Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs is the co-founder and CEO of Apple and Pixar.
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” -Steve Jobs
Early Life
Steve Jobs was born on the 24th of February 1955 in San Francisco, where he was adopted by the Jobs family. He did his schooling in Cupertino, California and during high school he started attending lectures at Hewlett Packard Company in Palo Alto. Jobs was hired there during summer, and thats when he met Steve Wozniak. After graduation he joined Reed College, Portland but two years later, he dropped out after just one semester. Later he returned home and started attending meetings held by the Homebrew Computer Club with Steve Wozniak. Soon he started working with Atari, a video game maker. Steve and Wozniak went into business, producing 'blue boxes', which were illegal and enabled free long distance telephone calls.
Career
Fascinated by spirituality, Jobs saved money and traveled to India, in search for enlightenment. Later he returned home and began working for Atari again, along with Wozniak.
In 1976, Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple Computer Company, named after Jobs' favorite fruit, that produced home PCs, mostly based on Wozniak's expertise with computer electronics. Their first computer was called Apple I, and was followed later by Apple II, which was quite a hit. In 1980, at the time of launch of Apple III, Apple Computer Co became a publicly traded company.
To encourage the marketability of Apple, Jobs managed to convince John Sculley from Pepsi Co to become Apple's CEO. Apple Computer Co released its first graphical user interfaced computer, called Macintosh in 1984, which was a huge leap for Apple computers at that time.
Jobs charismatic leadership had greatly benefited Apple, but his hot temper and inconsistent behavior led to much led to much tension in the company. There was as a result, a power feud in 1985, at the end of which, Jobs was stripped off much of his responsibilities in the company, but the board of directors. After a while, Jobs resigned as chairman of Apple and later founded another company called Next Computers. His new company went on to produce an aesthetically pleasing, technologically superior workstation called The Cube. But this workstation was cost prohibitive and eventually, Jobs shifted his focused to software, which he believed would be the field of the next big technological breakthrough. But two huge implications of Next were that, its software would later be used for writing the first World Wide Web, and second, the NeXTSTEP operating system that was being created at Next, would eventually bring to Apple Computers, a very efficient, advanced operating system.
In 1996, with Apple purchasing Next, Steve was brought back to Apple as its CEO. His first objective was to bring the company back to profitability, for which he terminate several inefficient projects. Under his leadership and with the launch of iMac line of computers, Apple’s profits returned. Elegant, refreshing designs of the iMacs, backed by user friendly software, increased Apples appeal. Apple entered other consumer electronics fields, such as portable music players with their iPods, digital music distribution through iTunes and even mobile phones with iPhones.
Jobs purchased Lucasfilms computer graphics division for $10 million which he renamed Pixar, in 1986. Pixar began creating animated movies and struck a deal with Walt Disney, which agreed to co finance and distribute the movies. In 1995 Pixar's first movie, Toy Story was released and went on to become a box office hit. It was followed by other successful hits such as such- A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
Honors
Steve Jobs, along with Steve Wozniak, was awarded the National Medal Technology from President Ronald Reagan in 1985. They were the first people to receive the honor.
In its November issue, Fortune Magazine named Jobs as the most powerful person in business.
In December of 2007, Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger inducted Steve Jobs into the California Hall of Fame.
Achievement
The Co-Founder and CEO of Apple Computers and the Pixar animation studio, Steve Jobs ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. At age 20, Jobs founded Apple in his parents garage with $1,300 he raised by selling his old Volkswagen and his parents' calculator. Today, Apple leads the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and with leading consumer and professional software applications. Apple is also leading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store. Jobs's animation venture, Pixar, has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. In 2006, Pixar merged with The Walt Disney Company in a $7.4 billion deal that made Steve Jobs the largest individual shareholder in Disney. Now one of the established leaders of American industry, Steve Jobs was still a mischievous 26-year old iconoclast when he addressed the Academy of Achievement in 1982.
Leadership Experience
Steve Jobs is responsible for building Apple Computer twice, as well as for rescuing Pixar Animation Studios and turning it into one of the world's most successful motion picture studios. He also built NeXT Computer, a good idea that did not catch on. He was a hands-on manager, who studied even the minutest details of his products, with the heart and eye of an artist. His insistence on high-quality, good-looking products struck a chord with many people who appreciated the beauty of Apple products, resulting in such fabulous successes as the Macintosh computer and the iPod portable music system.
While Jobs was a persuasive and charismatic evangelist for Apple, some of his employees from that time had described him as an erratic and tempestuous manager. Fortune once noted that he "is considered one of Silicon Valley's leading egomaniacs”. But since his second coming to Apple his management style has radically changed from what it was in 1985. In fact, he seems to relish other people's ideas; perhaps his work at Pixar has improved his ability to work with the creative people. He wisely surrounds himself with top-notch executives in all the key corporate positions. He has transformed the corporate culture into one in which employees wanted to come to work and have a mission to change the world for the better. Moreover, Steve Jobs brought the fun back into tinkering with electronics.
Quotations by STEVE JOBS
“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.”
“Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart”.
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
Steve Jobs is the co-founder and CEO of Apple and Pixar.
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” -Steve Jobs
Early Life
Steve Jobs was born on the 24th of February 1955 in San Francisco, where he was adopted by the Jobs family. He did his schooling in Cupertino, California and during high school he started attending lectures at Hewlett Packard Company in Palo Alto. Jobs was hired there during summer, and thats when he met Steve Wozniak. After graduation he joined Reed College, Portland but two years later, he dropped out after just one semester. Later he returned home and started attending meetings held by the Homebrew Computer Club with Steve Wozniak. Soon he started working with Atari, a video game maker. Steve and Wozniak went into business, producing 'blue boxes', which were illegal and enabled free long distance telephone calls.
Career
Fascinated by spirituality, Jobs saved money and traveled to India, in search for enlightenment. Later he returned home and began working for Atari again, along with Wozniak.
In 1976, Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple Computer Company, named after Jobs' favorite fruit, that produced home PCs, mostly based on Wozniak's expertise with computer electronics. Their first computer was called Apple I, and was followed later by Apple II, which was quite a hit. In 1980, at the time of launch of Apple III, Apple Computer Co became a publicly traded company.
To encourage the marketability of Apple, Jobs managed to convince John Sculley from Pepsi Co to become Apple's CEO. Apple Computer Co released its first graphical user interfaced computer, called Macintosh in 1984, which was a huge leap for Apple computers at that time.
Jobs charismatic leadership had greatly benefited Apple, but his hot temper and inconsistent behavior led to much led to much tension in the company. There was as a result, a power feud in 1985, at the end of which, Jobs was stripped off much of his responsibilities in the company, but the board of directors. After a while, Jobs resigned as chairman of Apple and later founded another company called Next Computers. His new company went on to produce an aesthetically pleasing, technologically superior workstation called The Cube. But this workstation was cost prohibitive and eventually, Jobs shifted his focused to software, which he believed would be the field of the next big technological breakthrough. But two huge implications of Next were that, its software would later be used for writing the first World Wide Web, and second, the NeXTSTEP operating system that was being created at Next, would eventually bring to Apple Computers, a very efficient, advanced operating system.
In 1996, with Apple purchasing Next, Steve was brought back to Apple as its CEO. His first objective was to bring the company back to profitability, for which he terminate several inefficient projects. Under his leadership and with the launch of iMac line of computers, Apple’s profits returned. Elegant, refreshing designs of the iMacs, backed by user friendly software, increased Apples appeal. Apple entered other consumer electronics fields, such as portable music players with their iPods, digital music distribution through iTunes and even mobile phones with iPhones.
Jobs purchased Lucasfilms computer graphics division for $10 million which he renamed Pixar, in 1986. Pixar began creating animated movies and struck a deal with Walt Disney, which agreed to co finance and distribute the movies. In 1995 Pixar's first movie, Toy Story was released and went on to become a box office hit. It was followed by other successful hits such as such- A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
Honors
Steve Jobs, along with Steve Wozniak, was awarded the National Medal Technology from President Ronald Reagan in 1985. They were the first people to receive the honor.
In its November issue, Fortune Magazine named Jobs as the most powerful person in business.
In December of 2007, Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger inducted Steve Jobs into the California Hall of Fame.
Achievement
The Co-Founder and CEO of Apple Computers and the Pixar animation studio, Steve Jobs ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. At age 20, Jobs founded Apple in his parents garage with $1,300 he raised by selling his old Volkswagen and his parents' calculator. Today, Apple leads the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and with leading consumer and professional software applications. Apple is also leading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store. Jobs's animation venture, Pixar, has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. In 2006, Pixar merged with The Walt Disney Company in a $7.4 billion deal that made Steve Jobs the largest individual shareholder in Disney. Now one of the established leaders of American industry, Steve Jobs was still a mischievous 26-year old iconoclast when he addressed the Academy of Achievement in 1982.
Leadership Experience
Steve Jobs is responsible for building Apple Computer twice, as well as for rescuing Pixar Animation Studios and turning it into one of the world's most successful motion picture studios. He also built NeXT Computer, a good idea that did not catch on. He was a hands-on manager, who studied even the minutest details of his products, with the heart and eye of an artist. His insistence on high-quality, good-looking products struck a chord with many people who appreciated the beauty of Apple products, resulting in such fabulous successes as the Macintosh computer and the iPod portable music system.
While Jobs was a persuasive and charismatic evangelist for Apple, some of his employees from that time had described him as an erratic and tempestuous manager. Fortune once noted that he "is considered one of Silicon Valley's leading egomaniacs”. But since his second coming to Apple his management style has radically changed from what it was in 1985. In fact, he seems to relish other people's ideas; perhaps his work at Pixar has improved his ability to work with the creative people. He wisely surrounds himself with top-notch executives in all the key corporate positions. He has transformed the corporate culture into one in which employees wanted to come to work and have a mission to change the world for the better. Moreover, Steve Jobs brought the fun back into tinkering with electronics.
Quotations by STEVE JOBS
“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.”
“Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart”.
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
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