Walt before Mickey - what I get from the movie..

Assalammu'alaikum family, friends, readers and followers of this blog. I know and well aware that I've been blogging reviews after reviews.. So now, let's just do some reflections.

You know whenever I feel low on business or on a personal level, I tend to turn to inspiring real life people to find good examples or find something to relate to and learn as I watch.

Last weekend, I picked Walt Before Mickey on Netflix and watched it. I truly enjoy the whole show. It truly somewhat allow me to sit back and take notes on most part. Like how Walt Disney talk to Ub Iwerkz into opening their own company, to start their own animation and comic strips. How he used all the money he had to get a place to start, start employing, with that little knowledge he had of business and finances, and ran into debts and trouble keeping up with finances, failing to pay his staffs and rents. I think it is common even today.

In this era of entrepreneurship, we have a lot of brave people with less knowledge. They brave up, use the money they have and open a business. They quickly rent a shop without studying trends or even making a name or rapport to get followers/fans or investors. Much less research on a company name or branding. We see month in month out, tenants come in and out of a shop space. It is not really that they don't do well, they do, at least I feel they do.. Just that they lacked knowledge to run the business well, to keep up with finances and to discipline themselves to budget.

This is something Walt Disney was not good at. He knew it will take time to make money, but he did not set a budget for anything and often overspend in manpower. And due to his lack of knowledge back then, his staffs including himself are all-rounders. Doing everything and not focused in one task/department, thus draining energy to focus on important things that can make the money roll, and to catch opportunities.

Swirling down, Walt lost his home due to non-payment of rent, and slept the night in his studio. Although his friends and staffs stood by him and handed him some cash to tide over, the studio too had to be evicted soon after and was handed over a letter of bankruptcy. And he had to release all his staffs and belongings.

Through many days without money, he still stood in faith that his work will be appreciated one day. He knew his talents and found a new place to start anew. He spend days watching how other company work, and discovered how they have departments doing a specific task and that task only, passing on the work to another team to do another task and he wanted to implement this in his new company. He also realized he was not good with finance and asked his brother if he would be willing to jump on board. Roy Disney agreed after some conditions stated, and Walt Disney quickly got in touch with Ub Iwerkz and all his previous staff to get back together and produce a new series.

While he was better this time, he is tested yet again. His hardwork and pride was copyrighted by the person who is financing his company. He has nothing to his name, and limited to only sell to Charles Mintz. Although he humbled down and decide to create a new character for Mintz who eventually talked out most of his staffs to leave and work with them instead, pushing Walt into the corner, with just Roy, Ub, Edna and Lilian (his wife) to work without Mintz's help.

That is when Mickey Mouse was born.. It take a lot to be successful. A lot of test, failures, and hair pulling situations, with everyone walking out on you and all the likes. If you are strong to stand tall after all that, success may come sooner or later. It will. Have faith, and fight on.

My business? I don't know where I will lead it to as yet, but I want it to grow, however limited I get. Until then, I will keep in mind this story of Walt Disney before Mickey Mouse came along...

In the making,
Jun the Creative Director

Wassalam