Transcript
0:01 My my model of business is the Beatles. Uh I you know, they were four very talented guys, four guys who who kept each others kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the sum was greater that the total was greater than the sum of the parts. And that's how I see business. You know, great great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a They're done by a team of people. I like the Beatles.
0:27 I hadn't heard that before. Beatles as a business model. Well, you know, when the Beatles when they were together, they did truly brilliant innovative work. And when they split up, they did good work, but it was it it it it was never the same. And I I see business that way, too. It's really always a team. As a person, what's your biggest strength? I've been very lucky in in um I've been very lucky in in meeting incredibly talented people.
0:56 And uh and and hanging out with them. And so that's been my greatest strength. And what's your biggest weakness? Um I I don't know. I'm Others could probably tell you that even better than me. Well, but you you you converse with yourself from time to time. Yeah. You know, I I think all of us all of us need to be on guard against arrogance which uh which knocks at the door whenever you're successful.
1:30 Have you lived through that? Oh, sure. For sure. Now, by that correct me if I'm wrong you had an incredible high with the initial success of Apple. And then other competitors get in and um it's sobering. Well, as you you may know, I was basically fired from Apple when I was 30 and was invited to come back 12 years later. So so that was that was a difficult when it happened, but maybe the best thing that ever happened to me.
2:02 There wouldn't be a Pixar if that hadn't have happened. And uh so you know, you just you move on. Life goes on and you learn from it. You were fired from Apple when you were 30. Asked to come back when you were what? 42? Did you think at that moment, how sweet it is? No, I I thought at that moment um what a you know, what a circle of life. You know, life is is just always mysterious and surprising and you never know what's around the next corner. So
Summary
- The Beatles serve as a model for effective teamwork in business, demonstrating that great achievements come from collaboration.
- Success in business is often a collective effort rather than the result of a single individual.
- The speaker attributes their strength to surrounding themselves with talented people.
- Arrogance can be a danger that successful individuals must guard against.
- The speaker's experience of being fired from Apple at 30 was a pivotal moment that led to personal growth and the creation of Pixar.
- Life is unpredictable, and setbacks can lead to unexpected opportunities and insights.