My Journey into Relocation and Global Mobility- Part 6

Sometimes, life-changing decisions are made quietly, even secretly. When I interviewed for a role at Disney, I didn’t even tell my wife. Moving to California from our home and community—leaving behind friends, family, and our kids’ school—was such a significant potential upheaval that I didn’t want to mention it until the process was further along. Instead, I casually mentioned that I would be traveling.

The interview itself was unexpectedly comical. It was supposed to be a full day of meetings with various people, but due to scheduling conflicts, it all got condensed into two meetings. At one point, two people merged their meetings and turned a lunch I was expecting to have alone into an informal interview over sandwiches in a conference room. Imagine trying to eat a massive deli sandwich in a professional setting with two people you’ve never met before—an unforgettable experience, to say the least!

The rest of the process was brief. I met with the mobility team, which I hadn’t realized was part of the itinerary. I recall the questions I faced were, “Can we work from home?” and “Do we have to have cell phones?” Ultimately, the condensed interview schedule left me unsure about how I had done—not great, not terrible, just neutral. To my surprise, I got the job and started the position in February 2009.

For the first few months, I was on my own, living in corporate housing. My housing arrangements were quintessentially Disney—a home on a street owned by Disney itself, next to the studios. The homes on that street were often used for filming, and as part of my role, I would eventually help manage those properties. It was an incredible perk to get a behind-the-scenes look at the productions happening there.

My first day was less magical than I had anticipated. My boss was out of the office, as was the person who assisted with Global Mobility. The key to my office? Locked inside. Not the smoothest of starts, but it didn’t overshadow what would come next.

Disney, as expected, delivered excellence in every other area. The new hire orientation, for instance, was unlike anything I’d experienced before. It was a three-day event that brought together all the new hires to complete onboarding and immerse us in Disney culture. It was comprehensive, efficient, and inspiring, setting the tone for the high standards the company is known for.

This chapter of my journey was just beginning, and it brought incredible opportunities as well as unique challenges—unexpected challenges that compounded over time, both professionally and personally. The role, which I had initially viewed as a significant step forward in my career, came with a set of obstacles that were far more intricate than I had anticipated.

This time at Disney will be broken out into several sections, and I’m excited to share more in the upcoming posts. Stay tuned to learn how this journey unfolded and what I learned along the way.