Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Co-founder of Apple Computer Inc.
Founded: 1976
"We started out to get a computer in the hands of everyday people, and we succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."-Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs' vision of a "computer for the rest of us" sparked the PC revolution and made Apple an icon of American business. But somewhere along the way, Jobs' vision got clouded -- some say by his ego -- and he was ousted from the company he helped found. Few will disagree that Jobs did indeed impede Apple's growth, yet without him, the company lost its sense of direction and pioneering spirit. After nearly 10 years of plummeting sales, Apple turned to its visionary founder for help, and a little older, little wiser Jobs engineered one of the most amazing turnarounds of the 20th century.
Born in 1955, and given the name Steven Paul Jobs, he grew up in Silicone Valley, the bustling California location where technology thrived. Early in his childhood Jobs learned about electronics with his father, by taking things apart and rebuilding them in his family's garage. His higher than normal intelligence actually caused him problems at school because he was bored with his studies, most likely because the course material was beneath him. When he finally reached high school, he spent considerable time at the Hewlett-Packard headquarters, where he met his future business partner, a computer engineer named Steve Wozniak.
Jobs completed high school and enrolled in college, but that was short-lived, as he left a few months later. He worked a short span at video game giant Atari, but then decided to travel to India. Returning home, in 1976, Jobs and Wozniak created Apple Computer, and subsequently, worked out of the Jobs' family garage. The two entrepreneurs wasted no time, and quickly created a personal computer that sold for about six-hundred-and-seventy dollars. The Apple I brought in three-quarters of a million dollars in sales. Incredibly, when the Apple II was released, sales increased exponentially, beyond anyone's comprehension, to one-hundred-and-thirty-nine million dollars.
Just four short years after forming the company, Apple Computer, Inc, went public in 1980 and
was worth a staggering $1.2b (one-point-two billion dollars). And, this was on the first day of trading! The year 1984 saw the release of the Macintosh. At this point in time, Jobs was looking for something a little different and purchased Pixar Animation Studios. The endeavor was a huge success, churning out well-known animation movies such as Finding Nemo and Toy Story. The company eventually merged with Walt Disney in 2006, resulting in Jobs becoming the highest stakeholder in the Disney company.
By 1997, Jobs was again ready to focus on business at Apple with the launch of the iMac. What should be mentioned at this juncture is that prior to the iMac, Apple was riding in unstable and rocky territory. The company was not doing as well under the management-of-the-day. In order to revamp the company and bring it back to its glory days, Steve Jobs returned to the helm, focusing on the brand, and ensuring the future of Apple. While his accomplishments in turning the company around are significant, one point that complements this feat, is the fact that he chose to take one dollar per year as his salary. The good of the company was more important to him.
Incredibly, by 2007, the company was debt-free, and had a reported eighteen billion dollars in the bank. Now, Apple has a new generation of customers downloading its iTunes, and making excellent use of the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook. Interestingly, the company has been named "America's Most Admired Company" (2008 -2011 inclusive), and also placed first in the category for "Returns to Shareholders". This dichotomy is truly amazing, as companies that favor the shareholders generally do so at the expense of the products or employees. Jobs, on the other hand, has been able to maintain stockholder earnings, while at the same time launching successful brands, and keeping the work force happy.
What is truly remarkable is that Steve Jobs brought the company to greatness in the beginning. He found a need and serviced that need. Now, he has completely reinvented that company and pulled the same rabbit out of the hat. Most people never have the opportunity to do that once in their lifetimes... Jobs performed it twice.
Co-founder of Apple Computer Inc.
Founded: 1976
"We started out to get a computer in the hands of everyday people, and we succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."-Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs' vision of a "computer for the rest of us" sparked the PC revolution and made Apple an icon of American business. But somewhere along the way, Jobs' vision got clouded -- some say by his ego -- and he was ousted from the company he helped found. Few will disagree that Jobs did indeed impede Apple's growth, yet without him, the company lost its sense of direction and pioneering spirit. After nearly 10 years of plummeting sales, Apple turned to its visionary founder for help, and a little older, little wiser Jobs engineered one of the most amazing turnarounds of the 20th century.
Born in 1955, and given the name Steven Paul Jobs, he grew up in Silicone Valley, the bustling California location where technology thrived. Early in his childhood Jobs learned about electronics with his father, by taking things apart and rebuilding them in his family's garage. His higher than normal intelligence actually caused him problems at school because he was bored with his studies, most likely because the course material was beneath him. When he finally reached high school, he spent considerable time at the Hewlett-Packard headquarters, where he met his future business partner, a computer engineer named Steve Wozniak.
Jobs completed high school and enrolled in college, but that was short-lived, as he left a few months later. He worked a short span at video game giant Atari, but then decided to travel to India. Returning home, in 1976, Jobs and Wozniak created Apple Computer, and subsequently, worked out of the Jobs' family garage. The two entrepreneurs wasted no time, and quickly created a personal computer that sold for about six-hundred-and-seventy dollars. The Apple I brought in three-quarters of a million dollars in sales. Incredibly, when the Apple II was released, sales increased exponentially, beyond anyone's comprehension, to one-hundred-and-thirty-nine million dollars.
Just four short years after forming the company, Apple Computer, Inc, went public in 1980 and
was worth a staggering $1.2b (one-point-two billion dollars). And, this was on the first day of trading! The year 1984 saw the release of the Macintosh. At this point in time, Jobs was looking for something a little different and purchased Pixar Animation Studios. The endeavor was a huge success, churning out well-known animation movies such as Finding Nemo and Toy Story. The company eventually merged with Walt Disney in 2006, resulting in Jobs becoming the highest stakeholder in the Disney company.
By 1997, Jobs was again ready to focus on business at Apple with the launch of the iMac. What should be mentioned at this juncture is that prior to the iMac, Apple was riding in unstable and rocky territory. The company was not doing as well under the management-of-the-day. In order to revamp the company and bring it back to its glory days, Steve Jobs returned to the helm, focusing on the brand, and ensuring the future of Apple. While his accomplishments in turning the company around are significant, one point that complements this feat, is the fact that he chose to take one dollar per year as his salary. The good of the company was more important to him.
Incredibly, by 2007, the company was debt-free, and had a reported eighteen billion dollars in the bank. Now, Apple has a new generation of customers downloading its iTunes, and making excellent use of the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook. Interestingly, the company has been named "America's Most Admired Company" (2008 -2011 inclusive), and also placed first in the category for "Returns to Shareholders". This dichotomy is truly amazing, as companies that favor the shareholders generally do so at the expense of the products or employees. Jobs, on the other hand, has been able to maintain stockholder earnings, while at the same time launching successful brands, and keeping the work force happy.
What is truly remarkable is that Steve Jobs brought the company to greatness in the beginning. He found a need and serviced that need. Now, he has completely reinvented that company and pulled the same rabbit out of the hat. Most people never have the opportunity to do that once in their lifetimes... Jobs performed it twice.
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