Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Every once in a while there’s a generational thinker that emerges from the most unlikely of places.
Someone capable of straddling the complexities of new industries without losing their grasp on historical and cultural perspectives. A person willing to forge new paths in new ways toward a brighter future for all.
Ed Catmull is one such generational thinker.
As co-founder of Pixar and later as President of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Ed played a key role in shaping a unique company culture of collaboration and creativity. He’s a mastermind of innovation, a pioneer of groundbreaking technology, and a leader when it comes to using great storytelling to forge a better world.
If you’ve ever been captivated by the beloved films Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, and my personal favorite, WALL-E, you have Ed to thank for that.
“If you don’t try to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill-prepared to lead.”
– ED CATMULL
Today we discuss the leadership and management principles that built Pixar’s unique and successful studio. More specifically, we talk about the insights that have fueled Ed’s career, the workplace practices he leverages to build creative teams, and his personal philosophy of embracing failure as a path to growth.
We also dive into his fascinating life journey, one that included both personal and professional relationships with George Lucas and Steve Jobs.
There is so much to be learned from his story, including some wild industry insights during his stewardship at Pixar and Disney, where he navigated through the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, all while delivering blockbuster after blockbuster, and garnering eighteen Academy Awards along the way.
This is the stuff of legend.
The visually inclined can watch this one on YouTube or Spotify. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts.
If you’re a creator or manager of any kind, or if you’re simply looking to glean wisdom from one of the most fascinating and accomplished people alive, then you’re in for a treat.
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
Peace + Plants,
Listen, Watch, & Subscribe
For 1000s of delicious, customized plant-based recipes & so much more, check out our Plantpower Meal Planner.
Seed: Stewarding the future of how we will use bacteria to restore and sustain human and planetary health, Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic combines 24 clinically verified and naturally-occurring, probiotic strains with plant-based prebiotics. Visit seed.com/RichRoll and use code ROLL for 30% OFF your first order.
On: Swiss engineering at it’s finest, On crafts high-performance shoes and apparel crafted for comfort and style. Tested by world-class athletes, this gear is built to go the distance, so you can go all out, outdoors. Check out On’s incredible lineup and my top picks at on.com/RICHROLL.
Indeed knows that when you’re doing everything for your company, you can’t afford to overspend on hiring. With Indeed you only pay for quality applications that meet your criteria. There are no long-term contracts and Indeed gives you full control so you only pay for what you need. Start hiring now with a 75$ SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at indeed.com/RICHROLL. Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for a limited time.
AG1: 75 whole food sourced ingredients designed to optimize 5 key areas of health, AG1 is the delicious daily habit that sets you up for a healthy future. I take the packets everywhere I go. Invest in your health without compromise! Go to: drinkag1.com/richroll to get a FREE year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs ofAG1 with your first purchase.
Faherty Brand: Makers of well-crafted, laid-back, earth-friendly premium clothes meant to outfit you for life’s great moments. Faherty Brand is offering an exclusive offer of 20% OFF your first order when you use the promo code RICHROLL at checkout. Visit FahertyBrand.com/RICHROLL to check out my style selects.
Athletic Brewing crafts great tasting NA brews and refreshments you can enjoy anytime and anywhere, with no worries and best of all, no hangovers. Athletic brews a variety of styles including IPAs, goldens, extra dark brews, sours, hazys, and more—delivered right to your door. Try Athletic Brewing Co’s non-alcoholic brews for yourself at athleticbrewing.com and use code RICHROLL to get 15% OFF your first order. Near beer. Exclusions and conditions apply.
- Connect with Ed: X
- Book: Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
- IMDb: Ed Catmull
- Fast Company: Where Flexible Offices Meet Culinary Experiences
- PUCK: The Troubling Pixar Paradox
- MIT: Why Pixar founder Ed Catmull wants you to ‘fail the elevator test’
- Harvard Business Review: How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity
- The Wall Street Journal: Pixar’s Ed Catmull Believes in Stepping Into Change
There are a few simple ways you can support the show and the content we strive to craft and share every single week
Subscribe & Review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Spotify). This helps tremendously!
Patronize Our Sponsors: Supporting the companies that support the show! For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity URLs and discount codes, click the ‘Sponsors’ tab in the ‘Shop’ menu.
Spread The Word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favorite episodes by posting about it on social media.
Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Blake Curtis & Dan Drake for video, & editing; graphics by Jessica Miranda & Daniel Solis; portraits by Davy Greenberg, Grayson Wilder & Gizelle Peters; video clips for social media are created by AJ Akpodiete; copywriting by Georgia Whaley; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
