Breaking Bad is a captivating drama whose worldview shifts as its protagonist dives deeper into a world of violence and drug trafficking. All the while Walter retains his sense of humanity and is actually able to keep our sympathies and attachment to him. At its core, however, the series demonstrates the power of determination and how anyone – no matter their circumstances – can turn their life around and follow their passion, even if it’s unconventional.
Although his character follows a dark path through the drug trade and becomes consumed by his ego and the thirst for power, the methods of his pursuit can be applied to anyone hoping to start their own business. Maybe it can help you build your own empire – just make sure it’s legal.
Pursue Your Passion
Walter White enters the drug-dealing business intending to secure a future for his family before his lung cancer ends his life, but the passion that keeps him going is his love of chemistry and his drive to feel alive again. As the series moves forward he grows more and more addicted to his success because he has found an industry he thrives in.
Despite the fact that the “industry” was illegal, violent, and life-threatening – the lesson Breaking Bad teaches about starting a business is this: if it brings you joy, motivates you, and excites you, then it is an idea worth pursuing. The love you feel for the business will translate to your customers through the quality of your service, which puts you on a path to success.
Technical Skill is Not Enough
Walt has the skill but not the experience when it comes to maneuvering the drug market, so he did what any hopeful entrepreneur would do: he learned from those who did. By partnering up with Jesse Pinkman, a former student who was familiar with the distribution of meth, Walter is filling a hole in his skill set. As their business begins to grow he continues to take notes from veterans of the trade and eventually builds an empire of his own… after disposing of the aforementioned competition.
Like Mr. White, you could be exceptionally adept in a particular field, but starting a business requires well-rounded knowledge and assistance. Hiring or partnering with individuals proficient in other areas of the industry and following the example of experienced entrepreneurs will create a balanced foundation.
Surround Yourself With People You Trust
From the beginning, Walt knows he cannot succeed on his own and tries his best to find reliable and trustworthy allies to help in his endeavors. In his pursuit, Walt finds himself making friends in high places, but most of them meet their end at his hands after they threaten his empire.
On the other hand, he also has some luck with Jesse Pinkman, who maintains his loyalty for the majority of the series, and his lawyer Saul Goodman, who bails him out of sticky situations on more than one occasion.
In business, making professional relationships is inevitable if you hope to grow grow company. After seeing what happens on both ends of the spectrum, being picky about the people you associate with is a pillar of entrepreneurship.
Stand Out
Anyone familiar with the show can easily identify the most iconic aspect of White’s product: it’s color. “Blue Sky” is the street name given to the notoriously potent blue meth he manufactures. Sure it’s 99.1% chemical purity is what escalates its popularity, but the color is its signature. Walter took a familiar product that is relatively indistinguishable from one distributor to another and makes it his own.
Focusing on quality and branding is an essential step in creating demand for your company. Differentiate yourself from the crowded market to rise above your competitors. Often in business, it is not the person who comes up with the idea that becomes a success, but the person who makes the idea better.
Never Too Late for a Career Change
After living his life in the shadow of past mistakes, Walt soon grows weary of his monotonous job teaching high school chemistry. Even living in a comfortable home with his wife and son, his day-to-day life is underwhelming and he struggles with his confidence. It isn’t until his cancer diagnosis that a spark of purpose burns through him once again.
Being comfortable breeds complacency, and a fear of change halts ambition. Many people succumb to the safety of the familiar and settle for an unfulfilling career because of a belief that their aspirations are unattainable. What Walter White teaches us is that anything is possible with the right amount of passion and perseverance.
Right vs Wrong
Walt does all the wrong things, but he does them for all the right reasons: Skyler, Junior, and baby Holly. Or at least that’s how it begins. By the end Walt realizes that he’s been doing it for himself all along, recapturing the power and self-esteem he had lost when he left his high-tech career in a dispute also driven by ego. Yet all along, we sympathize with him and he remains a character whose struggles we identify with.
Now imagine you doing the right things for the right reasons. Americans love to support the underdog, the everyman/every woman who is struggling against all odds to fulfill their dream. Making that dream tangible to your customers makes your business a sympathetic character, one they will root for and support with their dollars.
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