I am sometimes honored to meet interesting and amazing people. In this circumstance, I must have met one of my business idols and undoubtedly the brains behind Apple – Steve Wozniak!. His insights into business and technology are amazing.
If you doubt how amazing his legacy is, let’s look at the numbers first.
Apple Inc. is currently (and the last 2 years[i]) the most valuable company in the world by market capitalization; commanding more than $413b. This is more than Exxon Mobil, Petro China, Wal-Mart and other huge multinationals in various sectors.
Steve Wozniak happens to have been there right at the start of Apple Inc.
Together with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, they started the company in 1976 with the sole goal of selling Apple I personal computer kit, a computer single-handedly designed by Steve Wozniak! [ii] Apple went to incorporate on 3rd January, 1977 without Ronald Wayne who sold his share of the company to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
There was incredible growth in the company initially with revenue doubling every four months within the first five years of operation.
Steve Wozniak gave incredible insights into how it all started and was amazed by how humbly he has remained despite the contribution and drive he has put in a company that has revolutionalised the world!.
A number of take away messages after meeting Steve Wozniak:
- Technology is all around us – We just have to keep an open mind, curious eye and a yearning to learn.
- You need a team behind every success – No one can do it alone. The combination of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs undoubtedly produced what Apple is today.
- Passion is a key ingredient of Success – With passion for what you are doing, it becomes easy to go through the challenges and tribulations of business and personal lives.
[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_public_corporations_by_market_capitalization