How To Succeed In Business: 4 Things You Can Learn From Disney

Disney has achieved success and fame through its original creations and their film adaptations. In addition to that, it also became famous for its perseverance. Despite the ups and downs it experienced, Disney was able to succeed and become popular across countries.

Disney took on a couple of approaches to get to where it is now. In case you are curious about these approaches, the list below can give you a clearer idea on how to succeed in business based on Disney’s strategies.

The Disney Method

The name “Disney” means several things to people. Some people refer to it as a magic castle while others relate Disney to stocks and media moguls.

In reality, behind the magic and shares in stocks, Disney is made of hard working employees and complex technology. From educating AI to creating a one-legged robot, Disney’s employees try their best to influence a lot of people.

To better understand the Disney Method, here’s a quick breakdown of its basic principles:

Archive everything

Even by Hollywood’s standards, Frozen was a huge success. Raking in $1.2 billion and becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of all time, Frozen took the world by storm.

Despite its success, the movie also experienced struggles. Its inspiration, “The Snow Queen,” proved to be so difficult to adapt that Walt Disney, himself, could not do it. The idea stagnated for roughly seventy years and was eventually shelved.

Disney designers went back to the concept several years later and made a couple of changes to the original story. After a series of revision and brainstorming,  the story that seemed impossible at first became a success.

If you’re feeling frustrated about your idea, don’t let go of it completely. Perhaps, it just isn’t the time for it yet. Hold on to that idea, archive it and work on something else for a while.

After some time, with new thoughts and inspirations, you can get back to it for improvement.

Remove friction

With Frozen’s incredible climb to the top, you might be wondering how exactly can you achieve success. Money certainly plays a part but so does relevance. In addition to these things, success can also be attained with mastery and innovation.

In the case of Frozen, Disney not only proved they could master CGI, writing, and music, but they pushed their limits. By making Elsa a heroine rather than a villain, by using the best technology available, Disney successfully created a new story.

That’s just one example. Disney is constantly using its available resources and pushing for new innovations.

For instance, the company recently released an algorithm which simplifies the green screen process, a technology on which modern film has come to rely. Additionally, Disney redesigned their theme parks in the last few years, making them more user-friendly.

These are two innovations are the two changes that make Disney a lot more successful than it already was.

If you are noticing issues with your own work or you are having troubles meeting deadlines, think about what changes you can implement. Once you are able to push with these changes, you’ll find it easier to resolve issues and simplify your workload.

See Also: 5 Things You Need To Get Rid Of To Become Successful In Life

Form a community

Modern professionals, especially freelancers, may frequently find themselves working alone, remotely, and without a traditional team. Even if you are successful with these things, you should still consider forming a community.

Why? A community can challenge and grow you.

In fact, Pixar’s philosophy involves creative people, leeway and support, and honest feedback. In short, Pixar believes achievement is possible through consistent and genuine group work.

With this in mind, make an effort to support others while also seeking advice. No matter your situation or process, you can’t always do it alone. Form a support group who cares about your ideas as much as you.

Democracy is another concept Pixar stands behind wholeheartedly. For instance, as films are being developed, Pixar frequently has screenings with its employees—all employees, no matter the position.

See Also: How to Save Your Startup by Hiring the Right People

Prepare to fail

It’s important to remember that failure is part of any creative endeavor. Keep in mind that no plan will work all the time and that there is no formula for a perfect film, social app, or state-of-the-art website.

We have seen Walt Disney’s failures, like Song of the South, Home on the Range, and other pictures that eventually got forgotten. Before these setbacks, he got fired as a young man for his lack of creativity, went bankrupt and released an utter flop, a movie called Fantasia, during his prime.

Even Disney’s golden child, Pixar, endured obstacles. The company virtually had to remake Toy Story 2 in just nine months and The Good Dinosaur’s release date had to be postponed due to internal issues.

If you look closely, you’ll find Disney’s reign riddled with errors. In contrast, you’ll also find The Walt Disney Company has made strides in technology, art, and business. Though it may sound cliche, Disney truly succeeded because of its failures.

Ending Thoughts

As a professional, your career will most likely be the same. You may take the wrong criticism, pick the wrong client, and burn bridges with the wrong co-worker. You may even feel stressed out trying to understand how to succeed in business. You’ll fail at some point and that’s okay.

While you can’t succeed all the time, you can work diligently to develop ideas, be innovative, surround yourself with smart people, and simply keep going. And while you’re slugging it out and persevering, there are plenty of Disney movies to brighten your day.