Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, candidly shared that even after achieving the status of a billionaire, he found it challenging to bask in the company’s success. For Gates, the real sense of accomplishment only settled in towards the late ’90s. Reflecting on that period, he mentioned, “I wouldn’t say that I felt comfortable that we were successful until about 1998 or so. Until then, I always felt like I was one mistake away from disaster.”
In an intriguing revelation about his relationship with Apple’s legendary co-founder, the late Steve Jobs, Gates shared some amusing insights about their dynamic (mentioned in Fortune). During a chat with The Independent, Gates recounted, “Steve once said he wished I’d take acid; he believed it might have improved my design sensibility for products.” Gates, with his characteristic wit, replied, “Look, I got the wrong batch.”
Their relationship was not an ordinary one—it was filled with complexity. Despite the rivalry between their companies, Gates was instrumental in developing software for Apple’s early computers. Furthermore, in a pivotal move that turned heads, Gates injected a lifeline into Apple with a $150 million investment in 1997, at a time when the company was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
Steve Jobs, renowned for his unparalleled design and marketing flair, was behind landmark launches such as the iPhone and iMac. While Jobs viewed Gates as lacking in these areas, he respected Gates’ deep technical knowledge and skill. Bill Gates himself acknowledged, “I got the coding batch, and this guy got the marketing-design batch, so good for him. Apart from being energetic leaders pushing boundaries, our talents didn’t overlap much.”
While Jobs was mesmerizing audiences with sleek gadgets, Microsoft was strategically investing in and expanding its cloud computing services. This focus significantly boosted the company’s growth, contributing to its jaw-dropping $3 trillion market valuation.
Microsoft’s success didn’t just ride on new technologies; its Office suite, which features stalwarts like Word and Excel, was crucial. These tools have become indispensable to billions worldwide, though they failed to impress Jobs as much.
An intriguing tidbit Gates revealed to The Independent was about his youthful experimentation with drugs, a phase he left behind before Microsoft took off. “I thought I might come across as cool or catch a girl’s attention. When that didn’t pan out, I decided to stop,” Gates humorously concluded.
