Walt Disney: It All Started with a Mouse

Who knew that the creation of one cartoon mouse would result in one of the greatest success stories all time, and it all started with an entrepreneur named Walt Disney. Walt Disney was a man who changed the world between his multibillionaire dollar companies including Disney movies, resorts and theme parks. He was a man who started from humble beginnings and has grown into a business mogul that set a standard for business and entrepreneurs for generations to come. The “American Dream” is viewed as success and accomplishment, usually associated with great amounts of money or assets. Although Walt Disney seemed like an idealist, was a true pioneer of the “American Dream”. Disney’s upbringing, business sense, ideas and personality all played a part in Disney becoming a model of the “American Dream.”
Walt Disney’s early life and attitude impacted how he became the success that he is today. He had a harsh childhood with a relentless father, “Walt sometimes received rough treatment at the hands of his father for little or no justification. Still, he found a way to bounce back, often seeking solace in fantasy” (Watkinson and Nutile). Walt was one of four boys and their father, Elias, was very strict with them. When delivering newspapers, if Walt missed a house his father would force him to run to the houses to redeliver it. “At times the cold and his tiredness would conspire, and Walt would fall asleep, curled inside his sack of papers” (Gabler). All this hard work forced Walt to grow up quickly leaving him with virtually no childhood. “Out of this Dickensian boyhood grew Walt’s vision of escape to a utopian world. That vision, of course, would inspire his animations and theme parks” (Karlgaard). However, later in life, Walt ...

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...“infinity and beyond ” to create a successful and lasting business. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” (Disney).

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