How do you create a product that people don’t even know they want?

Before Steve Jobs made Apple famous for the iPod, he was inspired by another visionary: Akio Morita, the co-founder of SONY.

Morita turned a small Japanese startup into a global powerhouse and, along the way, wrote the playbook for designing revolutionary products.

At the heart of the story is the SONY Walkman – a deceptively simple idea that forever changed how the world listens to music.

In this episode of Project Blueprint, we explore how SONY combined creative technology, product design, and marketing to create one of the most influential consumer products ever made.

What You’ll Learn:

• The origins of SONY and Akio Morita’s vision to rebuild Japan through technology
• How breakthrough products are conceived, designed, and launched
• The marketing secrets behind SONY’s global rise and how you can use them to share your own ideas

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:02:48) - WWII

(00:17:12) - Founding

(00:29:42) - Tape Recorder

(00:46:11) - Selling to America

(01:06:45) - The Walkman

(01:31:15) - Launch

Links:

• Quick Survey–tell us what you think of the show or share suggestions for the next episode
• Sources
• Get email updates every time a new episode is released–plus bonus material
• Follow us on X
• Contact Us
• History of Headphones

We tell the stories of legendary projects and the leaders behind them.

Links:

• Quick Survey–tell us what you think of the show or share suggestions for the next episode
• Sources
• Get email updates every time a new episode is released–plus bonus material
• Follow us on X
• Contact Us

How do you accomplish a project that’s part art, part technology?

When Toy Story first debuted in 1995, it changed filmmaking forever. For the first time, a movie had been made entirely with computer animation. The film became the highest-grossing release of the year in the U.S., inspired one of the most successful franchises in cinema, and launched Pixar’s unprecedented run of seven consecutive box office hits.

On the surface, Toy Story looked like an overnight success–but it was actually the culmination of 25 years of work from three visionaries: Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, and Steve Jobs.

In this episode of Project Blueprint, discover the origins of Pixar and the making of Toy Story. It’s a story of  Silicon Valley innovation, Hollywood storytelling, and one man's decades-long journey to change how movies are made.

What You’ll Learn:

• The unique relationship between art and technology
• How ambitious creative projects actually get accomplished
• How you can become a better leader by removing barriers to creativity

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:01:21) - Ed Catmull

(00:29:49) - John Lasseter

(00:50:35) - Steve Jobs

(01:07:27) - Pixar

(01:18:58) - Disney Partnership

(01:32:04) - Black Friday

(01:47:35) - Toy Story

(01:58:18) - Epilogue

(02:04:46) - Analysis

Links:

• Quick Survey–tell us what you think of the show or share suggestions for the next episode
• Sources
• Get email updates every time a new episode is released–plus bonus material
• Follow us on X
• Contact Us
• The Road to Point Reyes
• Black Friday Reel