3 Business Lessons From the Jonas Brothers Documentary

I recently watched the Jonas Brothers Documentary “Chasing Happiness” on Amazon Prime, and have been crushing ever since. 

In all seriousness, I can’t stop thinking about how deeply their story relates to my business – and any story of success. 

I got so inspired by this documentary that I wrote an article for Entrepreneur.com called 3 Business Lessons I Learned, Believe It or Not, From Watching the ‘Jonas Brothers’ Documentary.

Sounds a little crazy, huh? I know, I’m an adult, I shouldn’t be gushing over a teen boy band. But the truth is, being inspired by other people’s stories is a practice that brings me joy and power. I LOVE seeing the greatness in others, and highlighting it for the world. I LOVE celebrating success in all of its forms.

So, what was so inspiring about this documentary?

Any time I watch, read, or listen to stories of crazy overnight success like theirs, I want to understand what really happened – because I don’t believe it’s magic. It might LOOK like magic, or luck, but there’s always a deeper story. 

I see this in my own life because my success often looks like magic to other people, or like it happened overnight. When the reality is, building my business has been deeply challenging and demanded my full attention. On the inside, it hasn’t been magic at all – I’ve invested more money  on coaching than I ever dreamed I would spend on anything, I’ve consciously said “YES,” to more discomfort than I ever dreamed I would experience (#rejection #salescalls #ILoveHearingNoNow), and I’ve let go of relationships, stepped into the unknown, and surrendered fully.

Turns out, it was the same for the Jonas Brothers! 

This whole movie was such a lesson for me. But as I watched and reflected on my business, I got three major takeaways that I want to share: 

  1. Authenticity is the key to success.  
  2. Devotion is required for the fulfillment of any big vision. You have to do the work and commit unconditionally – you will be “tested” and if you aren’t all in, you’ll quit and the project (business or band) will fail. 
  3. Deep vulnerability and honest communication are necessary for wealth, fame, and true service in the world.

The Jonas Brothers documentary is a vulnerable telling of these three brother musicians growing up, becoming famous, ending, and renewing. It’s a story of their success – which you guys know I’m a bit obsessed with these days. 

Note: I had never even heard of these guys previously – I saw Sophie Turner talking about marrying some guy named Joe Jonas and had no idea why I should know him. In one evening, the doc turned me into a superfan! We have listened to their new album maybe 10 times in as many days – and I found out that they’re genuinely talented musicians and put in serious effort from a young age. They spent their time learning instruments, practicing, performing on Broadway, doing commercials, and writing songs. They were deeply devoted to the band and so was their family. And they were doing what they loved, together. 

Their authenticity and simple honesty as brothers is why people love them. And their resurgence is more powerful than their first brush with success. 

In the beginning of their story, I was impressed by their effort to build their brand and business. I was sitting there thinking… wow. The Jonas Brothers weren’t a magical overnight success – they really did the work to create their early success. 

And then I was fascinated to learn that when they stopped focusing on the business… things went sideways, and the band collapsed. 

They failed as brothers and as a band – and had to spend a decade recovering.  

Why? 

Over time they stopped prioritizing the band consistently => Their devotion waned. 

They did things that were not aligned for them anymore => They stopped being authentic. 

And they weren’t having honest conversations about it. They didn’t want to be vulnerable, so they hid from each other and from their audience => No honest communication. 

So it all just fell apart.

But… 

They’ve made an amazing comeback! 

How? They returned to doing the things that worked in the first place. They found their authenticity, joy, devotion, and collaboration again. 

And not only did success follow, but with such renewed depth and power that people – like me! – who had never heard of them, turned into overnight fans. 

Living in congruence with their desires and values – then and now – is their key to success. 

Not magic. 

Replace your fantasies – about yourself AND other people – with the truth. The next time you’re thinking that someone’s business just happened overnight and get intimidated… know that they have a long and fascinating backstory too – you just haven’t heard it yet! 

The bottom line? Deeply truthful communication, authenticity, and emotional boldness and vulnerability will grow your business, make people love you MORE, and therefore increase your availability for fame, success, and fulfillment! 

I’d love to know what you think! Watch the documentary and let me know what resonates.

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