--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist…" description: "\"“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs, and knows Gates well, also described Musk a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg" --- # Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested… ![“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs, and knows Gates well, also described Musk as an upgraded mix of the two. “Like Jobs, Elon does not tolerate C or D players,” said Jurvetson. “But I’d say he’s nicer than Jobs and a bit more…” quote by Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg) > ““Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs, and knows Gates well, also described Musk as an upgraded mix of the two. “Like Jobs, Elon does not tolerate C or D players,” said Jurvetson. “But I’d say he’s nicer than Jobs and a bit more refined than Bill Gates.”” [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elon Musk is seen as a blend of Jobs' intensity and Gates' refinement, with a kinder demeanor than Jobs. **In simple terms:** Musk combines Jobs' drive with Gates' polish, and is kinder. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of combining intensity with refinement. Themes leadership innovation comparison Mood admiring analytical Type biographical comparative When to use this quote - startup culture - tech leadership - investment decisions - team building Key Concepts entrepreneurship personal style legacy Questions to Reflect On - How can intensity be balanced with empathy? - What traits from Jobs and Gates are most valuable today? A Different Perspective Musk’s approach may overlook collaborative humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Musk had never run a car factory before and was considered arrogant and amateurish by Detroit. Yet, one year after the Model S went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-had-never-run-a-car-factory-before-and-was-considered-arrogant/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk came to see man’s fate in the universe as a personal obligation. If that meant pursuing cleaner energy technology or building spaceships to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-came-to-see-man-s-fate-in-the-universe-as-a-personal-obligation/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“The guys like Straubel who had been at Tesla since the beginning are quick to remind people that the chance to build an awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/the-guys-like-straubel-who-had-been-at-tesla-since-the-beginning-are/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“I may have been optimistic with respect to the timing on some of these things, but I didn’t over-promise on the outcome,” Musk told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-may-have-been-optimistic-with-respect-to-the-timing-on-some-of/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“When Musk announced in 2014 that Tesla would open-source all of its patents, analysts tried to decide whether this was a publicity stunt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-announced-in-2014-that-tesla-would-open-source-all-of-its/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“As Musk put it, “Try to imagine explaining that you’re investing in an electric car company, and everything you read about the car company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/as-musk-put-it-try-to-imagine-explaining-that-you-re-investing-in-an/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or didn’t have the means to combat was turn Tesla into a lifestyle. It did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/what-musk-had-done-that-the-rival-automakers-missed-or-didn-t-have/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“This left Musk searching for an industry that had tons of money and inefficiencies that he and the Internet could exploit. Musk began thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-left-musk-searching-for-an-industry-that-had-tons-of-money-and/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk’s vision, and, of late, execution seem to combine the best of Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. With”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-s-vision-and-of-late-execution-seem-to-combine-the-best-of-henry/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“During a time in which clean-tech businesses have gone bankrupt with alarming regularity, Musk has built two of the most successful clean-tech companies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/during-a-time-in-which-clean-tech-businesses-have-gone-bankrupt-with/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [As much as I reiterate my affection for Elon, there is nothing Elon does that we cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-marchionne/as-much-as-i-reiterate-my-affection-for-elon-there-is-nothing-elon/) [Sergio Marchionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-marchionne/) > [Elon Musk is a remarkable individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jurvetson/elon-musk-is-a-remarkable-individual/) [Steve Jurvetson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jurvetson/) > [“And this is one of the first things one learns from Musk’s example—he is relentless in his pursuit of the bold and, the bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/and-this-is-one-of-the-first-things-one-learns-from-musk-s-example-he/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [Musk is very inspiring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/musk-is-very-inspiring-to-me/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) ## More by Ashlee Vance > [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He points out that one of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-points-out-that-one-of-the-really-tough-things-is-figuring-out/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“sometimes at the Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/sometimes-at-the-sheraton-hotel-in-palo-alto/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Throughout these early years, the engineers credited Eberhard with making quick, crisp decisions. Rarely did Tesla get hung up overanalyzing a situation. The company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/throughout-these-early-years-the-engineers-credited-eberhard-with/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Whereas if they change a rule and something good happens, they don’t even get a reward. So, it’s very asymmetric. It’s then very easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/whereas-if-they-change-a-rule-and-something-good-happens-they-don-t/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“I might have fixed that thing but now I’ve made the person unproductive. It just wasn’t a good way to go about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-might-have-fixed-that-thing-but-now-i-ve-made-the-person/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk pulled Justine close while they danced, and informed her, “I am the alpha in this relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-pulled-justine-close-while-they-danced-and-informed-her-i-am-the/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“for Musk, the distinction between stumbling into something and having intent is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/for-musk-the-distinction-between-stumbling-into-something-and-having/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Well, we will decide we’re going into production and then a miracle is going to happen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/well-we-will-decide-we-re-going-into-production-and-then-a-miracle-is/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“You don’t tell Elon you can’t do something. That will get you kicked out of the room”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/you-don-t-tell-elon-you-can-t-do-something-that-will-get-you-kicked/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Founded in June 2002, Space Exploration Technologies came to life in humble settings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/founded-in-june-2002-space-exploration-technologies-came-to-life-in/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) [Explore all 91 Ashlee Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## More Musk quotes > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [Look not for musk in a dog's kennel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/look-not-for-musk-in-a-dog-s-kennel/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Musk is very inspiring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/musk-is-very-inspiring-to-me/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [It's hard for me to speculate about what motivates somebody like Stephen Hawking or Elon Musk to talk so extensively about AI. I'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/it-s-hard-for-me-to-speculate-about-what-motivates-somebody-like/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [Funny, isn't it? The airlines go to all that trouble to keep you from taking a gun on board, then they just hand you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/funny-isn-t-it-the-airlines-go-to-all-that-trouble-to-keep-you-from/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Do not resemble me-Never be like a musk melon Cut in two identical halves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/do-not-resemble-me-never-be-like-a-musk-melon-cut-in-two-identical/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [“And this is one of the first things one learns from Musk’s example—he is relentless in his pursuit of the bold and, the bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/and-this-is-one-of-the-first-things-one-learns-from-musk-s-example-he/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [Doubt is a precipice on the way to God. Blessed is he who is freed from its bonds. He who fares without any doubt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/doubt-is-a-precipice-on-the-way-to-god-blessed-is-he-who-is-freed/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [His smell—the scent of a demon, cinnamon incense, amber musk—wrapped around me, filled my lungs. I felt like I could breathe again, without every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilith-saintcrow/his-smell-the-scent-of-a-demon-cinnamon-incense-amber-musk-wrapped/) [Lilith Saintcrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilith-saintcrow/) > [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [We laugh at the efforts of the musk deer to find the source of the scent which comes from itself and despair at our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/we-laugh-at-the-efforts-of-the-musk-deer-to-find-the-source-of-the/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) Browse all 96 Musk quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs, and knows Gates well, also described Musk as an upgraded mix of the two. “Like Jobs, Elon does not tolerate C or D players,” said Jurvetson. “But I’d say he’s nicer than Jobs and a bit more refined than Bill Gates.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashlee Vance" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-who-has-invested-in-spacex/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Musk" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-who-has-invested-in-spacex/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50c/ashlee-vance-4672_quote_steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-w_932977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs…” — Ashlee Vance", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ashlee Vance", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-who-has-invested-in-spacex/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-who-has-invested-in-spacex/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```