THE SECRET TO SUCCESS: AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN
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Known for his many creations, like the wildly popular Inspector Gadget, Andy Heyward has achieved a level of success that most can only dream of. You may not realize it, but it is highly likely that you’ve had the opportunity to enjoy one of his many creations. Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down and interview the living legend himself. He was kind enough to offer us guidance, mentorship, and thoughts on what’s necessary to be successful in today’s business world.
THE INTERVIEW:
“Describe your career in your twenties”?
Andy: “Well in my early 20’s, I just graduated college, and like many of us, I was searching for the right career. I wanted a job where I could support myself in a way that was enjoyable. I wanted something that gave me creative satisfaction and allowed me to earn a good living. What I really wanted to become at that time was a writer, so I spent a lot of time writing spec scripts. In fact, I think I may have written at least 100 of them, but unfortunately, I never sold any of them. The lesson I got from doing that was to never give up, keep trying, and continue pursuing your dreams even in the face of adversity”.
“Eventually I had an opportunity to get a job at Hanna-Barbera Studios which made cartoons. I thought this was my opportunity to have a career in writing, not. When I arrived, I was assigned to clean the warehouse. During my tenure at H-B Studios, I was fortunate enough to meet and become friends with the president, Joe Barbera, where he eventually took on the role as a mentor to me. More than 25 years later, Joe was in his 80’s still going to work every single day, setting an example. There is a lesson in this, as there are lessons in everything. Hard-work and patience are important on your path to success, especially when you are young”.
“A famous quote from Thomas Edison says that he failed to create the light bulb over 10,000 times, but each of those failures were an important part of the process in his journey to creating the first working lightbulb. People who quit most times don’t know how close they actually are to success. Keeping your eye on the ball, and not giving up is very important”.
“How was business in your thirties”?
Andy: “In my thirties, I started my own company called Dic Entertainment. I produced over 5,000 half-hour segments of cartoons. My son used to say that I produced more cartoons than the great Walt Disney, and I can attest, it’s true. I produced cartoons for all of the major networks here domestically and internationally. That was my life then, and I am fortunate to say that it still is today”.
“The journey of taking your own business from nothing to something, to eventually publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange is an extremely difficult path. What young adults need to understand is that, it’s the challenges that you have today, that build you up and make you stronger”.
“Out of all of your productions, which were your favorite”?
Andy: “This is very difficult to answer because I love everything that we are doing presently. If I didn’t feel satisfaction with them, it would be very hard to do them. If I had to name a few, I would say:
Inspector Gadget, which was created in 1984. It surprises me that no matter where I go in the world, someone knows about it, or has seen it.
The Secret Millionaires Club is a piece that I put together with my good friend Warren Buffet, which educates children on so many amazing things such as financial literacy, and business philosophy.
Liberty’s Kids is something that a lot of people don’t know about, but it was one of my favorite pieces to do.
“What does an entrepreneur need to be successful”?
Andy: “This person needs to work hard, and not be afraid to put in long hours. They need to surround themselves with smart people from they can learn from. They need to be honest, and have character, and integrity. Warren Buffet says “When hiring look for these three things, brains, ambition, and character. Character is the most important trait by far. Anyone can have brains, and work hard, but if they lack character don’t hire them, they could ruin your business“.
“Lastly, never give up, never stop learning, and constantly enrich yourself. Don’t focus on the short-term payoff, be in it for the long haul. Always live a righteous life, be honest, have good character, and most importantly, smile”.
— end interview.
Andy's Family Life
For those who don’t know, Andy Heyward also has 2 very successful children in Michael, and Bianca Heyward. Michael (29) is the founder of anonymous social networking app Whisper, based in Venice California. Not only has Whisper been considered one of the hottest tech startups ever, but he was also included on the incredibly prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list back in 2014. Bianca Heyward, a professional blogger that has working experience with elite brands such as Huffington Post, and Refinery 29.
As of Thursday, January 20th, 2016 his already public company GNUS Brands International, will be capping off a recent transition from the OTC Markets, to the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, which is something millions of young, hopeful entrepreneurs could only hope to carry out in their lifetime. Himself, along with many other members of GNUS Brands will be hosting the closing bell ceremony, which aired live on the Nasdaq Market Site.
It was an amazing experience interviewing Mr. Heyward. He was honest, genuine, and grateful to give back to those who are willing to listen. He may not realize it, but Andy has touched over 100 million souls across the globe with his animations, and productions. For any industry, this is an amazing feat. We are appreciative, and proud to have had this opportunity.
Thank you Andy Heyward!
Why we write
One thing that we all have in common is entrepreneurship. This common thread brings together young entrepreneurs and old, all with a willingness to push the world forward through entrepreneurial efforts. Whenever there’s an opportunity to learn and grow, we should take the lessons learned from our predecessors and apply them directly.
We hope you enjoyed this!
(This original article was written February 18, 2018)
