Proof can be found in a passing comment on the new Bloomberg docu Game-Changers that chronicles Google’s rise to world domination. There’s also a very short part that delves into the Sergey-Larry duo’s search for a viable CEO back in the early 2000s.
After meeting a dozen prospective candidates, the Google founders dropped by Apple HQ to meet the mighty Jobs. The result? He declined, and Eric Schmidt eventually got the gig.
The Search for a Visionary Leader
In the early 2000s, Google was on the cusp of becoming a tech giant, but it needed a visionary leader to guide its explosive growth. Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the co-founders of Google, were determined to find someone who could take their innovative search engine to the next level. They interviewed numerous candidates, each bringing their own unique set of skills and experiences to the table. However, none seemed to fit the mold of what Brin and Page envisioned for Google’s future.
Their quest led them to Apple HQ, where they hoped to persuade Steve Jobs to take the helm. Jobs, known for his transformative leadership at Apple, had already revolutionized the tech industry with products like the Macintosh and was on the verge of launching the iPod. Despite the allure of leading another groundbreaking company, Jobs declined the offer. His focus remained on Apple, where he would later introduce the world to the iPhone and iPad, further cementing his legacy as a tech visionary.
Imagining an Alternate Tech Universe
Of course, this is but a minor detail in the Google saga (even more minor in the annals of Apple for sure), but every geek owes it to himself to spend a few minutes of his day contemplating alternate history. Just try to envision a world where Jobs reinvented himself as Google’s CEO—would the iPhone and iPod revolution still have taken place without Stevie at the helm of Apple?
Had Jobs accepted the role at Google, the tech landscape might look very different today. Google’s focus could have shifted from search engines to hardware innovation much earlier, potentially leading to a different set of groundbreaking products. The synergy between Jobs’ design philosophy and Google’s technological prowess could have resulted in a new era of tech products that seamlessly integrated hardware and software.
On the other hand, Apple’s trajectory would have been altered significantly. Without Jobs’ relentless drive and vision, the company might not have achieved the same level of success with its iconic products. The iPhone, which revolutionized the smartphone industry, might never have come to fruition, and the iPod might not have become the cultural phenomenon it did.
Go here for the full episode and the juice on why Eric Schmidt became the chosen one (has something to do with the Burning Man Festival). It’s one of those highly informative easy-to-consume business bios Bloomberg is good at.
Eric Schmidt’s appointment as CEO was not without its own interesting backstory. His experience at Novell and Sun Microsystems made him a strong candidate, but it was his shared interests with Brin and Page, including their mutual appreciation for the Burning Man Festival, that solidified his position. Schmidt’s leadership helped Google navigate its rapid growth and expand into new markets, ultimately leading to its current status as a global tech powerhouse.
Via Gizmodo
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