What do Walt Disney, Tony Stark, and author Jordan have in common?
They all understood the power of imagination paired with execution.
See, Walt Disney didn’t just dream up Mickey Mouse. He dreamed up Disneyland. Then he dreamed up EPCOT. (Side note: his version of EPCOT was basically The Jetsons with better landscaping.)
But here’s the thing: if Disney had only been a “dreamer,” we’d have some cute sketches and maybe a few short films. What made him legendary was this:
- He dreamed big.
- He built teams to make it real (with a ton of help from Roy)
- He kept iterating until the impossible looked inevitable. Seriously if you want to see something that stands the test of time…check out this Disney brand map from over 6 decades ago.
That’s what I call The Disney Principle: dream wildly, but systematize ruthlessly.
If you know me at all you know I am a HUGE Star Wars nerd…seeing the Millenium Falcon for the first time at Galaxy’s Edge…wow…just wow. For that to take the breath away from someone in their mid(ish) 30s…
So What Does This Mean for Us?
- Big Vision Without Execution = Fantasyland
Ever met a lawyer who says, “One day I’ll write a book” …and then three…five…seven years later, it’s still a Google Doc with a title page? Seriously, this was me before I finally got “Love Your Law Firm” (LINK TO THE BOOK PLEASE) across the finish line (and spoiler alert – it took a LOT of help). Big ideas without help and execution are just daydreams. - Execution Without Vision = Tomorrowland (the Movie)
On the flip side, if you only grind without vision, you’re basically the Tomorrowland movie: technically fine, but no one remembers it. Yes, I had to google that this was actual a thing. - The Magic Is in the Middle
Disney balanced imagination with infrastructure. Every detail, from how trash cans are placed in the park (30 feet apart) to how characters never break character, reinforces the bigger story.
That’s what we should do in our firms:
- Define your castle. What’s the big vision? Where are you trying to take your firm in 3–5 years? (Your castle doesn’t build itself.)
- Be the Imagineer. Don’t just dream — design systems that make those dreams work in the real world.
- Obsess over details clients notice. (Yes, seriously Disney really does put trash cans every 30 feet. What’s your “trash can rule” for client experience?)
- Onboard like it’s an attraction. First impressions should feel intentional, not like you’re fumbling with the safety bar on Space Mountain.
- Train your cast members. At Disney, every employee is part of the “show.” At your firm, every team member represents the brand. Train for that.
- Keep the backstage separate. Disney never lets guests see Goofy with his head off. Your clients shouldn’t see the chaos of your internal Slack thread…I hate slack soooo much!
- Script the magical moments. Don’t leave client delight to chance. Script where in the process you surprise and delight.
- Systematize the boring stuff. Disney makes lines for rides part of the experience. How can you make waiting on a case or invoice less painful? The Domino’s Pizza Tracker for your cases that updates the client at each major step should be the start of this, not the end of this.
- Iterate constantly. Disney is always tweaking attractions. Your firm should constantly refine systems, not just set them and forget them.
The Hidden ROI of Disney Thinking
- Protect the magic. Culture is fragile. Guard it so your team believes in the mission — because if they don’t, neither will your clients. We spoke about this last week, but seriously this is such a great example.
- Employees…cast members… feel like they’re part of something bigger.
- Clients become raving fans (and referral machines). There are SOOOOO many Facebook groups dedicated to just loving Disney.
- You stop being stuck in the weeds and start being the Imagineer of your own business.
Wrapping It Up
The Disney Principle is simple: you don’t need to be magical, you just need to design the magic.