Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes and 8 other Hollywood leaders on how to negotiate
This story first appeared in the 2015 Women in Entertainment issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Compensation isn't the only thing you have to fight for in the entertainment business (or any business). Here, women from THR's Power 100 offer their top dealmaking tips (including: "Have a sense of humor," says Disney's Bernardine Brandis).
"Start with clarity of intention. Know yours and your opponent's. Make every deal a win-win. Otherwise, you lose long term." - OWN's Oprah Winfrey
"Never enter a negotiation you are unwilling to walk away from. If you aren't willing to walk away, you are not a negotiator -; you are simply a very cheap date." - Producer/Showrunner Shonda Rhimes
"Don't tell anyone your negotiating tips." - Netflix's Cindy Holland
"It's not personal! It's business. Emotion rarely closes a deal." - Fox TV's Dana Walden
"Make sure both sides leave the table feeling a bit smug because they both believe they've won." - NBCUniversal's Bonnie Hammer
"I wave my hand and say, 'These are not the droids you are looking for.' " - FX's Nicole Clemens
"If someone says no, you're talking to the wrong person." - Reality TV Matriarch Kris Jenner
Read More: Giants of the Industry: How Tall Are the Women in Charge?
"Don't be transactional -- do research and make a compelling case and play nice. You will meet again." - CAA's Maha Dakhil
"Don't undersell yourself. When I was interviewing for a job at Guber/Peters, Roger Birnbaum took me to drinks and asked me how much I would like to make. I said, 'Maybe $25,000?' He said OK. I had undersold myself." - Fox's Stacey Snider
"Don't be an asshole." - Producer Nina Jacobson
Check out more from Oprah Winfrey in the gallery below!
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