Tim Cook Reflects on Joining Apple and Steve Jobs - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Tim Cook Reflects on Joining Apple and Steve Jobs

by

In an August 2024 letter published by The Steve Jobs Archive today, Tim Cook reflected on joining Apple and what he learned from working with Steve Jobs.

Hello Tim Cook iMac
Jobs convinced Cook to join Apple in 1998, to help turn around the company:

I'll never forget that first conversation with Steve. At the time, Apple had been struggling and Steve was working to right a ship that had drifted in his absence. Many people doubted the company could survive, and I was warned that accepting a job there would come with risks. But when Steve spoke, any trepidation I harbored instantly dissolved. I had never met someone with so much passion and vision. He spoke with charisma and clarity—about a future where technology could unlock a wellspring of human creativity and potential, connecting us and uplifting us in ways even he had yet to imagine.

Cook said joining Apple was the best decision he ever made:

In Steve, I found an incredible mentor who inspired me to grow and challenge myself in new and important ways. And in joining Apple, I traded a job for a purpose, one that still drives me to this very day. It truly was the greatest decision I've ever made.

The Steve Jobs Archive shared letters from many additional influential leaders today, including Apple's former design chief Jony Ive, Disney CEO Bob Iger, famous designer Dieter Rams, and others. The letters had previously only been shared with The Steve Jobs Archive fellows. There is also a new introductory letter from Laurene Powell Jobs.

The Steve Jobs Archive released the letters on what would have been Jobs' 71st birthday. They are available on the web and in the Apple Books app for free.

The Steve Jobs Archive was launched by Jobs' friends and family in 2022. The website features a collection of quotes, photos, videos, and emails from Jobs, and offers fellowships to young creators looking to follow in his footsteps.

Tags: Steve Jobs, Tim Cook

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
turbineseaplane
7 weeks ago
Here's the graphic I'm excited to eventually see.



Attachment Image
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
buddhistMonkey
7 weeks ago
If Steve Jobs hadn't come along when he did, I'd be in a completely different line of work, living in a different part of the country, living a completely different life. I don't know if that alternate timeline would have been better or worse, but I'm pretty happy with my current timeline, so I thank Steve Jobs for his role in that.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
I7guy
7 weeks ago
Tim Cook as ceo of Apple has had a net positive trickle down impact on this planet.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
cryingbaby
7 weeks ago
Goodbye Tim Apple! 🍎 🍏
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomtad Avatar
tomtad
7 weeks ago
If you could now reflect on leaving Apple Tim

Cheers
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
needsomecoffee Avatar
needsomecoffee
7 weeks ago
"In Steve, I found an incredible mentor who inspired me to grow and challenge myself in new and important ways."

IOW: "I thought to myself how could I leverage Steve's commitment to excellence in a way that I and my C-Level friends could become Billionaires or Hundreds-of-Millionaires."

While Steve never/rarely considered the stock price (shareholder value), Tim realized that the brand equity Steve created could easily be leveraged provide an answer.

Tim simply chose to ignore Steve's comments about how companies that make decisions to pump to stock are evil, and decided to PUMP THE STOCK. The fact that this leveraged the intense brand value Steve created is an opp that is starting to close (imho).

So, now Tim is close to retirement and a MULTI-BILLIONAIRE. All the other C-Levels guys also have lots of wealth. So pretty everyone is happy including shareholders (the ultimate fallback). Note: Flame away re: Shareholder value explains every f**king decision to leverage users/motherearth to extract every valuable penny.

Tim: Yeah there are "rumors" that we sold our soul to ShareHolderValue, but really... No matter what damage was done to Steve's outright clear ethos that pandering to shareholder value ruins companies, WE DONT GAF. There are "near term" billions to be made from what Steve built. I've got mine, so FU.

Tim: Of course I've got my PR firm working to assuage my image/brand as I prep to leave Apple as a pretty happy multi-billionaire. So no one will really care.

TL;DR:

F**K you TimApple. You could have got your billions another way, and created long-term value ala Steve's values. But you took the easy money (along with all other C-Level execs).

I once thought Tim was a genuine guy who might have a political career. No longer. He is focused on wealth. We have enough of those guys.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments