Role models

Why Lindsay Lohan should be your entrepreneurial role model. KIRSTY DUNPHEY

By Kirsty Dunphey

I’ve recently been interviewing a whole range of successful people and one question I’ve taken to asking a lot lately is “if you could go into business with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?”.

For me the answer is easy; today my answer is Walt Disney, tomorrow Richard Branson (a popular choice) the next day Barbara Corcoran. Other popular answers include Warren Buffett and Donald Trump, and yet no-one has listed Lindsay Lohan!

I’m shocked, so let me share with you why I think Li-Lo is a GREAT role model for any aspiring entrepreneur.

1. She started young

This girl got into her chosen field young and attacked it with gusto.

2. She has surrounded herself with geniuses

From Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday to the eternal Jane Fonda and always fabulous Felicity Hoffman in Georgia Rules, Lohan has been awash with potential mentors and other people who have “been there and done it”.

3. She’s willing to try new things

She sings, she acts and most recently she’s dating girls, being super skinny (and then not super skinny), she’s a red head, but she’ll try being a blonde, or a brunette, heck she’ll even give rehab a go.

4. Like 80% of all entrepreneurs, she’s a first born

5. She’s fiercely protective of her team

Recent comments on her personal blog show what Lindsay will do if you start messing with her sister!

6. She can put up with the insults flung her way

Brandon Davis’ highly quoted remarks that Li-Lo was a “fire crotch” didn’t even trip this stilettoed gal’s walk.

Yes, this is of course written with my tongue very firmly wedged in my cheek.

My point, I swear I have one, is that you can learn something from almost anyone that crosses your path. Whether it’s the nightmare boss who teaches you how not to lead, Paris Hilton who shows us that anything is possible (yes, even being famous for doing nothing) or the long lasting words of a true business hero written in an amazing page turner – take the lesson in whatever form it comes, but don’t always expect that it’ll come from a Branson lookalike.

Kirsty Dunphey is one of Australia’s most publicised young entrepreneurs and is the founder of www.reallysold.com – a tool to help real estate agents create advertisements. The youngest ever winner of the Australian Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year award, Kirsty started her first business at 15, her own real estate agency at 21, was a self-made millionaire at 23 and a self-made multi-millionaire at 25. For more information on Kirsty or either of her books – Advance to Go, Collect $1 Million and Retired at 27, If I can do it anyone can, or to sign up to her weekly newsletter head to: www.kirstydunphey.com

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