Tim Cook recently explained the factors that drove him to join Apple. Interestingly, he made his decision just 5 minutes into his first interview with Steve Jobs.
It’s well known that Tim Cook played an integral role in helping Apple reverse course back in the late 90’s and subsequently transforming it into one of the most profitable companies on the planet.
During Tuesday’s D10 sit down with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, Tim Cook was very forthright and helped add a bit more color to his story.
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During the Q&A session, Cook at one point described the circumstances that brought him to Apple, explaining that he had made up his mind to quitCompaq and join Apple just five minutes into his interview with Steve Jobs.
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What accounted for Cook’s enthusiasm? Well, he bought in 100% to the ethos of Apple as laid out by Jobs.
Specifically, Cook was taken in by the iMac and how Apple positioned it as something different from the rest of the pack. He also was intrigued by Apple’s desire to focus on the consumer end of the market. And more importantly, Cook was taken in by Steve Jobs. He admired that Jobs wasn’t motivated by money, but rather by creating great products.
If this all sounds familiar, it’s because Cook espoused similar sentiments during a commencement speech he gave at Auburn University, his alma mater, a few years back.
On that day, in early 1998, I listened to my intuition. Not the left side of my brain, or for that matter, even the people who knew me best. It’s hard to know why I listened. Im not even sure why I know today, but no more than 5 minutes into my initial interview with Steve, I wanted to throw caution and logic to the wind and join Apple. My intuition already knew that joining Apple was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for the creative genius and to be on the executive team that could resurrect a great American company.
Cook also added that he was drawn to Apple’s unique customer base, admiring their passion and commitment to the company. Cook explained that Apple was the only tech company that would engender brand loyalty even if a customer was upset with the company. In contrast, Cook said that a consumer angry at Compaq would buy a Dell and vice versa.
“But an Apple customer was a unique breed,” Cook said. “And there was this emotion that you just don’t see in technology in general.”
