Comments on: Six Days, Six Best Practices: What I Learned from Walt Disney on My Summer Vacation http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/ Follow SocialGrow as it takes its social networking software application from concept to production Thu, 05 May 2011 05:47:01 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Marsh Sutherland http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Marsh Sutherland Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:53:51 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-139 Renee, in a service business, keeping your employees happy and making them rabid evangelists is the best foundation upon which to deliver great service. It's actually cyclical as many of the employees I met there grew up being annual visitors to Disney World. So happiness begets happiness! Renee, in a service business, keeping your employees happy and making them rabid evangelists is the best foundation upon which to deliver great service. It’s actually cyclical as many of the employees I met there grew up being annual visitors to Disney World. So happiness begets happiness!

]]> By: Renee Harris http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-138 Renee Harris Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:03:29 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-138 When I went to school in Southern CA, various friends worked at Disneyland and I was always amazed at how well Disney took care of its employees. They definitely emphasized the "fun" and some little facts would never been known by the average park visitor but behind the scenes, I was told that only certain employees would know the actual name of the person playing certain key characters, like Mickey Mouse, etc. How fun :) Thanks for the inspiration to keep business a fun place to be. When I went to school in Southern CA, various friends worked at Disneyland and I was always amazed at how well Disney took care of its employees. They definitely emphasized the “fun” and some little facts would never been known by the average park visitor but behind the scenes, I was told that only certain employees would know the actual name of the person playing certain key characters, like Mickey Mouse, etc. How fun :) Thanks for the inspiration to keep business a fun place to be.

]]> By: Marsh Sutherland http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Marsh Sutherland Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:14:39 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-135 Hey Ryan, Thanks for the comment! I watched a video about Walt Disney at Disney Hollywood I think and was really blown away by what a truly lean operation he ran and how entrepreneurial he was. He was one of the first animators to make cartoons in Hollywood and did most of the voices himself. And even after winning the Oscar for Snow White he still struggled financially with launching his next project. Pretty amazing story! -Marsh Hey Ryan,

Thanks for the comment!

I watched a video about Walt Disney at Disney Hollywood I think and was really blown away by what a truly lean operation he ran and how entrepreneurial he was. He was one of the first animators to make cartoons in Hollywood and did most of the voices himself. And even after winning the Oscar for Snow White he still struggled financially with launching his next project. Pretty amazing story!

-Marsh

]]> By: Ryan McDermott http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Ryan McDermott Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:54:53 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-134 Great post and insights. I actually just finished reading a Walt Disney biography. I originally wanted to read it simply because I'm a big fan of Disney but got an unexpected entrepreneurial charge from reading about his struggles in the early days. It's hard to picture Disney as a technology start up but this book pointed out that they very much were and had to deal with all the same things that a start up deals with today - raising money, keeping up with cutting edge technology to ensure relevance, recruiting and retaining key talent, negotiating distributuion contracts, etc. Great post and insights. I actually just finished reading a Walt Disney biography. I originally wanted to read it simply because I’m a big fan of Disney but got an unexpected entrepreneurial charge from reading about his struggles in the early days.

It’s hard to picture Disney as a technology start up but this book pointed out that they very much were and had to deal with all the same things that a start up deals with today – raising money, keeping up with cutting edge technology to ensure relevance, recruiting and retaining key talent, negotiating distributuion contracts, etc.

]]> By: Marsh Sutherland http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Marsh Sutherland Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:41:24 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-91 Thanks Lisa. I've seen Cintas trucks everywhere I go and the deliverers / installers seem very happy. Kind of like UPS truck drivers as well. Thanks Lisa. I’ve seen Cintas trucks everywhere I go and the deliverers / installers seem very happy. Kind of like UPS truck drivers as well.

]]> By: How to become a pharmacy technician http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-90 How to become a pharmacy technician Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:31:12 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-90 Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends! Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!

]]> By: Lisa http://socialgrowblog.com/socialgrow-six-days-six-best-practices-what-i-learned-from-walt-disney-on-my-summer-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Lisa Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:10:15 +0000 http://socialgrowblog.com/?p=501#comment-86 Having visited Disney many times while I lived in Florida, it is amazing how consistent they are. Flawless execution, by employees at every level. It really shows you just how far a company culture can carry you, and really transform a customer's experience. Another company that I think does an amazing job in this regard is Cintas- they sell very basic services (floor mats etc), but they do it so well that their employees are very proud to represent the "best" in the industry. Having visited Disney many times while I lived in Florida, it is amazing how consistent they are. Flawless execution, by employees at every level. It really shows you just how far a company culture can carry you, and really transform a customer’s experience. Another company that I think does an amazing job in this regard is Cintas- they sell very basic services (floor mats etc), but they do it so well that their employees are very proud to represent the “best” in the industry.

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