No, this article isnât an in-depth analysis on the exact royalty compensation Jerry has received for over three decades from the crowned TV show in his name.
And donât hate on me that I havenât watched a single episode either. I was born in 2000. Cut me some slack.
Itâs hard to believe that a handful of entertainers are near billionaire status. Majority of them seem to go broke, helpfulness, clueless, spoiled and a become total disasters after their big break.
Itâs hard to attain this amount of wealth but itâs even harder to keep it.
Thereâs truly nothing like showbiz. It is by far the most competitive, grueling, negative, anxiety ridden industry on the planet. Hollywood sure isnât glamorous behind the scenes.
Behind the Scenes
Every time you walk on that stage or show up to work each day, you are ridiculed and judged based on how you present yourself through a few castings. Nothing about your experience, age, people you know matter or projects youâve done in the past really matter. Itâs all luck, prep and timing.
Thatâs why a majority of entertainers from Ryan Seacrest to Jennifer Anniston are seen everywhere snagging every opportunity shoved in their face. They work around the clock because no job lasts forever and is replaceable anytime. Slots are based on looks, popularity and attention in the moment. If the audience wants someone fresh on their screens, they demand it and they get it fast!
Compared to other industries, in the entertainment space, opportunities come in contracts not severances, tenures or titles so entertainers must be quick on their feet, perform when 9â5 jobs are asleep and have to take advantage of everything that is provided to them or else there may be nothing left ever again.
Iâm sure you can think of more celebrities that were hot in the moment, on the front page of Hollywood Fix and then were never seen again than those that lasted a few decades. Compared to other industries, there are roles for everyone and replicas are common and in fact, recommended to get the job done. Letâs say you worked in finance and were laid off by Bear Sterns in â08. At that time, you wouldâve just had to hop on over to any of the dozens of other competitors and do the same job there.
Hollywood doesnât want replicas.
When starting out in this demanding cut-throat environment, you are a mice looking for cheese. You need to get your name out ASAP so people can find you not your product this time.
Thereâs nothing easy about this business but once you find your lucky break, your career can skyrocket. Itâs certainly been a bumpy but exhilarating and rewarding ride for Jerry.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end and success always comes with downsides, especially when a celebrity doesnât have a clue about personal finance. Majority of celebrities to athletes donât have a college degree since they relied on their good looks, prime age, parents, innate talent and home town to cheer them on and get their foot in the door.
Lack of education is the biggest risk you can take since the wealthier you are, the more educated you tend to be.
Without personal finance, money controls you you donât control it which gets 80% of these hot pop-stars in trouble. It doesnât have to be everything but it is part of everything.
These stars become addicted to the cycle of lifestyle inflation and cannot control their spending, saving nor comprehend the basics of the stock market. They hire top-name advisors to invest their millions and have no idea if they are acting in their best interest with an appropriate risk tolerance right for them or hiking up fees to earn more commission than what the client is earning themself!
Thankfully, there are a few well-educated celebrities in this crowded space that we can look up to. Rare but they exist and Jerry is one of them. He has not only amassed incredible robust success over his 40+ year career, his wallet has exploded too and he still works hard with a net worth of $950 million because of a simple approach.
Just Jerry
In the entertainment space, if preparation meets opportunity at the prime time, everything will fall into place. Thatâs my definition of success.
Companies will eventually start to notice you and want your face to their brand. Jerry has not only capitalized on that front with his franchise, TV show, and comedy career, he has let it empower him to keep working because he didnât come this far to only come this far.
A true sign of wealth and passion is if you can do something even when itâs free. Jerry started comedy as a teen earning nothing. His paycheck started to surmount to millions from his big break on TV. Fast forwarding 3 decades later, his wealth is largely composed of deals for example with Netflix paying $500 million for the global streaming rights to Seinfeld. From the classic television series in his name to word-class standup comedian paying him $200k to speak a night, he is one of the few billionaires in Hollywood that has stayed humble, charming, down-to earth, and keeps going.
Jerry is beyond successful. Character, patience and focus have truly helped him but beyond that are key differntiatiors that help set him apart.
Jerryâs Jokes
 âConsistency increases capacityâ Jerry proclaims!
Seinfeld is famous for his joke-writing routine. He sits down daily to write a list of jokes. He acknowledges that most will be bad but a handful will be good. Consistency and practice is key to anything. Nothing special.
Iâve found in my ventures to studies at school, consistency is by far the best tool. Itâs the easiest way to beat out competition because just like in the market, time means more than timing the charts. Through unwavering commitment and dedication anything is possible and I wish people would have the attention span on a retired chess player instead of a bored toddler.
Itâs embarrassing how easily we quit. I canât even image how much people would get done if they had a little more patience, grit and determination. Itâs free yet painful without any immediate reward in the short term which truly kills most. The earlier you can learn to tame those emotions and instant feedback loop, the better youâll be in life since overnight success surely doesnât last nor exist.
More often than not, consistency has helped me produce my best work and without it, I wouldnât get far. When I first started writing and creating, Boiled Not Fried, like most things in the starting stages, it was a royal mess. For proof, feel free to scroll down to my first few articles from a year ago when I started. From the display images to awkward fragmenting and use of words, Iâm proud to say I was a horrendous writer as my middle school teacher convinced me of yet through commitment and dedication, I kept prating, generating ideas, planning out my writing, reading other bloggers and just continued because I believe no one should ever quit due to a lack of effort because effort requires no skill.
If youâre tired, take a break. Donât quit, especially when youâre young.
The easiest way to build rapport is to just show up.
According to Jerry:
âIf I donât do a (standup) set in two weeks, I feel it. I read an article a few years ago that said when you practice a sport a lot, you literally become a broadband: the nerve pathway in your brain contains a lot more information. As soon as you stop practicing, the pathway begins shrinking back down. Reading that changed my life. I used to wonder, âWhy am I doing these sets, getting on a stage? Donât I know how to do this already?â The answer is no. You must keep doing it. The broadband starts to narrow the moment you stop.â
Simple But Powerful
Consistency is key.
Most people quit due to lack of patience and effort nothing else.
What if consistency was the only way you would make it but you had no time frame?
Would you still continue?
Most wouldnât since they are eager for results and thatâs whatâs holding them back.
Since you canât control nor predict much in life, stay consistent, patient and dedicated to your craft. If it doesnât lead to anything at least know youâve built the stamina to continue, adjust and improve for next time. Nothing will be perfect and there are a very few things you can control except how hard and consistently you work.
Thatâs why entrepreneurs would be the best in the corporate setting. They are the most hardworking, diligent, courageous and open-minded people on earth. Just because youâve gone through failure doesnât make you a failure. It means you tried harder than most who wait to be told. Read here why entrepreneurs are seen are harmful in the workforce.
To become a better leader you need to engage, interact, talk, get out there, be embarrassed and uncomfortable every day not just once a month. Donât look at new adventures as a threat. Instead they should be seen a curious experiment to find out more about yourself.
Ask questions, ask for input, sit alone, expand your horizons and your leadership will expand and brands will chase after you overtime. Youâre always selling yourself and the best way to do so is by continuing.
Never loose sight of that.
Your effort is all in your control.
Just do Jerry.