To Pixar and Beyond
By Lawrence Levy
My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.
Summary of To Pixar and Beyond book by Lawrence Levy
The insightful memoir by Lawrence Levy, describing his experience as CFO at Pixar and working with Steve Jobs as, together, they lifted the company from the depths of failure to become a massive success.
Chapters in To Pixar and Beyond book summary
What do you get from this book? The saga of Pixar’s rescue from financial ruin by strategic and creative decisions
Pixar was a massive financial failure when Steve Jobs reached out to Lawrence Levy for help in turning things around
Employees feared Jobs, and by extension, Levy, who uncovered three areas of financial concern and a flawed contract with Disney
As Pixar continued working on Toy Story, they moved closer toward an IPO and the relationship between Jobs and Levy grew stronger
Levy created a strategic four-pillared business plan designed to boost Pixar’s finances and reputation
Meetings with investment banks wowed representatives, but the openly discussed risks proved too great to garner their support
An unknown trio of investors and one Wall Street analyst latched onto Pixar, getting them ready for the “Road Show”
Toy Story exceeded everyone’s box office expectations and helped Pixar successfully launch their IPO
To increase Pixar’s production speed without compromising on quality, Jobs and Levy gave their creative team complete artistic control
Both Disney and Pixar had leverage entering renegotiations, though Jobs became frustrated when Eisner stalled and refused them equal billing
Eisner yielded to Pixar’s branding request in exchange for company shares, but employees’ rights to film credits were overlooked
Jobs and Levy began pursuing different interests, but Jobs’ illness and a merger with Disney kept them in close contact
Levy’s studies of Eastern philosophy led him to open Juniper and view his time at Pixar with a new perspective
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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To Pixar and Beyond — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read To Pixar and Beyond book
- Entrepreneurs
- Hollywood history enthusiasts
- fans of Steve Jobs
- anyone interested in Pixar or Disney
About the author of To Pixar and Beyond
Lawrence Levy
Lawrence Levy worked as a Harvard-educated Silicon Valley attorney before becoming Pixar’s chief financial officer. His text, To Pixar and Beyond, was named A Fortune Magazine Best Book of 2016. As the co-founder of Juniper Foundation, a Buddhist organization, he now brings the principles of this ancient culture to a modern society.
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