--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I left Apple, it had $2 billion of…" description: "\"When I left Apple, it had $2 billion of cash. It was the most profitable computer company in the world - not just personal computers - and Apple was th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c58/john-sculley-9738_apple_when-i-left-apple-it-had-2-billion-of-ca_1155529.png" --- # When I left Apple, it had $2 billion of cash. It was the… ![“When I left Apple, it had $2 billion of cash. It was the most profitable computer company in the world - not just personal computers - and Apple was the number one selling computer.” quote by John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c58/john-sculley-9738_apple_when-i-left-apple-it-had-2-billion-of-ca_1155529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c58/john-sculley-9738_apple_when-i-left-apple-it-had-2-billion-of-ca_1155529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c58/john-sculley-9738_apple_when-i-left-apple-it-had-2-billion-of-ca_1155529.png) > “When I left Apple, it had $2 billion of cash. It was the most profitable computer company in the world - not just personal computers - and Apple was the number one selling computer.” [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He highlights Apple’s massive cash reserves and market dominance beyond personal computers. **In simple terms:** Apple was extremely profitable and a market leader. Key Takeaway Recognize the importance of cash flow and diversification. Themes business finance leadership Mood analytical pragmatic Type observation business When to use this quote - startup fundraising - corporate strategy - investment decisions Key Concepts cash management market dominance strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - How can cash be used to sustain growth? - What risks arise from market dominance? A Different Perspective Cash alone doesn’t guarantee long‑term innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up loving computers and math, actually. I also loved English literature and French, but I became obsessed with computers when the Apple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-harris/i-grew-up-loving-computers-and-math-actually-i-also-loved-english/) [Parker Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-harris/) > [PepsiCo is a $63 billion company. Half the company is snacks, and half the company is beverages. 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It's estimated that Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/malaria-is-a-disease-that-kills-one-to-three-million-people-a-year/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [I’m neither ‘pro-women’ nor ‘anti-men’. I’m just ‘Thumbs up for the six billion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-m-neither-pro-women-nor-anti-men-i-m-just-thumbs-up-for-the-six/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Again, a franchise to me doesn't have to be a billion dollar title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/again-a-franchise-to-me-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-billion-dollar-title/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [The world isn't fast-paced, it's frenetic. People have to be managers of themselves. Time has been managing itself for 15 billion years; we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-buzan/the-world-isn-t-fast-paced-it-s-frenetic-people-have-to-be-managers/) [Tony Buzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-buzan/) > [“We are fornicating in the sight of six billion people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/we-are-fornicating-in-the-sight-of-six-billion-people/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Seven billion people in the world... But!! My heart choose you. :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udigwe-vinsnt/seven-billion-people-in-the-world-but-my-heart-choose-you/) Udigwe Vinsnt ## More by John Sculley > [I have found that I always learn more from my mistakes than from my successes. If you aren't making some mistakes, you aren't taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/i-have-found-that-i-always-learn-more-from-my-mistakes-than-from-my/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [I believe that crisis really tends to help develop the characer of an organisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/i-believe-that-crisis-really-tends-to-help-develop-the-characer-of-an/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [There are just moments when all the stars are aligned for breakthrough products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/there-are-just-moments-when-all-the-stars-are-aligned-for/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Over the years, I have developed a pretty good Rolodex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/over-the-years-i-have-developed-a-pretty-good-rolodex/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [The characteristics that I look for when I'm looking for really good entrepreneurs to lead companies are you have to have an inquiring mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/the-characteristics-that-i-look-for-when-i-m-looking-for-really-good/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Apple does magical things, but it does magical things that are a combination of a product, a service, a system, and an experience with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/apple-does-magical-things-but-it-does-magical-things-that-are-a/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Ross Perot came and visited Apple several times and visited the Macintosh factory. Ross was a systems thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/ross-perot-came-and-visited-apple-several-times-and-visited-the/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [We expect teachers to handle teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and the failings of the family. Then we expect them to educate our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/we-expect-teachers-to-handle-teenage-pregnancy-substance-abuse-and/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Everything at Apple can be best understood through the lens of designing. Whether it's designing the look and feel of the user experience, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/everything-at-apple-can-be-best-understood-through-the-lens-of/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [When I was 5 or 6 years old, I never wanted toys; I wanted electrical parts so I could build things. And I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/when-i-was-5-or-6-years-old-i-never-wanted-toys-i-wanted-electrical/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [It's suddenly practical to do very high quality video wirelessly over mobile devices, and we're just in the early days of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/it-s-suddenly-practical-to-do-very-high-quality-video-wirelessly-over/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [My guess is that Apple won't just pass Microsoft in market capitalization, but will go way beyond it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/my-guess-is-that-apple-won-t-just-pass-microsoft-in-market/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [The healthcare industry has never had a priority on user experience because there has been little competition. Prices have never been transparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/the-healthcare-industry-has-never-had-a-priority-on-user-experience/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Is there anyone out there who is the next Steve Jobs? I think Jeff Bezos is pretty close. He is very smart. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/is-there-anyone-out-there-who-is-the-next-steve-jobs-i-think-jeff/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [People who take risks are the people you'll lose against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/people-who-take-risks-are-the-people-you-ll-lose-against/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) [Explore all 70 John Sculley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) ## More Apple quotes > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Most people believe the apple merely represented Knowledge. But we know better. 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I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [When Apple introduced its game-changing iPhone in 2007, Nokia was caught sleeping on the job. Although it had actually developed an iPhone-style device -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/when-apple-introduced-its-game-changing-iphone-in-2007-nokia-was/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [I like to make pies. That's kind of my new obsession - peach, blueberry, apple, strawberry. I make a really good pumpkin pie with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/i-like-to-make-pies-that-s-kind-of-my-new-obsession-peach-blueberry/) [Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [Back in my school days, when I would scuttle off with a cheese roll, an apple, a box of Sun-Maid raisins and a Penguin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/back-in-my-school-days-when-i-would-scuttle-off-with-a-cheese-roll-an/) [Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/) > [As far as Apple goes, it was a different company every few years from the time I joined in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/as-far-as-apple-goes-it-was-a-different-company-every-few-years-from/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [“You are the apple of Love’s eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/you-are-the-apple-of-love-s-eye/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [To the extent that anyone anywhere does anything interesting, the question is: 'Why isn't Apple doing that; why is Apple behind in that?' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-federighi/to-the-extent-that-anyone-anywhere-does-anything-interesting-the/) [Craig Federighi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-federighi/) > [I read the Steve Jobs book, and that kind of changed everything. 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