Apple was very close to bankruptcy and to irrelevance…
![“Apple was very close to bankruptcy and to irrelevance [but] you learn a lot about life through death, and I learnt a lot about vital corporations by experiencing a non-vital corporation. You would have thought that, when what stands between you and bankruptcy is some money, your focus would be on…” quote by Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/b13/jonathan-ive-3015_apples_apple-was-very-close-to-bankruptcy-and-t_1983293.jpg)
“Apple was very close to bankruptcy and to irrelevance [but] you learn a lot about life through death, and I learnt a lot about vital corporations by experiencing a non-vital corporation. You would have thought that, when what stands between you and bankruptcy is some money, your focus would be on making some money, but that was not [Steve Jobs’] preoccupation. His observation was that the products weren’t good enough and his resolve was, we need to make better products. That stood in stark contrast to the previous attempts to turn the company around.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Steve Jobs prioritized product excellence over profit, seeing failure as learning for better innovation.
In simple terms: Focus on product quality, not money, to succeed.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize excellence over short‑term profit.
Themes
innovation
leadership
product design
resilience
Mood
thoughtful
strategic
Type
business
philosophical
When to use this quote
- startup turnaround
- corporate restructuring
- product development
Key Concepts
quality focus
learning from failure
visionary thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks arise when profit is deprioritized?
- How can quality drive sustainable profit?
A Different Perspective
May ignore financial constraints.