By Paul Batura, LifeNews, March 31, 2022
LifeNews Note: Paul J. Batura is a writer and vice president of communications for Focus on the Family. He’s authored numerous books including “Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption Changes the World,” “Good Day! The Paul Harvey Story” and “Mentored by the King: Arnold Palmer’s Success Lessons for Golf, Business, and Life.” …
Washington, DC – Sitting behind his wooden desk inside his Burbank-based Suite 3H office back in 1961, Walt Elias Disney – the founder and chairman of the burgeoning company bearing his name – was asked if he could share the formula for the empire’s wild success.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “I guess I’m an optimist. I’m not in the business to make unhappy pictures. I love comedy too much. I’ve always loved comedy. Another thing. Maybe it’s because I can still be amazed at the wonders of the world.”
Within five years, Walt Disney would be dead, never living to see the opening of the company’s second park and resort in Orlando. At the time of his death in December of 1966, Walt’s shoestring enterprise, born after a series of failures, was valued at $100 million. As of last year, the company’s revenues exceeded $67 billion.
But all that glitters is not gold – and the true health of a company is not only calculated in dollars, but how it helps or hurts the people it serves.
On that score, few companies have fallen as far as the once wonderful world of Disney – which is anything but wonderful today.