After he was dismissed from Apple in the early 1990s, Steve Jobs turned his attention to a little-known graphics company he owned called Pixar. One day, out of the blue, Jobs called Lawrence Levy, a Harvard-trained lawyer and executive to whom he had never spoken before. He hoped to persuade Levy to help him pull Pixar back from the brink of failure. This is the extraordinary story of what happened next: how Jobs and Levy concocted and pulled off a highly improbable plan that transformed Pixar into the Hollywood powerhouse it is today. Explore the episode notes. Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/182. Chapters (00:00) The Bleak State of Pixar's Business in 1994 (08:06) Steve Jobs' Investment in Pixar (10:24) The Initial Contract with Disney (26:27) The Four Pillar Business Strategy (32:53) Renegotiating the Contract with Disney (38:10) Don't Engage in Positional Bargaining (40:36) Understand the Difference Between Strategy and Tactics (43:11) Analyze Where You Stand in Relation to the Other Party (45:40) Pixar's Negotiating Power (48:05) Assessing Strength and Negotiating Terms (49:27) Knowing What You Want (51:20) Creative Control and Release Windows (52:18) Profit Share and Revenue Calculation (53:42) Building the Pixar Brand (55:09) Waiting for Maximum Leverage Watch and listen. Watch this episode on YouTube Find this episode in your favorite podcast app Get new episodes delivered via email Explore my full summary for the book featured this week. To Pixar And Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History For more, explore my full profile on Steve Jobs. Who is Steve Jobs? Wisdom From The Man Who Built Apple, NeXT, and Pixar Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required. Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices