#1 The movie Joy, starring Jennifer Lawerence, does a great job of portraying the highs and lows of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Narrated by her passionate grandmother, Joy Mangano was born to be a creator. Ever since she could remember she was always making something with her hands. Joy's grandmother always told her that she would become successful one day, which was true because she ended up being her class valedictorian. She even invented her own dog collar that was able to do things no other dog collar could do. Joy got accepted into college and was ready to take on the new challenge of getting her collar on the market. Right as she was about to go off to college, Joy's parents got divorced and asked her to stay and help them sort everything out. So she did. Finally after going through her own complicated divorce, Joy had a new idea and was ready to fully commit to it this time. This movie shows entrepreneurship so vividly by capturing every single step, strength, and sacrifice it takes in order to reach your dream goal.
#2 Although the storyline of the movie was predictable, it was crafted so beautifully. The way Joys character was created is what really made the movie interesting in my opinion. Her past life along with her past mistakes is what made her the woman she ended up being. The movie takes the viewers through many years of her life while it also shows how she ends up sorting through and learning from the tougher times she encountered. Another main reason I find this movie interesting is because it reminded me of how women seem to have to try ten times as hard as men do. Especially when it comes to the work force. Seeing it in through a woman's point of view while (being a woman) was eye opening to me as an individual. Not only was it eye opening but it was also very inspirational. Sometimes it is easy for me to lose track of what truly matters and what really does not. I also tend to forget that everyone goes through difficult times that seem like it will never get better and it is not just me. It made me more aware that people fall apart more than I know. As humans we have the choice to pick ourselves back up or let our selves drown. Nothing good will happen if you let yourself drown, so I should always remember to pick myself up with no excuse.
#3 Joy Mangano grew into a young woman during the 1990's which was a difficult time to be taken seriously if you were anything else but a house wife. Back in those times it was rare to see a highly successful business woman, especially those who came up with new inventions that were practical and useful. When Joy's father asked her to stay home and not go to college to help around with anything they needed, she set aside her dreams of becoming an inventor. Joy was a good daughter and was always there to take care of her mother and was always available when her dad called for her. When she finally got married to a nice man and had two kids, she was the one to stay home and take care of the kids while he was out singing in bars late at night. Her marriage got to the point where her husband was coming home too late and too drunk. He started doing it every night that always ended in a terrible thought. Joy made the hard decision that she was not going to stay in the toxic relationship she felt trapped in. The last thing she wanted was to end up like her parents. As she works things out with her ex husband and become friends years later, Joy has a new idea. However, this time the idea felt different, more promising and worth it. Joy had to go through many hardships during the process of getting her new and improved mop on the market. There were many of times where her product providers would financially rip Joy off and charge her more than needed. She was in great debt and had to take out multiple mortgages on her house that her whole family lived in. Joy got stood up numerous times when she was trying to get her product out in the public eye, even if it was something small. It was very clear that no man she approached with her idea and product wanted to take a chance on her or take her seriously because she was a woman. Although society has changed over the decades but it still is not easy to be respected as a woman. Women still get given a hard time and are faced with more challenges. I think this factor in the work force affects society because not every woman believes in themselves or believes they will get the chance out of others. Obviously, going into developing a new product with this mindset might not have the desired outcome. Knowing how a woman can get stuck in the wrong mindset, it is hard to get out of the rut and drains the confidence very quickly. I think that the stereo type of this stops women from pursuing their ideas and inventions. It is not easy for every woman to sacrifice as much as Joy did and sadly for some it is not an option. I truly believe that there have been lots of women with amazing ideas who got turned down a few times and thought they didn't have it in them. Who knows what would be produced if some kept pushing to the end. I think that the tension between society and entrepreneurship is tricky. I wouldn't say it is an impossible thing to reverse or gain back but I can see how it is complicated for some. The more inspiring stories and or movies that are published is a good reminder that we as women can do just as much as anyone else. The failures is what makes us better and society should not shame women into thinking other wise.
