The man who changed his passion for art into a multi billion dollar media empire, Walter Elias Disney or Walt Disney, as he is popularly known, was an artist, entertainer, film producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. 

The Walt Disney Company, founded by him and valued at approximately $ 130 billion, is the second largest broadcasting and cable company in the world.  Walt Disney managed to shape the childhoods of billions of kids all around the world by giving us our most memorable cartoon characters—Mickey Mouse being the most popular of them all. 

Here are some lessons every entrepreneur can learn from Disney’s life.

1) Follow your passion

The most important lesson entrepreneurs can learn from Walt Disney is to do what you love.  If you are doing it for the money, then it probably won’t last. Walt Disney loved drawings and cartoons so much, he devoted his life to them and amassed a huge empire because of this passion.  There were times when he took up odd jobs just so he could fund his passion.  Because he loved drawings so much, he overcame every hardship which came his way and emerged victorious.  When you do what you love doing, no day feels like work and no hurdle too hard to cross.

2)  Do what they say is impossible

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

— Walt Disney.

When Walt Disney first started his work, thousands of people criticised him, saying that no one would sit through an entire animated feature film.  These comments from people, however, could not stop him because he never ceased to believe in himself or his dreams.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first feature animated film made by Walt Disney and it received a standing ovation at the end of almost every screening.  All the other animated films like Alice In Wonderland, Cinderella and Fantasia, made and produced by Disney, proved to be huge successes, especially among children.  Apart from this, he was also told a theme park with a mouse as its central character would scare people and no one would be interested in it.  Thanks to Walt Disney’s self belief, today we have Disneyland and Mickey Mouse is known across the world. 

3) Try one more time

Walt Disney was one such person who faced a lot of failure and rejection in his initial days.  His first animation studio, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, which was home to many pioneers of animation, never made any notable profits.  At a point in his life, he became penniless, lost his studio, his creators and his equipment, but one thing he never lost was his willpower to try again.  From this willpower of his came the world’s most loved cartoon character—Mickey Mouse. 

4) Be a risk taker

Walt Disney as an entrepreneur was never afraid to take risks.  There were many instances where the future of the entire Walt Disney Company depended on whether the new venture he took up was successful or not.  The riskiest idea he ever ventured into was Disneyland. Many people, including his brother turned business partner Roy O. Disney, urged him to give up on the idea.  If Disneyland failed, the entire Company would be shut down, but Disney took the risk.  Today, Disneyland is one of the most profitable theme parks in the world.  

5) Never settle

Disney created Mickey Mouse and it became a huge success, but he did not stop there.  He went on to create Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and other iconic characters. What made The Walt Disney Company a multi billion dollar empire is the fact Walt never stopped improving.  After one accomplishment, he would go on to another and then another. He never settled after just one accomplishment. Always look for ways to improve yourself and your business. 

Walt Disney, who started from humble beginnings, became a business mogul and an animation pioneer.  His journey is nothing less than remarkable.  

We hope you found these lessons helpful.  If you did, comment and let us know.