What do Jim Henson, Walt Disney, and Pixar have in common?

We know that these companies changed entertainment. But let's look a little deeper. Innovation isn't easy. How did they change entertainment?

Let's start by lining up their timelines:


These companies all used new technology to wow viewers. But new tech costs money. That means all three companies had to find a suitable division of labor to handle art, tech, and money. 

Let's look at the way that worked: 


Like the species in Fraggle Rock (Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs), Art, Tech, and Money need each other. But money often doesn't understand the process of creation, so a "hands-off" policy allows art and tech the breathing space to innovate.

With tech and art working closely, and money silently guiding their growth, these three visionaries changed entertainment, defined a generation of viewers, and inspired generations to come.  

To a lot of creative people, this seems natural, but it's not the way most businesses operate. Why is that?