Get All Access for $5/mo

How Brian Grazer Started With Modest Means and Made It Big In Hollywood It's possible to start from the bottom and find success, even in old-fashioned and jaded industries.

By Jordan Harbinger

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A lot of people make their way to Hollywood so they can see their names in a blockbuster movie, and then they burn out long before they even earn an entry on iMDb. But some people leverage very modest means and catapult themselves into the jaded old town's pantheon without damaging themselves or others along the way. It sounds like the plot to any number of screenplays a studio mogul might find stacked in a sprawling pile on their desk, except the story is true — and it happened to today's guest.

On this episode we sit down with Brian Grazer, the Academy Award-winning producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment with his partner Ron Howard, together creating films and television shows that have been nominated for 45 Academy Awards and 196 Emmys. He is the author of Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection and co-author (with Charles Fishman) of number one New York Times bestseller, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. Aside from his success on screens big and small, Brain is an incredibly curious person. For the past 30 years, he's made it his mission to meet a new person every week or so, and sit down with them for a very specific curiosity conversation. It sounds a lot like this podcast, in fact.

Watch a preview above, or check out the full episode on The Jordan Harbinger Show YouTube channel here.

Related: How to Build a Crew That Will Help You Navigate Uncharted Waters

Jordan Harbinger

Creator, The Jordan Harbinger Show

Jordan Harbinger is a Wall Street lawyer turned interview talk-show host, and a communications and social dynamics expert. He has hosted a Top 50 iTunes podcast for over 12 years and receives over five million downloads per month, making The Jordan Harbinger Show one of the most popular podcasts in the world. On The Jordan Harbinger Show, Jordan deconstructs the playbooks of the most successful people on earth and shares their strategies, perspectives, and practical insights with the rest of us.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Growing a Business

How to Determine The Ideal Length of Your Marketing Emails Your Customers Will Actually Read

Wondering how long your marketing emails should be? Here's what consumers say — so you can send them exactly what they like.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

New Southwest Airlines Major Investor Wants to Force Out CEO, Slams Company's 'Stubborn Unwillingness to Evolve'

Elliot Investment Management announced a $1.9 billion stake in the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on Monday and is urging shareholders to vote for new leadership.