Huyen Le

Business Lessons I’ve learned from the Box Office Failure of Disney’s Snow White Remake (2025)

By Someone Who Loves Both a Good Movie and a Great ROI

Disney’s 2025 Snow White remake was one of the studio’s boldest bets—reportedly costing $270 million. This was supposed to be a reimagined fairy tale for a modern generation. But the opening week told a different story, pulling in just $46 million. For a brand like Disney, that’s not just disappointing—it’s a wake-up call.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what went wrong—and what we can learn from this high-profile flop? Here are three brutally honest but valuable lessons this so-called failure holds.

1. Be Bold, Be Different—But Don’t Be What No One Wants to Be

We can all appreciate that Disney took a bold step to diversify a classic character. They tried to innovate. They wanted to move away from the traditional image of Snow White – a character defined by her “skin as white as snow”—with a more diverse casting. That’s a bold move, and in today’s world, we respect the push for broader representation.

But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel that something essential got lost in the update. Snow White was once the fairest of them all—not just in appearance, but in spirit and dream-like appeal. However, Disney didn’t replace her with someone the audience aspired to be or admired. The very essence of Snow White—her beauty, charm, and innocence—was stripped down, and what was left didn’t spark envy or admiration. And that is what matters the most in a story built on fantasy. People come to dream, not just reflect reality.Here’s what I’ve learned: In business, being bold is a must—but being bold and out of touch? That’s a recipe for disaster. It’s great to stand out, but standing apart from what people actually want, you’re just shouting into the void. If our story is unrelatable, if we create a product no one truly wants, we put our business at risk. We should evolve. But we also need to make sure the evolution is still something people feel drawn to.

2. Sell the Dream—Not the Struggle

A live-action remake isn’t just about visuals. It’s about storytelling, the dream you sell to your audience, the feeling you want them to walk away with – a sense of possibility, wonder, or inspiration.

So what dream was Disney trying to sell here? From what we saw, the remake seemed to tell us that even if you’re ordinary or come from a place of disadvantage, you can still live a magical life. It’s a beautiful and uplifting message. 

However, I found myself asking: Who is this story really speaking to? Most people don’t want to see themselves as “ordinary” or “disadvantaged.” Not when they’re watching a fairytale, anyway. When they go to the movies, they want to feel exceptional. They want to live the hero, the beauty, the chosen one’s life.Did Disney actually forget that? People don’t just go to movies to see themselves—they go to see who they could be. Was it their intention to narrow the appeal to a very specific identity, and in doing that, they unintentionally excluded the mass audience? I’m not too sure but it’s a big reminder to me that in business, your product needs to speak to your core market—but still have universal appeal. Don’t sell struggle when people are looking to buy inspiration. And it’s important spark something in people that makes them say, “Yes, that’s who I want to be.”

3. Know your Audience

A fairytale disaster decades in the making is the romanticised misconception of love—thanks to all those prince-and-princess stories. But in this new remake, Disney is trying to rewrite that narrative.

In Snow White, she doesn’t fall for the prince—she falls for Jonathan, a bandit she meets while cleaning the palace. After saving him from freezing to death, she later joins his outlaw crew in the woods. Eventually, sparks fly when he takes an arrow for her.

The message? Snow White doesn’t need rescuing—she’s powerful on her own.

From a relationship perspective, I actually think that’s beautiful. Love should be built on connection, trust, and shared experience—not on idealised fantasies.

And yes, it is refreshing to move away from the old “waiting for a prince” trope. But let’s be real for a second—as a parent, do I want my daughter looking up to a story where the heroine falls for a criminal on the run? Probably not.

Here’s where things get complicated. In trying to flip the fairytale, Disney might’ve accidentally made some parents uncomfortable—the very people who actually decide what movies their kids watch. If the story feels off to them, they’re not buying tickets, no matter how powerful the intended message is.

Yes, Disney might be trying to show that love can come from unexpected places and that women don’t need rescuing—but that’s a message wrapped in layers. Young kids usually don’t catch those deeper meanings. What they do see is a princess falling for a guy who stole. And without the life experience to understand the full picture, it can send mixed signals.

The truth is, empowering themes don’t always land the way they’re meant to—especially when the audience is still figuring out right from wrong. So while the story might feel fresh and bold to adults, it can seem confusing or even troubling to kids (and their parents).

Bottom line? You can rewrite the story all you want, but if it clashes too hard with your core audience’s values, don’t be surprised if they walk away from the magic altogether.

Final Thoughts

The failure of Snow White (2025) wasn’t just about casting or outdated fairytales. It was a strategic misfire in understanding audience psychology, market desires, and emotional connection. Disney took risks, and risks are part of growth—but you’ve got to know your audience before you rewrite the rules.

In business, just like in movies, the question is always the same:
Who are you speaking to, and what dream are you helping them live?

If the answer is fuzzy, your audience will be, too.

Let’s say you want to become a better version of yourself—you want to build stronger relationships, improve your health, or become an extraordinary public speaker. The question is: should you get a coach?

There are clear benefits to having one:

Accountability: The Key to Sticking with It

Unless you have superhuman discipline, it’s easy to set a goal and let it slide. This is especially true when forming new habits. Think about it—your old patterns have been ingrained for years. Breaking them and creating new ones takes effort, and without guidance, you might find yourself slipping back into familiar routines.

A coach acts as your accountability partner, keeping you on track even when motivation fades. They’re like a personal cheerleader—but one who won’t let you slack off.

Unbiased Feedback: Seeing What You Can’t

When we apply what we know, we don’t always see our blind spots. A coach helps correct patterns that may be holding us back.

At the end of the day, what we want is unconscious competence—the ability to master a skill so well that it becomes second nature, like muscle memory. But if we practice incorrectly, we form the wrong neural pathways. As the saying goes, “Do it nice or do it twice.” A coach helps ensure you do it right the first time.

The Only Real Drawback: Cost

Let’s be honest—coaching isn’t cheap. Not everyone can afford it. So, the question becomes: Can we coach ourselves?

Recently, I wanted to improve my voice, so I downloaded an app called Vocal Image and practiced a few times a week. While the app provided exercises, the feedback was text-based and lacked depth. It was a budget-friendly alternative, but nothing beats the guidance of a real coach.

So, Should You Get a Coach?

This isn’t a sales pitch. I don’t even offer coaching services (yet). If you want a coach, I can connect you with one. But my message is this: 

Whether you hire a coach or not, prioritizing deliberate practice is non-negotiable if you want to master any skill.

To become extraordinary, you need to put in the reps—over and over again. You need to apply the right techniques, refine your approach, and commit to mastery.

There’s a saying: “To know but not to do is not to know.”
Reading a thousand books means nothing if you don’t apply what you learn.

I wrote The Fail-Proof Relationship Roadmap, and I’d be lying if I said I flawlessly practice everything I preach. But my partner and I are working on it—because our relationship deserves it. Whether we coach ourselves or seek external guidance, what matters is that we step up and do the work.

Therefore, it all comes down to how much you value mastery and how fast you want to get there.

If something is truly important to you—whether it’s your career, relationships, or a personal skill—and you want to master it in the shortest time possible, then investing in a coach may be the smartest move. A coach helps you accelerate progress, avoid common mistakes, and ensure you’re on the right path.

However, if coaching isn’t an option right now, there are still plenty of ways to improve. Books, courses, mentorship, structured practice, and even AI-powered tools can help you develop skills at a lower cost. The key is to stay committed and take consistent action.

After all, having a coach can help you achieve your goals or master a skill faster, but the most important factor is your willingness to put in the work. So, will you invest in coaching or commit to coaching yourself? Either way, mastery comes from action.

Huyen Le

The Ostrich Effect: Why Avoiding Negative Information & Hard Conversations Doesn’t Work

The ostrich effect is a cognitive bias where people tend to ignore negative information, including feedback that could help them track their progress toward a goal. Rather than addressing challenges directly, we choose to look away—much like the idea of an ostrich burying its head in the sand when they sense danger, hoping the problem will just go away. However, this avoidance often backfires, leading to greater consequences that could have been minimised if we had confronted the issue early on.

While ostriches don’t actually do this, many of us behave the same way when faced with difficult conversations, especially in relationships—we avoid them, hoping the discomfort will pass on its own.

But if you bury your head in the sand, the problem doesn’t just go away—it gets inside us. It lingers, festers, and changes how we behave. Worse, it becomes contagious and toxic, affecting the people around us.

There was a time when my partner and I were having an intense conversation, but we couldnt finish this because we had to pick up our kids from school. My daughter was a bit cheeky that day, and after listening to one of her naughty friends, she lifted up my partner’s shirt and laughed at his belly. He was furious. Instead of calmly explaining to her that this was inappropriate behavior, he snapped at her. She cried the entire way home. This moment showed me firsthand how avoiding or bottling up issues can make us lash out at the wrong time, hurting those we care about.

Reframing Discomfort: A New Perspective on Hard Conversations

Most people think of discomfort, negative feelings, and stress as things to avoid. We naturally seek comfort and security, assuming that if something makes us uncomfortable, it must be bad. But the truth is, growth never happens in comfort.

Think about it: muscles grow when they are challenged, learning happens when we stretch our minds, and relationships deepen when we navigate difficult discussions with care. Instead of fearing discomfort, we can reframe it as a sign that something important is happening. Facing hard conversations head-on isn’t just about resolving conflicts—it’s about building stronger, healthier connections.

How to Make Difficult Conversations Easier

If you keep having the same tough conversation over and over again, maybe it’s time to change how you approach it. Instead of diving straight into what’s wrong, consider shifting the tone and the environment.

Try changing the setting—rather than having the conversation at home, where emotions might already be heightened, choose a neutral space like a coffee shop with soft music. The relaxed atmosphere can help lower defenses. Begin by expressing appreciation, acknowledging what the other person does well before bringing up concerns. This small adjustment can make them more open to listening.

Rather than focusing on what they did wrong, share how their actions made you feel. Instead of saying, “You never listen to me,” try, “I feel unheard when this happens, and I would love it if we could work on that together.” Framing it this way shifts the conversation from blame to understanding.

And finally, rather than just pointing out problems, offer solutions. Approach the discussion as a team effort rather than a confrontation. When handled with care, difficult conversations become opportunities for connection, growth, and mutual respect.

How to Deal with Negative Feelings and Stress

Before starting a difficult conversation (that you prefer to avoid), it helps to manage your emotions first. Here’s how you can do it in a way that keeps you grounded and in control:

1. Name It: The moment you feel tension building, pause and identify what you’re feeling. Naming emotions—whether it’s frustration, sadness, or disappointment—helps activate the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotions and reduce stress. This shifts activity from the amygdala (which triggers stress responses) to the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that helps with reasoning and problem-solving).
2. Reflect on Misalignment: Ask yourself what’s really bothering you. What need isn’t being met? Are you feeling unheard, unappreciated, or overwhelmed? Instead of placing blame, take a step back and diagnose the issue within yourself first.
3. Speak Your Truth: Once you have clarity, share your feelings without accusation. Instead of saying, “You always ignore me,” try, “I feel hurt when I don’t get a response, and I’d love for us to work on better communication.” This keeps the conversation open and constructive.
4. Communicate Expectations: Lastly, be clear about what you need—not just from your partner but also from yourself. What is the message behind your emotions? Understanding this allows you to set healthier boundaries and express what’s truly important to you.

By handling emotions with care and approaching conversations with clarity and empathy, we not only make difficult discussions easier but also strengthen our relationships in the process. When we stop avoiding discomfort and start embracing honest communication, we create space for real connection and growth.