"To Pixar and Beyond" by Lawrence Levy

The release of Toy Story 5 in theatres earlier this year reminded me of this great book that I read some time ago. It is a business memoir that gets you into the weeds of Pixar's evolution from a little-known animation studio to the entertainment giant that it is today. When you think of business books, you may think of them as formal, serious, and even technical, however, if I were to describe "To Pixar and Beyond" in one word, I would definitely say entertaining. The author's storytelling is engaging, casual, and with an authentic tone that takes the reader in a unique journey behind the scenes of Pixar's rise to success.

Before Toy Story (all 5 of them), Cars, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., and the many other hit movies that audiences around the world have come to love, Pixar was an animation studio struggling to stay afloat. One day in 1994, Lawrence Levy - then the Chief Financial Officer of Electronics for Imaging - got an out-of-the-blue call from Steve Jobs inviting him to meet and talk about Pixar, the company that he had acquired eight years earlier and which he was looking to turn into a profitable business that could potentially go public.

That was the beginning of the extraordinary relationship between Levy and Jobs that was key to the development of the company's successful business strategy and enablement of creative processes that led to Pixar's growth. From his walks with Steve Jobs, to the hours he spent on his daily commute, the author gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the four pillars of the business plan they put in place to turn Pixar around.

 In addition to learning more about Pixar, what I found very valuable in this book is type of leadership that Levy demonstrated during his tenure at the company. From day one he listened to the teams, acknowledged and respected everyone's point of view, and learned from them to fully understand the role that each one them had at Pixar. Through the book we see a humble and empathetic leader who gets deeply involved with the company and its people, who takes risks, and finds ways to disagree with Steve Jobs when needed, while building an extraordinary partnership with him.

 I really enjoyed this book. Fresh, fluid and light, "To Pixar and Beyond" is an interesting and compelling read that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.