What it was really like to work for Steve Jobs
The nasty side of Steve was no match for the opportunity to change the world with him.
Four years after his death, entrepreneurs still channel his abilities and wonder in times of difficult decisions, “What would Steve do?”
Having worked closely with him during his formative years — the launch of Macintosh, formation of NeXT and acquisition and reinvention of Pixar — I saw him as an inspiring and fearless, if irascible, leader who really “thought different,” made the impossible possible and ultimately enchanted the world with his products.
Was the room set up for the best possible outcome — the right flowers, the fresh strawberries, the baby grand piano?
Was the background arranged to support photographs that would illuminate just a touch of rebellion while signaling a new way for corporate America to work?
Did the schedule allow enough time to eliminate overlap in meetings?
[...] I have worked with hundreds of other CEOs, many of them young entrepreneurs and many Fortune 1000 industry leaders.
Met with customer revolt, he killed Qwikster before it launched, but then masterfully transitioned customer delivery from the Postal Service to the Internet.
[...] he didn’t even consider it a competitor.
People could travel more freely and inexpensively, and those with couches could make money and meet new people.
Couches turned into beds, which turned into rooms, which turned into apartments and homes.
What would our food system look like? Tetrick is reimagining food to make it better, more affordable and accessible for the 9 billion people who will inhabit planet Earth in this century.
By thinking of food as a platform to create change on social issues such as the lack of good nutrition for lower-income families, childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes, energy efficiency, pollution and others, Tetrick has set about building a food system that is healthy and sustainable.
Ideas, a new essay series, lets Bay Area leaders share their insights into business topics every other Monday.