FBlog

Today we have lost one of the greatest innovators the world has ever seen (certainly the greatest innovator of my lifetime).

Steve Jobs was a man known for groundbreaking products and innovations, but also masterminding the unbelievable marketing and brand initiatives that took these products from being a super-cool luxury good, to an every day, part-of-life essential.

I think it was Seth Godin who tells the story that sliced bread didn’t catch on until years after it’s creation, because it was not marketed. It was just an amazingly simple innovation sat on the work surface of its inventor’s kitchen.

Steve Jobs knew the importance of marketing and building a complete brand, and he certainly did it.

Like many great innovators before him, he will live on through the legacy he has built through his pioneering innovations.

On my way to work I see how many people the products and services he has pioneered have touched. From, iPhones, to iPads, MacBooks, iPods, and apps, the App Store and the Apple store, his unique was of creating things, putting them to market and then developing them has truly left its mark on the world. From Apple, to Disney (via Pixar) and back again, brining together the best of design and innovation, he was truly a revolutionary.

I could go on, but I’ll simply leave you with a word from Steve, and some of the people he touched.

Apple: “[A] visionary and creative genius, and an amazing human being. Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives”

Apple board: “the world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts”.

Bill Gates: “Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

“The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.”

“For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.”

President Obama: “By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun.”

The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because 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.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

“Stay hungry, stay foolish.”       Steve Jobs, Commencement speech at Stanford University, 2005

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”.     Steve Jobs

I think that says it all…

Thanks Steve.

Sent from my iPhone