Disney Brand Loyalty Keynote Speaker
Five daily blogs about life's 5 big choices on five different sites.
Work…
If i could learn well, contribute well, and teach well…
Perfect.
So i dedicated, and continue to dedicate, my daily efforts to learn well, contribute well, and teach well.
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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.
Dear Son,
Shit you didn’t know…
How could you?
You were just a kid.
What you didn’t know is…
How being your dad inspired and guided everything i did (and why i did it)…
Told you High School freshman year you had to get involved in some after school activity. Never told you what it needed to be other than it was with a group of others that met daily after school.
You didn’t during first semester. And i didn’t make you.
But i insisted you do it second semester.
Further, i reminded you that you could pick anything you wanted.
And i also revealed that if you didn’t pick, i would pick for you.
And i would pick track and field.
Why?
Not because i wanted you to become a runner.
But because track and field offered many different choices.
You picked Shot Put.
Which i thought was a brilliant choice.
Coach Sharrod Williams talked you into cross-country to start your sophomore year.
Never saw that coming.
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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.
If Disney ran your life…
How can you be qualified to lead an expedition if you cannot explain ‘true north” and why it’s the most important thing?
How can you start by focusing on ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do it’ when you don’t know “true north”?
Oh wait, people do it this way because that’s how most do it.
In my 25-year keynote speaking and business advising career, inside 2,000 different organizations to varying degrees of depth and breadth, i witnessed only 1/1000 (yes, thousandth) know why they exist.
Side note: Disney and Advent Health (formerly Florida Hospital) are the only two. That’s two out of 2,000.
True north is why you exist. It’s why your company exists.
When you know and are 100% committed to why you exist, your what and how will reveal themselves. Your what and your how will also reveal when it needs refreshed, revised, or replaced.
But your true north never changes.
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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.
Dylan (Bob) said, “He who is not busy being born, is busy dying.”
Spring Break is a time for celebration and relaxation.
Leadership, fear, and courage are siblings.
All three travel side by side, for a lifetime.
Note to self: Invest irrationally in vision, vibrancy, and courage.
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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.
March 18, 2026, a message from Josh…
Dear Fellow Employees and Cast Members,
More than 40 years ago, my family took me to Disneyland for the first time. One of the first attractions we rode was Peter Pan’s Flight, inspired by the animated film so many families already knew and loved. I can still picture my father’s face when our pirate ship lifted into the dark. As we flew over London, he leaned in and said, “See, I told you. It feels like we’re flying!” I remember that moment clearly. It was joy. It was family. And it was Disney.
I have thought about that moment many times because it captures something essential about this company. At its best, Disney creates stories, characters, and experiences that people connect with deeply and carry with them for a lifetime. That takes exceptional creativity, craftsmanship, and thousands of people united by a shared commitment to excellence.
As I step into the CEO role today, I am humbled and honored to help write the next chapter of this company alongside this team.
The magic of Disney comes to life in many ways — through our films and series, ESPN and sports, our music and stage shows, our streaming platforms and consumer products, and our theme parks, hotels, and cruise ships. Each strengthens the others, extending Disney’s reach in ways no one else can match.
That puts Disney in a category of one. It was clear to me when I started here 28 years ago, and it is even clearer today. No one else can do what we do with the same combination of creativity, quality, and global scale. We reach people in more places than ever before, and every minute of every day, someone somewhere in the world is engaging with Disney.
We stand on an extraordinary foundation, and the priorities that will guide us forward are clear.
First, great storytelling and creative excellence will remain our North Star. They underpin every decision we make. We will continue to raise the bar, take smart risks, learn quickly, and deliver work that exceeds our audiences’ expectations and our own.
Second, we will embrace technology to unlock new possibilities. Innovation has always been part of Disney’s DNA. Used thoughtfully, it can empower our storytellers, strengthen our capabilities, and help us create more immersive, interactive, and personal ways for people to experience Disney.
Third, we will operate as One Disney. Our greatest advantage is not any one business, but how our global businesses come together. When our teams are aligned and working in a connected way, we can build on our strengths, reach people wherever they are, and deepen their relationship with Disney.
This transition comes at a moment when the world is changing faster than ever. While that can feel daunting at times, it is also exciting. Disney has endured and thrived for generations by meeting change with vision, ambition, integrity, and optimism. Bob Iger has led this company in that spirit, and I am grateful for his trust, mentorship, and friendship through the years.
It is a privilege to follow in his footsteps and lead this team, and I do so with a deep sense of responsibility and excitement about our future. This is an extraordinary company, and that is because of the talented, passionate, and dedicated people who work here.
That feeling of flying I had on Peter Pan all those years ago is still real to me. And today, I am honored to move forward with all of you — with ambition, optimism, and absolute confidence in what we can build together.
Josh
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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.