by Walter Isaacson
This book review was published in arvy’s Bookclub. Check out their excellent newsletter here.
Our friends at arvy have established an exciting new asset manager in Zurich. With a strong investment philosophy and significant personal investment, they actively manage investments in 30 companies and currently oversee CHF 30 million in assets under management.
Our friends at arvy have established an exciting new asset manager in Zurich. With a strong investment philosophy and significant personal investment, they actively manage investments in 30 companies and currently oversee CHF 30 million in assets under management. The future looks bright.
Recently arvy has also developed an investment app that takes everyone on the journey of investing, making it accessible, easy to understand and sustainable. The future looks bright.
We are grateful to co-founders Thierry, Patrick, and Florian for supporting our young Investment Club ZH with great enthusiasm. We look forward to our next chapter.
“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Steve Jobs
To understand the rise of Apple, the world’s most valuable company today, it is essential to learn about the man who built it. Steve Jobs is synonymous with Apple, and his life story is a blend of innovation, determination, and complexity. Walter Isaacson’s biography, published in 2011, provides a captivating and honest look into Jobs’ life, including his successes, failures, and profound influence on technology and design.
From starting Apple with Steve Wozniak in his parents’ garage in 1976 to revolutionizing multiple industries with products like the iPhone, Jobs’ story is one of incredible vision and persistence. Despite being ousted from Apple in 1985, Jobs’ founding of NeXT and Pixar during his exile proved transformative. His triumphant return to Apple in 1997 marked a new era, turning the company into an innovation powerhouse.
This biography also showcases the personal side of Jobs – his passion, perfectionism, and at times, his challenging personality. The book reveals insights that continue to inspire entrepreneurs and visionaries today.
I have learned a lot from him, including his must-read biography or the 15 minutes that I will never forget.
Three Key Lessons from Jobs’ Stanford Speech (2005)
In his famous Stanford commencement address, Jobs shared three profound lessons:
- Connect the Dots Backward: Jobs reflected on how a calligraphy course influenced Apple’s focus on design. He taught that life’s events often only make sense in hindsight.
- Love What You Do: Jobs emphasized the importance of following one’s passion. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do,” he said.
- Live Like It’s Your Last Day: Facing mortality inspired Jobs to focus on what truly matters. He urged graduates to “stay hungry, stay foolish.”
10 Key Lessons from Steve Jobs’ Life
- Founder-led companies: Jobs’ personal brand and vision were so strong that investors’ perception improved immediately after he rejoined Apple in 1997.
- Do what you love: Jobs loved music, so he built a device with which you could carry around songs in your pocket. He made products he himself loved.
- You can only connect the dots looking backwards: Nobody could have predicted Apple’s meteoric rise. In the early days, a number of VCs passed on the opportunity. Sometimes, all you can hold onto is a vision.
- Be a yardstick of quality: Jobs was known for having high standards. He was able to gather a great team of people and motivate them to achieve more than they imagined.
- The Innovator’s Dilemma: Apple was not afraid to embrace new technology, even if it cannibalized an existing product. Also, the title of one of Jobs’ favorite books, highly recommended. Lasting companies know how to reinvent themselves.
- The intersection of arts and technology: The iPhone is beautifully designed and a great piece of tech. This combination makes it valuable.
- Tightly integrated ecosystem: The philosophical battle between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in the book is legendary. Steve Jobs’ philosophy is still visible in Apple today, e.g., the proprietary operating system iOS.
- Power of a technical/sales founding duo: Steve Wozniak was the technical genius behind Apple’s breakout products. But without Steve Jobs, the great products might have never been commercialized.
- Powerful and simple advertising: Jobs’ product launches are legendary and still hailed today for their genius presentation technique. Apple’s ads were always powerful and delivered one message at a time.
- Clear thinking and focus: Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.
Mark’s takeaway: Steve Jobs’ principles and philosophies have profoundly shaped the modern business world. His unwavering focus on innovation, quality, and user experience serves as a guide for any company seeking long-term impact. Not only for me but also for arvy, Jobs’ story inspires our approach to excellence, creativity, and strategic thinking.