A Lesson From Steve Jobs: Entrepreneurs Create Lasting Value
I was recently struck by what Andy Hertzfeld, a member of original Macintosh team who is now an engineer at Google, said about Steve Jobs, following his passing:
Mr. Jobs made a lot of money over the years, for himself and for Apple shareholders. But money never seemed to be his principal motivation. One day in the late 1990s, Mr. Jobs and I were walking near his home in Palo Alto. Internet stocks were getting bubbly at the time, and Mr. Jobs spoke of the proliferation of start-ups, with so many young entrepreneurs focused on an “exit strategy,” selling their companies for a quick and hefty profit.
“It’s such a small ambition and sad really,” Mr. Jobs said. “They should want to build something, something that lasts.” (New York Times)
Isn’t that the true essence of an entrepreneur? I find this to be the case time and time again.
Last week I had the pleasure and the privilege to have a long and substantial conversation with a client-entrepreneur who happens to be worth billions. You know what? He's as passionate about growing his business today as he was when it was 10 people. He wants to leave a legacy of lasting value and he comes to work every day (he certainly doesn’t need to) to be challenged and exhilarated by the opportunity to continue to grow his business. This, to me, is at the essence of the true entrepreneur.
As our country struggles to figure out its path to growth and recovery, it is people with the spirit of Mr. Jobs - who are focused on much more than the fast buck or the payout - that will add real value, create jobs and inspire dreams.
As I head to Notre Dame University to serve as an entrepreneur-in-residence this week, I am humbled by the memory of Steve Jobs and honored to be in the position to perhaps inspire a few young minds to adopt his philosophy for creating lasting value. 