So male strippers – er, excuse me – male entertainers.
Who would’ve thought that going to a movie with a girlfriend to oogle at Channing Tatum’s abs (HELLO!) and giggle at the ridiculousness of it all would end up being so enlightening?
Seriously.
Anyone?
Definitely not me. And yet as I was watching Magic Mike XXL in a theater full of women, I couldn’t help but notice the brilliance of the writing and well, the magic of it all. (Oh yes I just did.)
So besides seeing some seriously hot male bodies do their thing, which I have full appreciation for by the way (that’s a lot of hard work right there!), I sincerely hope the audience was paying attention.
If they were, then they would’ve picked up on these amazingly spot-on lessons –
{I’ll try to do this without any spoilers, but honestly, they get half naked. That’s really it. This shouldn’t be shocking. I feel okay spilling the beans about the rest.}
1. Do what you love
These men absolutely love what they do. They enjoy being on stage and really enjoy providing entertainment. AND they all have other passions they also enjoy which we get to see throughout the movie. Amongst the male bonding and discussion about costumes (hey, hey) we discover that these men are performing routines that were given to them by someone else. They weren’t excited about them, they had just gotten comfortable with them. So they created something new that fit their personalities and REALLY got them excited to be on the stage again. Do what you love. It will always work out – even if it doesn’t literally rain dolla bills around you, you’ll have a smile on your face.
2. Understand what you’re really selling
Ask these guys what they’re selling and they won’t tell you their ridiculously cut bodies or a night of fun. They’re selling the dream. The idea that a woman can receive that kind of attention from a man when she might not be getting it elsewhere. The emotional reaction – the gold that converts perusers to buyers. In a rather humorous discussion in the movie, one of the guys refers to them as healers. While it elicits a laugh, this is a guy who truly gets the power of what he’s doing. They make women smile, laugh, and feel better. What’s more healing than that?
3. Know how to monetize and package it
Obviously there’s the dolla dolla bills. Then enters Jada Pinkett Smith’s character. A serious #girlboss right there. Turns out Ms. Smith here has created a club with a monthly membership fee where women can come to enjoy themselves. So this lady isn’t just getting the tsunami of $1 bills, she’s getting a bigger slice. And she’s created an environment where women are happy to pay it. Smart packaging, smart money, happy customers.
4. Value your clients
A club with a monthly fee means commitment. It means buy in. It means paying for a service and expecting to get what you pay for. And this place wasn’t some back alley strip-mall I hear things rustling around in the dumpsters. This was a serious mansion with all of the trimmings. Beautiful decor (despite it being dimly lit – I mean obviously people, we are still talking male entertainment here), grand fireplaces, big staircases, hardwood floors. An environment where any woman would feel comfortable with a sweaty ripped half naked man grinding up on her in exaggerated motions. (Honestly I would die but that’s a different story). So this ladyboss was serious about her business and serious about delivering a service that would keep her clients happy. That’s respect. That’s understanding that your clients are willing to spend their money with you and you should take that seriously.
The men are also super respectful towards the women they’re dancing for and value them as women, not just as a way to get paid. Which brings us to my favorite lesson of this whole beautiful hot mess….
5. Claim your worthÂ
Jada’s character uses the word Queen with great reverence to her clients. She tells them to own their worth. She tells them to remember they are queens. She tells them to remember just how beautiful they are. Hot damn this movie is actually empowering women to understand their worth!!!! (I would put in more exclamation points but I don’t want to lose focus here.)
And then of course there’s Channing and the boys. Oh the boys. Whew. Hot flash. Anywho, throughout the movie they’re in different scenarios where they are telling women how important they are, how beautiful they are, how to get what they deserve from the men in their life – a HUGE message for women that you should claim your worth. The message here ladies – you are important, you are beautiful, you deserve it. In business, in life, in relationships. Seriously, ladies… claim your f’n worth.
{2 Bonus points worth mentioning – }
6. Support is everywhere but you have to ask for it
There were quite a few moments in the movie where the characters needed help from others. They got it every time. The support is there, but you have to ask. If you don’t ask, people don’t know you need help.
7. Freakin’ have some fun will ya
It’s a movie about male strippers. Sometimes you just gotta get ridiculous.
So ummm I just wrote a whole post about how a movie about male strippers relates to business. Not your typical biz advice I’d say. And yet it totally makes sense for me. I’m not concerned that it’s not professional or doesn’t relate or feminists will think I’ve totally lost my mind (I am a total feminist by the way). This happened in my life, it made sense to me, I thought it’d bring some laughs AND teach some lessons. Fun and done!
Holy cow who would’ve thunk it – Magic Mike XXL was all about my two VERY favorite things to talk about: do what you love and claim your worth (i.e. stop settling out there ladies).
I suggest you see it.
Think of it as research.
{If I haven’t convinced you yet then know that Twitch from So You Think You Can Dance is in it. Hello super crush.}
You’re welcome.
