Portman goes from "E" to "B"

I've always said so—if you really want control over your life, you have to start thinking and acting like a business owner, and not like an employee.

It's not enough to be a well-paid employee... since your career is still run by others' decisions, which can frequently become frustrating. Evidently, Natalie Portman has learned that lesson the hard way:

Impatient Portman Turns Producer
Actress Natalie Portman formed her own production company after growing tired of waiting around for movie offers to land in her mail box. The 26-year-old actress found the process frustrating and that scripts being offered to her were inconsistent—so she decided to take her career into her own hands and form HandsomeCharlie Films. Portman says, "It is proactive. It gives you more control over creating things, as opposed to having to get hired every single time. After you've worked for so long, it's kind of annoying to have to be dependent in that way. I've been working 15 years and I know some years I get everything first and some years I read only uninteresting parts. I didn't want to be at the mercy of whoever is making those decisions. Having your own company is a nice way to concentrate your ideas and make the kinds of movies you want to see."