How You Can Learn about Business from the new HBO Silicon Valley

I started watching the new HBO series Silicon Valley, and I was surprised about the great information about creating a start-up company. Young entrepreneurs will learn a lot from this show. My favorite scene was when the lead character takes his $200,000 check made out to Pied Piper (his product's name) to discover he cannot deposit it because he hasn't established the name yet. My first thought was LLC or S Corp. (not that it was mentioned in those terms). Our clueless hero is dumbstruck and doesn't know what the bank clerk is talking about. Seasoned business people were nodding.

The show also covered the need for a business plan as our hapless hero is asked by the incredulous billionaire Burke, "Where's your business plan?" You then see one of the other more business-like nerds helping our guy write one and explore the facets of it. But I loved it when Burke sneers, "What's your go-to-market strategy?" Of course, I know what "go-to-market" means, but our hero I'm sure was completely befuddled.

The show is literally walking viewers through the "drama" of starting one's own business. It's an entertaining way to show other young entrepreneurs what is required to launch a business. I highly recommend watching the show if you want to learn something. Now you'll have to research the terms to understand some of it, but it's a good place to even learn how or what it takes. Some of the one-liners were pretty funny, and I laughed. I give the new show a thumbs-up, and I expect to continue watching throughout the season.