Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 6

Please read Part 5 of the interview before reading Part 6

Being CEO and CCO Part 1 continuation

Knowing that his career is not always going to be perfect, Levy always has worries. What worries him is what the future will hold and whether or not the dreams he has for TOKYOPOP will come true. Like many of us, money can be a concern, “especially in this economy!” If one does not make enough, one cannot pay the bills. For example: “when something is out of my control, which it usually is, I worry about the outcome. I worry about whether or not people will misunderstand something.” Along the way “many mistakes” are made, but “we are always trying to learn from those mistakes.” However, having worries does not stop Levy from doing what is necessary. So, what is his solution? “I compartmentalize the worrying, which turns into stress and then try to manage that stress. If you focus too much on the worrying, you will be too paralyzed to act.”


As mentioned earlier, Levy has learned many things throughout his career. Many of his experiences have contributed to his success and improvement of his work that one can not single out as the most important. The lessons he learned have helped the company evolve and grow. Here are a few that Levy has provided:

• you must always study hard to learn new things no matter how successful you become
• the people around you hold the keys to success or failure
• there are never enough resources to get the job done, so prioritizing the allocation of those resources is critical
• listening to your customers (fans) is crucial
• you must always try to improve everything about you and your company, including your product, your communication, your vision, your strategy, your marketing, your relationships – everything
• it is better to be painfully honest than blissfully elusive
• do not let yesterday’s failures stop you from focusing on tomorrow’s successes
• there is a solution to every problem
• the devil is in the details of the execution
• as the leader, everything bad is always your fault and everything good is in spite of you – that’s the inglorious fate of being a leader
• it’s best to never have a meeting without making at least one joke
• always remember, you’re playing a game – and how lucky you are to be in such an exciting game!

From the looks of it, Levy has a lot to deal with on a daily basis. Does that mean there is more to being a CEO and CCO then just getting your work done and getting a salary? According to Levy, “the salary is very small compared to what I would be making if I was a “hired gun.”” His career in TOKYOPOP “is really a labor of passion.” He thinks that maybe one day it will be “financially rewarding.” However, “that risk is entirely on me because there is a good chance it will never become such.” Regardless, what motivates Levy to continue his passion of choice is being able to grow a business, establishing a brand, developing stories and characters, working with “great” people, learning new skills and meeting “passionate” fans and customers.
© 2010 Linda Thai

Artwork by Linda Thai

Note: The artwork is just for entertainment, cause there is A LOT of text to read.

Stay tune for Part 7 of the Stuart Levy interview!