedans? That wouldn't be good. If Porsche starts selling more SUVs (they already have) then get even more greedy by trying to sell trucks or vans? That would be the end of Porsche for me, by then, they're not the sports car company.
Re: Poll: Print News vs. Internet News - Let me share a story with you. I almost don't read newspapers, and get updates when I am online. This weekend I decided to do as little as I can, logged in, checked emails, and logged out. On Friday night we went to my parents for dinner and my brother told me Michael Jackson died. I was sure he is kidding and trying to mess with me, and then I watched the news and saw it's true. My husband drinks and eats news, usually on TV and radio. When I asked him why he didn't tell me, he said: "You are always online, I was sure you knew" Oh, well...
Re: Beyond Booked Solid by Michael Port - Hi Shri, Glad to see you've begun writing book reviews on Evan's site! It's interesting that you mention how Michael breathes new life into the self-help genre with his humor and conversational tone. So what made you decide to review Michael Port's book when I'm sure you're normally bombarded with these requests?
Top Franchises For 2007 - Entrepreneur came out with a list of the top franchises for 2007. They are: 1. Subway 2. Dunkin' Donuts 3. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service 4. 7-Eleven Inc. 5. UPS Store, The/Mail Boxes Etc. 6. Domino's Pizza LLC 7. Jiffy Lube Int'l. Inc. 8. Sonic Drive In Restaurants 9. McDonald's 10. Papa John's Int'l. Inc. It still seems to be dominated by food companies (70% of the list!) Can non-food companies make it as a successful franchise?


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