--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Gates was active in business, he was…" description: "\"When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest - so focused that no company could surpass Microsoft.\" — Masayoshi Son" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg" --- # When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest… ![“When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest - so focused that no company could surpass Microsoft.” quote by Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg) > “When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest - so focused that no company could surpass Microsoft.” [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights how extreme intelligence and focus can create a dominant market position, making competition nearly impossible. **In simple terms:** Dominance through focus and intellect Key Takeaway Focus and intellect can secure market leadership Themes Leadership Competition Innovation Strategic focus Market dominance Mood determined confident assertive Type statement observation business insight When to use this quote - Corporate strategy meetings - Startup pitch decks - Business school case studies - Leadership training Key Concepts Intelligence Focus Competitive advantage Practical Applications - Strategic planning - Competitive analysis Questions to Reflect On - What role does focus play in sustaining market dominance? - Can intelligence alone guarantee long-term success? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Smartest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-smartest-372617/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Gates Active](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates-active-372618/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Microsoft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microsoft/) [Smartest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smartest/) [Smartest Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smartest-focused-372616/) [Surpass Microsoft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surpass-microsoft-372615/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [Microsoft is no longer thought of as the company where the smartest people want to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-manes/microsoft-is-no-longer-thought-of-as-the-company-where-the-smartest/) [Stephen Manes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-manes/) > [Honestly, my smartest business decision was to never do anything that I didn't love doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/honestly-my-smartest-business-decision-was-to-never-do-anything-that/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re trying to look like the smartest person in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-ve-seen-how-you-can-t-learn-anything-when-you-re-trying-to-look/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Lie to Me' is one of the smartest shows on TV. 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I think more than teaching me about acting or comedy, he taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaley-cuoco/john-was-the-smartest-and-most-amazing-comedian-i-ve-ever-worked-with/) [Kaley Cuoco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaley-cuoco/) > [I've always tried to do the smartest and best thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/i-ve-always-tried-to-do-the-smartest-and-best-thing/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [Probably the best caddies are the smartest ones and the ones that are switched on mentally more than some of the others maybe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-westwood/probably-the-best-caddies-are-the-smartest-ones-and-the-ones-that-are/) [Lee Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-westwood/) > [You are the smartest children i know. You just don't beleive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/you-are-the-smartest-children-i-know-you-just-don-t-beleive-it/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [A bad girl can Be tha baddest a bad girl can be the smartest just like me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erie-freeman/a-bad-girl-can-be-tha-baddest-a-bad-girl-can-be-the-smartest-just/) [Erie Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erie-freeman/) > [The smartest person in the room, is the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weinberger/the-smartest-person-in-the-room-is-the-room/) [David Weinberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weinberger/) > [Being the smartest person in the room I think can be very lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-morgan/being-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-i-think-can-be-very-lonely/) [Lindsey Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-morgan/) > [“If you're the smartest person in the room, you might wanna switch rooms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-newby/if-you-re-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-you-might-wanna-switch-rooms/) [Sabrina Newby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-newby/) > [The smartest people are the ones who can bring a little bit of heaven to earth by using there kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/the-smartest-people-are-the-ones-who-can-bring-a-little-bit-of-heaven/) [IsiahNunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isiahnunn/) ## More by Masayoshi Son > [Internet as a service is like culture that you have to understand, and each country has a local culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/internet-as-a-service-is-like-culture-that-you-have-to-understand-and/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [In tennis, you strike a ball just after the rebound for the fastest return. It's the same with investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/in-tennis-you-strike-a-ball-just-after-the-rebound-for-the-fastest/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [Being educated in the United States gave me a good understanding of American culture. I think I got a lot of influence from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/being-educated-in-the-united-states-gave-me-a-good-understanding-of/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [If you live in the States, you see the windmill signal on your smartphone all the time. It's like living in Beijing air. 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I think I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/i-don-t-care-about-the-sort-of-things-that-will-bring-in-chump-change/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [I know I should not be a hindrance to SoftBank's future growth and that I need to pass on the baton to the younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/i-know-i-should-not-be-a-hindrance-to-softbank-s-future-growth-and/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [Japan had an energy crisis. I thought, instead of just worrying about it, I should take some kind of responsibility to provide the solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/japan-had-an-energy-crisis-i-thought-instead-of-just-worrying-about/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [Some kind of correction will always happen. But it depends on the specific companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/some-kind-of-correction-will-always-happen-but-it-depends-on-the/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [I'm a man, and I think every man wants to be No. 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/i-m-a-man-and-i-think-every-man-wants-to-be-no-1/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [My philosophy is that the digital revolution will make mankind happier and more productive, and that won't change over the next 300 years. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/my-philosophy-is-that-the-digital-revolution-will-make-mankind/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [Our aim is to develop affectionate robots that can make people smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/our-aim-is-to-develop-affectionate-robots-that-can-make-people-smile/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [When you negotiate a deal, you clearly know a lot about the other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-you-negotiate-a-deal-you-clearly-know-a-lot-about-the-other/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [God is so kind, he has given so much sunshine to India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/god-is-so-kind-he-has-given-so-much-sunshine-to-india/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) [Explore all 116 Masayoshi Son quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest - so focused that no company could surpass Microsoft.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Masayoshi Son" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was-the-smartest-so-focused-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was-the-smartest-so-focused-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/masayoshi-son-4119_business_when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was_12841.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Gates was active in business, he was the smartest - so focused that no company could surpass Microsoft.” — Masayoshi Son", "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": "Masayoshi Son", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When Gates was active in business,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was-the-smartest-so-focused-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/when-gates-was-active-in-business-he-was-the-smartest-so-focused-that/#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 } } ] } ```