Dreamers and Dream-Makers

It takes two to make a thing go right. It takes two to make it outta sight.

There are very few lone geniuses in the world. Maybe Leonardo da Vinci. Maybe Einstein. Maybe Emily Dickinson.

The business world, however, has a partnership model.

I call it the “Dreamer and the Dream-Maker.”

Walt Disney: Dreamer. Roy Disney: Dream-Maker.

Michael Jackson: Dreamer. Quincy Jones: Dream-Maker.

Miuccia Prada: Dreamer. Patrizio Bertelli: Dream-Maker.

Ron Howard: Dreamer. Brian Grazer: Dream-Maker.

John, Paul, George and Ringo: Dreamers. Brian Epstein, George Martin: Dream-Makers.

You start to see the pattern here, don’t you?

One part of the team has the vision. The other part makes it real.

This structure doesn’t mean that there is no overlap. Sure, sometimes the Dream-Maker adds to the dream. Sometimes the Dreamer has ideas on how to make it real.

But what is not negotiable is what is being served. Everything the two entities do is in service to the dream itself — the idea.

Where are you on a project right now?

Are you the Dreamer? Or are you the Dream-Maker making it real?

Or maybe you have the Dream and you need a Dream-Maker to help bring it to life.

Wherever you are, it’s best to not go it alone.