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Chapter 43




< Hey, Jobs! Hey, Steve Jobs! >
#43
Hey, Jobs! Hey, Steve Jobs!
Steve Jobs.
It’s almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t know this person.
His influence has changed the lives of people worldwide...
But now, he has been ousted from the company he created, Apple. He’s struggling with NeXT and Pixar, but the results haven’t been good.
Actually, they’ve only been recording losses.
‘This is my only chance to invest in Jobs. I have to establish a connection with him no matter what.’
After spending a night in New York, I flew to California, where Pixar is located, without any prior notice.
I just went there on a whim.
I might not get to meet him since I didn’t make an appointment, but I judged that it would be better to pique his curiosity rather than make a prior arrangement, given his eccentric personality.
A while later, we arrived at the building where Pixar is located.
I walked confidently up to the reception desk. An employee sitting inside looked at me.
“How can I help you?”
“Is Jobs here?”
“You mean the CEO?”
“Yeah.”
The employee glanced us over for a moment, then hesitantly asked,
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but if you tell Jobs, he’ll probably see us.”
The employee looked at me as if I were crazy, but I pretended to be calm.
The employee, with a dubious expression, asked,
“What’s the purpose of your visit?”
“Just tell him that a man from the East has come to save him.”
“Huh... Okay... Please wait a moment.”
The employee got up and disappeared inside.
Han Kyung-yeong, who was standing beside me with an embarrassed look, whispered to me,
“Who exactly is Jobs?”
“He’s someone who will change the world.”
A moment later, the employee returned with an even stranger expression.
“...He says you can come up.”
“Thank you.”
We took the elevator to the CEO’s office.
The secretary at the entrance also gave me a puzzled look but led us to Jobs.
When we entered, we saw him sitting with his legs crossed on the sofa. It was exactly the face I had seen many times in photos.
‘Hey, Jobs! You still have some hair left at this point, huh?’
I smiled inwardly and walked in.
“Hey, Jobs! What’s up?”
Greeting him like an old friend, he gave me a strange look.
“Do you know me?”
“Of course. Steve Jobs!”
“I don’t think I’ve met you before.”
“Hahaha, can I sit down?”
Jobs nodded.
Han Kyung-yeong and I sat down, and Ma Seok-dae stood behind me.
Jobs glanced at Ma Seok-dae, who was standing, and I said,
“My bodyguard and secretary. Don’t worry about him.”
“Oh! Are you some kind of Asian royalty?”
Jobs, who had a deep interest in Asian culture, was very curious about Asian royalty.
“No, I’m from Korea. You know where Korea is, right?”
“Korea? Ah! Japan? I’ve been there once. They rejected my proposal in Japan.”
As if remembering that time, he frowned slightly and began to scrutinize me again.
“So, what do you mean by coming to save me? I hope you’re not joking.”
“What kind of joke would I play on the great Jobs?”
I laughed and waved my hand.
Then, without further ado, I cut to the chase.
“Are you thinking about selling Pixar? And NeXT too?”
Jobs, surprised that I had mentioned his unspoken thoughts, widened his eyes slightly.
But it was only for a moment. He then smiled and looked at me again.
“Hmm, me? No way.”
He shrugged and said playfully, as if he had no such thoughts.
“Come on, we’re friends now, right? I heard you’ve already spent half of the fortune you had when you were kicked out of Apple. Isn’t that right?”
The mention of Apple made his smile disappear and his face harden.
Indeed, this topic seemed to be a sore point for him.
“Ah! Don’t make that face. I think it was crazy for Apple to kick you out. Apple is Jobs, and Jobs is Apple. It’s only natural. Kicking you out, they’re just a bunch of lunatics. You can see how Apple is doing now, can’t you?”
His expression softened again. I smiled.
“The important thing isn’t Apple. You’ll eventually return there. I’m here to solve your current problems. Interested?”
Jobs, whose expression had noticeably changed at the prospect of investing in two companies that were only recording losses while giving him all the authority, nodded hesitantly.
“I’m not like those idiots at Apple who kicked you out. I’m investing in you, not just the companies. Pixar? NeXT? Do you think they have any value without you?”
At that, the last bit of wariness in Jobs’ expression disappeared.
You’ve heard that he has a strong sense of self...
“Alright. It’s good. But why do you have to be the one to do this? There are many others.”
I burst out laughing as if I had just heard a pleasant joke.
“Oh, Jobs. Don’t keep testing me. Who else would invest in you in this situation? You know, they’re all just idiots. Do you think there’s anyone on Wall Street who would invest tens of millions of dollars in a company that’s been in the red for years? Unless they’re planning to buy the whole company.”
Of course, that’s true.
This was the time when giants in the information and communication industry, like Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison, known as the bad boy of Silicon Valley, were sizing up the situation.
Especially Larry Ellison, who was close to Jobs, would be more actively making offers.
But Jobs was reluctant to sell his companies. Not just the newly founded NeXT after being ousted from Apple, but also Pixar, which he had acquired for ten million dollars...
If he sold the companies and stepped away, he might avoid losses, but he would have been uncertain about whether he could return to Apple.
Well... ultimately, Pixar would become a huge success, and NeXT would merge with Apple, allowing Jobs to return as CEO.
I nodded in agreement with his words.
“Right. If I were a normal investor or businessman, I would have just bought the companies instead of working with you. But you don’t want to sell, right? That’s why I came here. Or are you getting up now?”
As I tried to get up, Jobs quickly grabbed me.
“Hey, why are you in such a hurry, young man? So, you want half of my shares, and I’ll handle the management?”
“Fifty million dollars! What do you think?”
“What if the investment goes down the drain?”
“Well, just think of it as the cost of building a friendship with you.”
It’s not like it will go down the drain; it will come back tenfold, twentyfold. What’s there to worry about?
“Fifty million dollars isn’t too little...”
Seeing that Jobs was about to play his usual negotiation card, I preemptively blocked it.
“Don’t think about getting more than fifty million dollars. You’ll give up all management and voting rights, and if the company goes public or I sell my shares, you’ll have the right of first refusal. This is the best I can offer. Do you think any other crazy investor would offer such terms?”
“Just hear me out.”
“Fifty million dollars!”
“No...”
“Fifty million dollars!”
Jobs, looking exasperated, burst into a hollow laugh.
“Ha... I’ve never met anyone more stubborn than you. Alright, I get it. We can finalize the details later, but let’s have a conversation and a meal today.”
“Okay.”
Han Kyung-yeong, who had been silent, said in a slightly tired voice,
“I’ll head back to the hotel first.”
“Alright? Got it. Call a lawyer here.”
While Jobs was preparing, I gave Han Kyung-yeong a simple instruction and got up.
“This is my partner, James Han. I’ll mostly be in Korea, and this person will likely be the one to interact with you frequently.”
“Oh! Mr. Han? Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
“Let’s go to dinner.”
“This person is too tired and is heading back to the hotel. He also has some work to do for me. You’ll see him when we finalize the contract tomorrow.”
“Alright, see you then.”
Han Kyung-yeong shook hands with Jobs and left.
We arrived at a restaurant that Jobs often visits.
‘Ah... this guy is a hardcore vegetarian, right?’
He only ordered salads and fruits.
“Don’t worry about me, order what you want. I’ll treat you today. Hahaha.”
He kept smiling, seemingly in a good mood, and I simply replied, ordering the same.
“Do you also follow a vegetarian diet?”
“No, I don’t have any dietary restrictions, but I can’t eat meat in front of Jobs.”
He laughed heartily, apparently pleased with my answer.
“I like it. Your confident attitude reminds me of myself when I was young. But does your secretary not eat?”
“Ah... don’t worry about him. He’s always like that. He’s a reliable guy.”
Jobs glanced at Ma Seok-dae and nodded.
“It’s hard to find someone like him. He stands out, and he’s always watching your movements.”
“Thanks.”
“Why are you here?”
“He’s my guy.”
As the food arrived, we continued our conversation, eating fruits and vegetables.
“What do you think about the internet?”
“It will change the world. Especially the World Wide Web. Innovations have already started with Mosaic and will continue to grow.”
“Oh! You know about Mosaic too?”
“Web browsers will keep increasing, and information will flood in. Ultimately, the world will become one where computers are everywhere, within ten years.”
“Even someone as young as you knows this, but the fools at Apple don’t. They’re still clinging to past glories. The Apple I want isn’t like that.”
“Hahaha, they’re fools for kicking you out, Jobs.”
Jobs nodded, smiling contentedly.
“By the way, what’s your name? I didn’t even know that.”
“Charlie Kim.”
“Charlie? What’s your real name?”
“Mu-hyuk Kim.”
“Kim Mu...”
“Hahaha, don’t try to pronounce it. Just call me Charlie.”
“This is embarrassing. I’ve lived in Asia for quite a while. Call me Steve. It’s a term I only allow close friends to use, so consider it an honor, Charlie.”
“Sure, Steve.”
The conversation continued in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Jobs talked about his life. Although I already knew the story, I chimed in. It wasn’t difficult to agree with him, knowing who he is.
“Innovation is what distinguishes leaders from followers. Which one are you, Charlie? A leader or a follower?”
“Steve, I’ve always been a leader and will continue to be one. I doubt anyone is more innovative than me. The same goes for you, Steve.”
“Hahaha!”
He laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself.
“You’re the first person to say that to me. It’s really amusing. What kind of future do you see?”
Let me give you a taste of the future.
I took out my mobile phone from my pocket and showed it to him.
“Do you know what this is?”
“It’s a mobile phone, right?”
“This mobile phone will keep getting smaller, and eventually, a computer will fit inside it.”
< Hey, Jobs! Hey, Steve Jobs! > End