From the Mouse's House to the Penthouse: What I Learned from Making Deals, Building Brands, and Running Businesses in Asia

by Michael Crawford

Overview

He negotiated the deal of a lifetime: the first Disney theme park in mainland China. 

In From the Mouse's House to the Penthouse, Michael Crawford reveals the lessons he learned about allowing culture and geography to shape his approach so you too can build and operate high-profile brands on an international scale.

Crawford shares his personal experiences in Asia, diving deeply into everything you must know to build relationships and create win-win outcomes in coveted world markets.

Crawford's decade in Asia as an executive of two global brands taught him that humility works and ego doesn't. He developed strategies for navigating political and corporate environments that will help to increase buy-in to your company's objectives. From the Mouse's House to the Penthouse features his techniques for getting all parties involved to strike the right balance. Compromise doesn't mean losing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781544541822
Publisher:	Lioncrest Publishing
Publication date:	05/02/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	214
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

International deal maker and corporate executive Michael Crawford has helped some of the most powerful brands grow and operate globally. Crawford's leadership led to the development of major hotels, theme parks, entertainment destinations, retail outlets, and dining establishments around the world.Currently Chairman, President, and CEO of the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, he served as General Manager and Senior Vice President of Shanghai Disney Resort and President of Walt Disney Holdings Company. He was also President of Asia Pacific and President of Global Portfolio Management with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. An Ohio native, he holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University.

Editorial Reviews

"After nearly thirty years of leading and developing high-profile products and destinations all over the world with The Walt Disney Company and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Michael provides some great lessons in his book for how to do business the right way to produce incredible results!"

- Karl Holz, Former President, Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations

"Extending brands and building teams that put the ball in the end zone is what Michael does. These lessons provide a great playbook for how to run a company with success!"

- Marcus Allen, Pro Football Hall of Famer

"Michael is an extraordinary individual who has an exceptional vision for entertainment venues that truly have a transformational impact on the areas where they are located. What is really special about him is that he has the talent and skills to take big ideas and build the necessary trust and consensus to bring them to fruition. We are fortunate that he has come back to Ohio after a successful career with Disney and Four Seasons to lead the effort to build a world-class sports destination at Hall of Fame Village."

- Kirk Schuring, President Pro Tempore, Ohio Senate

From the Publisher

2023-08-22
Crawford takes a retrospective look at executing business deals in East Asia.

In this debut business book, the author shares lessons learned from two decades of working in China and Japan for Disney and Four Seasons, arranging major development deals and bridging cultural gaps. Crawford recounts the yearslong process of establishing the Shanghai Disney Resort, the company’s first theme park in China, and details his subsequent role overseeing the development of Four Seasons’ hotel business in the region. The book is organized thematically (rather than following single deals from start to finish) as Crawford offers readers his recommendations for conducting business effectively across cultures and geographic barriers. He explains how to assess the needs of the local market, communicate clearly with company executives, and negotiate effectively. Many of the book’s lessons can be broadly applied to international business in any location, but the author also specifically addresses the nuances of working in the different Asian countries he has had direct experience with. Crawford is passionate about the companies he has worked for—Disney in particular, where he spent more than 20 years, advancing from hourly park employee to corporate executive—and he’s an engaging storyteller, which makes the book an easy and enjoyable read. He does particularly well with narrowly focused stories about small but meaningful achievements, like outlining the decision to partner with Pepsi for the park’s refreshments, or describing how he managed expectations and provided guidance to both his staff and Disney CEO Bob Iger. At times, the author seems too committed to a corporate mindset (“The biggest brands can give credibility to a whole nation”), and readers who are less interested in 16-hour workdays and frequent after-work socializing may find it difficult to embrace some of his advice for building a coherent workplace team. But even readers who disagree with some of Crawford’s attitudes are likely to find his story both fascinating and informative.

A compelling story of business accomplishments in an international context.

Kirkus Reviews