In this YouTube video, Evan Carmichael profiles Beyoncé as a model entrepreneur, outlining her biography and three actionable lessons for business owners. He begins with her early life in Houston, her discovery of singing talent, and the formation of the girl group Destiny’s Child, which sold 60 million records. Carmichael then presents Lesson #1 – Follow Your Passion – showing how Beyoncé’s love for music drove her from school talent shows to global superstardom. Lesson #2 – Model Success – details the many artists and public figures (Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Jay‑Z, Michelle Obama, Oprah, etc.) she studied and emulated to refine her craft and business mindset. Lesson #3 – Partner Up – highlights her strategic collaborations with family, record labels, brands (American Express, Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Topshop), fellow musicians, and her husband Jay‑Z, illustrating the power of alliances. The video intersperses Beyoncé’s own quotes about breaking away from her father’s management, taking creative control, and building her own enterprises, reinforcing the three lessons. Carmichael closes with a call to action for viewers to apply these principles and suggests future entrepreneur profiles.
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She's one of the best-selling artists of all time. She's won 20 Grammy Awards and is the most nominated woman in the awards history. Time magazine listed her as one of the most influential people in the world. She's Beyoncé, and today we're going to look at her story and the top 3 lessons that you can learn from her success. Hi, I'm Evan Carmichael. I believe in entrepreneurs. I also believe that the fastest way to reach any goal you have is to find someone who's already accomplished it and model their success. So today we're going to look at Beyoncé and her path to success. Lesson #1: Follow your passion. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born in Houston, Texas. Her parents were a hairdresser and salon owner and a Xerox sales manager. Her talent for singing was discovered when her school dance instructor hummed a song and she finished it, hitting all the high notes. She loved music and went on to win her high school talent show at age 7, beating out 15 and 16-year-olds by singing John Lennon's "Imagine." To continue following her passion for music, she enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a school known for its music program, joined school and church choirs, and entered into talent competitions. At age 8, she and childhood friend Kelly Rowland met LaTavia Robertson while at an audition for an all-girl group which became Girls Tyme. They rapped and danced at shows in Houston and were eventually picked up by a producer who put them in Star Search, the nation's largest talent show. The group later changed its name to Destiny's Child based on a passage in the Book of Isaiah and went on to sell 60 million records. Beyoncé didn't sing because she wanted to become rich. She sang because she loved it, and she followed that passion to become rich. Follow your passion. Always. Lesson #2 is model success. When she was 5 years old, Beyoncé went to her first ever concert. It was a Michael Jackson concert, and she says that she realized her purpose at that concert. When she gave him a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, she said, "If it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never even have performed." She learned from Diana Ross, who was an all-around entertainer. She looked up to Whitney Houston, who she said inspired me to get up there and do what she did. She said that Mariah Carey's song Vision of Love influenced her to practice her vocal runs when she was a child. She also credits Aaliyah, Prince, Lauryn Hill, Donna Summer, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, and others for having an impact on her style and her success. Her album I Am Sasha Fierce was inspired by Jay-Z and Etta James, whose boldness gave her the courage to try out different musical styles and step outside her comfort zone. She looks up to Michelle Obama, who she says proves you can can do it all, and Oprah Winfrey, who she says is the definition of inspiration and a strong woman. She draws inspiration from her husband Jay-Z, his lyrical genius and the obstacles he had to overcome in his life. She admires Jean-Michel Basquiat and draws lyrics from his work, saying, "What I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for every day in music. He is lyrical and raw." She looks up to Madonna for helping her take control of her career, saying, "I think about Madonna and how she took all of the great things she achieved and started the label and developed other artists." but there are not enough of those women. From the age of 5 all the way up to today, Beyoncé modeled the strategies of people she looked up to to become a better artist, person, and entrepreneur. Model success. Lesson #3: Partner up. Beyoncé's first big success came by partnering up with other girls to form Destiny's Child. She partnered with her father to manage the band. She partnered with Columbia Records to promote her music. She partnered with American Express and Pepsi to increase her exposure. When she went into her solo career, she partnered with Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Shakira, Lady Gaga, and others to create new music and reach new audiences. She partnered with Tommy Hilfiger to create fragrance lines. She partnered with Topshop to create a streetwear clothing line. She partnered with her mom to create House of Dereon, a contemporary women's fashion line. She partnered with her husband Jay-Z to launch Tidal, a music streaming service. Whether she partnered with friends, family, companies, or investors, Beyoncé realized that she couldn't do everything herself. Stop trying to do everything yourself and partner up.
As far back as I can remember, I was a performer, a singer and a dancer. But now that I'm older, there are things that I want to say in my art. But that meant I had to make a very tough decision. I've been managed by my father for a very long time, and a real change meant separating from him. It was scary, but it empowered me. And I wasn't going to let fear stop me.
Here we go!
It was very risky for me to step out on my own. I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time. Being a young woman, I wanna set the example that it's possible for us to own our own businesses and own our own record labels. And sometimes we don't reach for the stars. Sometimes we— are satisfied with what people tell us we're supposed to be satisfied with, and I'm just not going for it. I was here. I lived. Morning. I loved. I was here. I did. I've done. Does everybody know who everybody is? All right. I'm Beyoncé, and I'm the president. So I just wanted to have a creative meeting. And figure out, you know, what the next direction will be. I booked the studio myself and paid for the studio myself, and I just had fun. I just did whatever I wanted to do.
So remember, follow your passion, model success, and partner up, and you could be on your way to making your mark on this world as well. And of course, believe. Thank you guys so much for watching. I made this video because Chelsea Hilton asked me to. I'd love to know what you guys think of Beyoncé in the comments below, and if you want me to do a profile of a different entrepreneur, leave it in the comments just like Chelsea did, and I'll see what I can do. Thank you so much for watching. I'll see you soon.
