Four Ways Acting Skills Helped Me Succeed as an Entrepreneur…

• March 31, 2024
• realestate
• Business & Markets, General, Real Estate, Your Real Estate Life

By Jerry Rosengarten

I’ve always loved acting. Perhaps it’s because, as a child, I struggled with dyslexia, and reading aloud was an ordeal. But memorizing lines and delivering them to applause was pure magic.

Yet, despite my passion for acting, I never pursued it as a full-time career. The uncertainty and risk associated with life in the performing arts led me down a different path. Instead, I dabbled in acting classes and community theater, taking on roles in plays like “The Typists,” “The Tiger,” “Hello Out There!” and “Death of a Salesman.” During this time, I had the incredible fortune of being trained by none other than the master who had also shaped the talents of iconic actors such as Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.

Fast forward to my life as an entrepreneur.  I would never have imagined that my love for acting would become the secret ingredient for great success as a serial entrepreneur, first in the fashion industry — where I created the leisure suit, earning the nickname “Mr. Knit” — then as a real estate developer, a restaurateur and a solar farm pioneer.

Here are four of the ways my acting experience has played a pivotal role in shaping my entrepreneurial journey — which I talk about in my new book Jump on the Train: A Dyslexic Entrepreneur’s 50-Year Ride From The Leisure Suit to the Bowery Hotel and a New York Solar Farm[1] .

Boosting Negotiating Skills

One Friday night when I was knee-deep in the construction of a Medical building I was developing, I received an urgent call from the building’s manager, who was anything but pleased. He yelled into the phone, “You can’t use the elevator; it’s closed!” I quickly explained that if I didn’t get it operational that day, it would be a two-week wait for delivery, a delay that would be disastrous.

Yet, his response was a stern refusal. I started to plead, and this back-and-forth went on for what seemed like an eternity.  So I reached my acting training, and took a dramatic turn: I began to cry.  Not a subtle sniffle, but loud, heart-wrenching sobs over the phone. It was a performance, I must admit, but it was a performance born of desperation.

To my surprise, the manager caved in as if a ton of bricks had just fallen on him. The elevator, which had been off-limits moments earlier, was suddenly at my disposal.  While I’m not particularly proud of this episode, it serves as a stark example of how acting, even when used sparingly and strategically, can make a significant impact in negotiations and getting what you need.

Encouraging Continuous Self-Critique and Improvement

In the world of acting, constant self-critique and improvement are not just encouraged, but essential. This practice became ingrained in me, and I carried it over into my business endeavors. Just as an actor strives to enhance their performance, I believe that in business, we should always seek ways to improve, adapt, and grow.

Revealing Authenticity

Acting also taught me how to see people for who they truly are. When you start role-playing with individuals who are unaware of it, you disarm them, forcing them to reveal their authentic selves. This skill has proven invaluable in various aspects of business, from negotiating deals to selecting the right partners. Authenticity, I learned, is a powerful currency.

Perfecting the Poker Face

At one point while growing the iconic leisure suit business I’d launched, I was searching more suitable office space than the ad hoc collection of apartments we were operating from. Fate led me to the MGM building on 55th Street. Upon arriving, I approached one of the doormen and inquired if there was any available office space. To my astonishment, I learned that MGM was in the process of relocating to Las Vegas, leaving their executive offices on the twenty-first floor vacant.

Now, the price they quoted me for this prime real estate was almost too good to be true. Ten-thousand square feet, priced at just $3 a foot. While my inner self was buzzing with disbelief at this low price, I outwardly maintained a calm and composed demeanor: my poker face.

I promptly requested to see the space and — poker face intact — informed the building manager that the initial price exceeded my budget. As we ascended to the 21st floor, I steeled myself for the worst. But stepping out of the elevator, I was met with a sight that was nothing short of spectacular. The reception area was beautifully appointed, fully finished, and exuded the grandeur of big-league executive offices you might see in the movies—MGM movies, to be precise.

I ended up negotiating a bare-bones lease price for premier NYC office space. I was even able to purchase all the fine MGM furniture that remained there for a song. In the end, this move catapulted our fledgling business into the stratosphere. Quickly.

While it’s true that I didn’t pursue acting as my primary career, My love for acting not only added depth to my life but also became a strategic advantage in my entrepreneurial ventures. It’s a reminder that the skills we develop in unexpected places can often be our greatest assets in the business world.