Steve Jobs, CEO of the decade

I was reading an article in the most recent issue of Fortune magazine, where Steve Jobs was named the CEO of the decade and I would like to share it with you.

Steve Jobs is the CEO who revived Apple during the past 10 years. The financial results of his work are astounding: In 2000 the company was worth $5 billion and today it is worth about $170 billion. How he succeeded in doing that?

First of all he is an entrepreneur. He has commercial imagination and envisions products. He is come-up with products that enhance our everyday life- the iPod, iTunes, the iPhone.  According to Jobs we are now in the midst of the third age of computing, the age of “digital lifestyle”. In this stage of evolution, personal computers like iMac and MacBook connect and enhance a wide a range of products, from digital cameras to smart phones to MP3 players, all of which are redefining  the way we interact with TV, film and music, as well as each other.  He is obsessed with “what’s next” in products, although he would never rush to market a product that is not perfect.

People who work for him talk about his maniacal obsession to the smallest design detail. He has been labeled as the most hands-on CEO in America. His products must be functional and fast, but also must be beautiful. He is committed to both aesthetics and functional integrity. He is also extremely hardworking and demanding of himself and others. Many years ago, Jobs called the computer “bicycle of the mind”. Even now, as Apple releases products that expand our traditional notion of the computer, he continues to give us devices that complement and enhance our everyday life.

(Photo: Albert Watson)

Amazon.com ... and you're done

I came across a very interesting article in a previous issue of Business week, it is titled “How Amazon is turning opinions into gold”.

It basically talks about how Amazon was the first internet retailer to introduce product reviews and consumer ratings 15 years ago. No other retailer thought about letting consumers post reviews, since it was considered a retail suicide. Amazon changed consumer’s philosophy by embracing consumer’s views. Nowadays, 15 years later, almost every retail web site has reviews. Amazon has one of the largest collections of consumer’s opinions, which has made the site a magnet that attracts more consumers to its website.

It is impressive how an innovative idea like this changed consumer’s philosophy. Today it has become a habit to research the internet before consumers buy anything. 70% of Americans look at reviews and ratings before making a purchase. I thought every site had reviews, and that is the first thing I check when searching to buy something from the web, but it wasn’t until Amazon did it for first time!

Had anyone thought of that before?