Getting the Picture: How Eastman Turned Kodak into a Star

Eastman once said, “What we do during our working hours determines what we have; what we do in our leisure hours determines what we are.”

For Eastman, those two things were the same. Eastman had found a passion in photography that he had never known before. From never having taken a picture to starting up a company that focused on only that, Eastman was taking a risk. What was it that saw his risk through? What were the factors that took Eastman from his days as a high school dropout to being at the top of the country’s corporate ladder?

Inexperience: Because Eastman knew nothing about cameras when he first started, he did not know what could and could not be done. All he knew was that there had to be a simpler, less messy way to take a picture. It was that innocent idealism and naiveté that allowed him to dream the impossible.

Branding: “I have always admired the letter K's ability to strike a certain tone in one's ear, that tone of power and strength and resonance,” Eastman once said. While others might have called him crazy for caring so much about a name, Eastman understood that his name was an important part of his branding formula.

Innovation: Eastman’s business was seeing modest success in its early days, but he knew something was wrong. He knew that by making his camera so expensive, he was missing out on a huge market. By focusing on innovation and adapting his product to the wider market needs, Eastman was able to bring his success to a whole new level.

Leadership: He was a tough boss – many said a mean boss – who was not afraid to let people know what he was thinking. But Eastman also understood that leadership meant more than just laying down the law. By rewarding his workers with wage dividends and significant benefits, Eastman was cultivating within them a strong sense of loyalty and pride.

Strength: From economic downturns, to hostile employees, to product failures, Eastman encountered a wide gamut of obstacles on his path to success. He could have folded; he could have thrown in the towel on any one of those occasions. But, he did not. He kept going and kept working towards his goals. “Well, that's over,” he would say. “Now the one thing to do is forget it.”

Eastman’s passion for his work was such that when he felt as if he could no longer make a contribution, he felt there was no more point in going on in life. With a spinal disease that would have left him in a wheelchair and mentally deteriorating, Eastman wanted to end his life on a high note. He had a successful company he could look back on with pride, and that was enough for him.

Before he died, Eastman decided to give away most of his fortune – anonymously. “If a man has wealth, he has to make a choice, because there is the money heaping up,” he said. “He can keep it together in a bunch, and then leave it for others to administer after he is dead. Or he can get into action and have fun, while he is still alive. I prefer getting into action and adapting it to human needs, and making the plan work.”

Getting the Picture: How Eastman Turned Kodak into a Star

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