Ninety-seven years ago this month, a remarkable entertainment revolution began. Unlike the cartoons that came before it, this one featured sound synchronized with hand-drawn animation. It was the first in a long line of innovations from a 27-year-old animator named Walter Disney.
I spent my early childhood growing up in central Florida and made countless trips to the Magic Kingdom after it opened in 1971. Many of my high school friends worked summers at Disney World. After Thanksgiving this month, my wife and I will return to Orlando to soak up the holiday decorations and enjoy a strong dose of nostalgia from my childhood memories of the Magic Kingdom and other parks.
Walt’s legacy endures nearly a century after he introduced Mickey Mouse to the world. Very few companies today can trace their roots back as far as Walt’s namesake company. Walt passed away just a few years before Disney World opened. After his death, the company was led by his brother Roy, who oversaw the completion and opening of the Magic Kingdom to fulfill his brother’s vision. Roy died only a few months after the Orlando grand opening, leaving the company’s leadership and long-term vision in the hands of non-family members.
As I reflect on how Disney has evolved over the years while retaining much of Walts original magic, I can’t help but imagine which companies today might still be around a century from now. Elon Musk is the obvious comparison. He’s developing self-driving electric cars, landing rockets back on their launch pads, planning a city and airport on Mars (really), and delivering life-changing technology to patients with neurological injuries through Neuralink implants.
Will any of Elon’s companies have the staying power to thrive until the year 2125? If they do, it will be because someone after Elon steps up to carry and expand his vision. Those future leaders would be wise to remember the courage, decision-making, and relentlessness that fueled his achievements. They would be wise to dream big, then actually build what they imagine. (Check this thought-based tech out – scary?)
At LeConte, I share with our team that my vision for our company unfolds in decade-long periods. It takes that kind of time horizon to turn a dream into reality. I’m grateful to work alongside capable professionals who are genuinely excited about the future and what we can do for our clients to help them realize their own vision. We will need new visionary leaders to keep LeConte at the forefront of personal financial innovation.
As you gather with family and reflect on the past while thinking about your future, I challenge you to consider your own 100-year legacy. What will the world say about you, your family, and your contribution to the world when 2125 rolls around?
