Tag: C-Level

jungle jeff Traditions

jungle jeff traditions are inspired from Disney’s successful business models.  If it works for Disney, it can work for you and  me.

So in 1996, when my Grandmother was given six weeks to live and a few years later my Dad was fading from early onset, rapid progression Alzheimer’s, I sent many Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other Disney Character post cards to them in Pennsylvania.

I wanted them to know that I loved them and choose a seemingly insignificant way to do so, simply placing the stamp upside down.

If, or when, our son ever notices, there will be a story behind it.  A good story.  A story to help him learn about his Great Grandmother, his Grandfather, and me in more detail, using a very simple example.

Roy Disney, Walt’s brother, recounted Walt on his death bed pointing out the hospital ceiling tiles. Walt told Roy, “In this square mile we’re gonna do this.  In that square mile we’ll do that”.

On Walt’s deathbed, he was still talking about making a 43-square mile swamp the world’s vacation kingdom.

Walt had passion, and, great people who knew how to keep his values alive, long after his death.

Will people remember what I value after I’m gone?  My son sure will. It just takes some effort on my part to ensure it with some stories from everyday life.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Walt Disney History

Walt Disney – the man and the company – history is preserved and perpetuated through stories.

Our country does the same thing, and maybe you’ve never wondered, “Why”?

People forget.  Important details get lost.  Values, reasons, Morales, lessons.  Roots grow shallower, not deeper, when the story is shallow.

On a trip recently, a friend was writing several postcards to important people in his family.  What a wonderful tradition.  There’s probably a story about how he got started. He said he always writes the same people – a tradition.

Had to wonder, since I send a fair number of postcards, does he put the stamp upside down, like I always do?

People think I’m careless and not paying attention to a simple little detail, which is what Walt Disney made famous – close attention to the smallest of details.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  I’m absolutely 100% intentional placing every single stamp, every single time, upside down.

It all started long ago when…..to be continued….

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Walt Disney on Twitter?

jungle jeff readers, please feel free to follow me on Twitter @jeffnoelmidlife

Disney, as in the man Walt Disney, has taught me to experiment with every new and innovative way to strive for perfection.  And it was Vince Lombardi, legendary head coach for the Green Bay Packers, that said, “In chasing perfection, we will catch excellence”.

My son, as much as I try to teach and inspire him, actually teaches and inspires me.  Who would have thought?

How?  Well, for starters, he looks at technology like you and I breathe the air – casually, effortlessly, and fearlessly.

Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogs, Websites, GoDaddy, WordPress, Skype, Mobile Me, iPhone,iPhone apps, IM, You Tube, Google analytics, etc.

Our nine year old son is familiar with them all.  I know.  I’m his teacher.

He thinks I make technology look effortless.  if he only knew how hard I worked.

Bet Walt Disney felt the same way.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

St Thomas Aquinas Said….

St Thomas Aquinas said….:

“We must love them both – those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject.  For both have labored in search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it”.

Great quote. Great thought.  Great perspective.

To a point, then I must agree to disagree.

Following the status quo, or “That’s the way we’ve always done it”, doesn’t seem to require as much laboring as does challenging the status quo.

Challenging the status quo is a lonely place.  A very lonely place.

Take exercise.  And to my dismay, we don’t see pictures of or hear stories of Walt Disney making exercise a priority. Sure, he played polo as far as we know.

However, Disney has taught me to eat, drink, sleep and breath excellence. Take Alfred Prokschin.  At age 100, he won a Gold medal two weeks ago at the WMA Masters Tarck & Field World Championships in Lahti, Finland:

If not you, who? If not today, when?  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Apple Computer Ad 1997

What was an Apple Computer ad like, a dozen years ago?

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes – the ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing that you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.”  — Apple Computer ad, 1997

Anyone in advertising will tell you, “An ad should make you think”!

By the way, after all these years, Apple still only has roughly 6-7% market share for computers.  They dominate music players with their iPod products.  Their iPhone product is arguably the best phone on planet earth.

And the answer to my infamous, “So what”?

If you can’t see this coming, maybe you should think about getting your eyes checked.  If I was a PC, I’d be seriously concerned.

Napster completely destroyed the Music industry’s financial paradigm. Digital media completely destroyed film cameras.  Apple, and their ability to change the status quo paradigm should be keeping the PC world up at night.

Why do you think I just bought my second Macbook Pro in less than four months?  Why do you think I just bought an iPhone?

Heck yes, it’s a very expensive investment.  And that’s another gem I’ve learned from Disney.  Invest in the best.  Why do you think Bob Iger got the Pixar deal done?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff noel 🙂