The lessons that Walt Disney Parks & Resorts learned over decades of building a successful business apply to industries far beyond hospitality and tourism. Alese Campbell, Business & Entrepreneurship Regional Director in the Central Valley/Mother Lode Region, recognized this and organized a presentation by the Disney Institute attended by more than 100 small business owners and community college faculty and administrators.

Campbell partnered with three other Business & Entrepreneurship Regional Directors throughout the state to host “Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence,” which covered the strategies the Disney team uses to think outside the box and continue to drive innovation at its parks and resorts.

Campbell described the energy during the webinar as “incredible,” with several participants wearing Disney clothes and even mouse ears.

“We were targeting small business owners/managers to assist with building their business or at a minimum a recharge following the pandemic,” Campbell said. “Even if you took one tip from Disney’s approach to culture and customer service, it was a win!”

Attendees also responded positively to the event, saying they enjoyed hearing about how to create a positive culture, keep employees engaged, and drive continuous improvement throughout the organization.

“It was so inspiring and I appreciated the time to get to take notes to reflect and make changes at our college,” reported a college instructor who attended the training.

A business participant found the trainer to be engaging and also gained a new perspective. “The vision is not a plan, it’s something to reach for to deliver in the future.”

Based on the success of this event, Campbell and her colleagues across the state hope to offer a follow-up webinar from the Disney Institute in the fall, potentially focusing on employee engagement.