Steve Jobs’ 5 Secrets for Building World-Changing Products
“Hi, I’m a Mac.”
“And I’m a PC.”
Remember those iconic Apple commercials?
They perfectly encapsulated what Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs had in mind for the company: marrying form with function as simply as possible.
It was once on my goal list to meet 3 uber-successful entrepreneurs: Steve Case, founder of AOL, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates. I did get the opportunity to meet and interview Steve Case, Gates I’ve lost some interest in, and unfortunately Jobs passed away shortly after I started AutoGrow…
I did, however, read his biography and, from time to time, I re-watch some of his most famous videos and interviews.
Jobs was no stranger to breaking the mold set by others. His legacy will be his unique approach to product (and by association, brand) development, which reshaped Apple and revolutionized not only the tech industry, but made it into one of the companies changing the world.
Steve was undoubtedly unique, but what if you could distill some of Jobs’ magic into your company? What if you could grasp the essence of his philosophies and apply them to building your products?
That is what we’re going to explore today.
Here’s a sneak peek into what’s in store (click a link to skip to your favorite section):
1. The Power of Saying No: Uncover the strength behind the two-letter word that shaped Apple’s product strategy.
2. The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes’: Understand why every yes comes with challenges.
3. Simplicity and User Experience: Delve into creating user-friendly designs without compromising innovation.
4. Organizing for Innovation: Get insights into how to foster a culture of creativity and innovation in your organization.
5. Learning From Apple’s Vision Pro VR Headset: Discover the latest manifestation of Jobs’ enduring philosophy.
The lessons we can learn from Jobs’ playbook can be transformational. You may not become a $2,880,000,000,000 ($2.8 Trillion, it’s a lot of zeros…) company, but you’ll definitely take your business to a higher level.
Let’s do this. (And don’t forget to check out the accompanying video essay below. )
Insight #1: The Power of Saying No
Ah, the power of “No.” A two-letter word yet one of the most potent tools in Steve Jobs’ arsenal.
Jobs knew that if you wanted to be successful, you could only be exceptional at one or two things. This meant focusing on Apple’s core beliefs and sticking to them when people screamed for him to change.
Check out a classic Steve Jobs presentation below where he answers (deflects?) a snarky question about why some (now obsolete) tech got cut from Apple’s latest design.
Jobs knew he couldn’t please everyone and that he needed to focus on the big picture. There will always be someone standing up and shouting, “Who do you think you are? Why didn’t you give me what I wanted? Why don’t you change and fit the mold?”
Your response, like Jobs’, has to be, “No. I have to think about the bigger picture.”
Think about this: Apple has been the largest or one of the largest companies in the world and has been for years. They have unlimited resources. They could work on developing anything they want. But what do they do instead? They say no and focus on what they do best.
How To Build Products That Change the World
Harness the power of “no” and take a page out of Steve Jobs’ playbook:
- List your top 25 goals.
- Circle the top 3.
- Focus only on those until complete, and say no to the rest.
Brutal honesty, prioritizing, and saying no will solve many of your problems.
Insight #2: The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes
Let’s visit the other side of this yin-and-yang situation—trying to be the proverbial “Yes Man.”
As you will quickly discover, every “yes” carries a price tag, often steeper than you’d think. It’s like going on a shopping spree without checking the price tags and getting hit with the bill afterward.
Jobs understood this. He recognized that saying yes wasn’t a benign act but a commitment. Each “yes” siphoned off resources, time, and energy that could have been better directed to improving what was already working. It’s the equivalent of trying to water a whole garden with a single watering can—you spread yourself too thin, and nothing grows.
Case in point: In the early ‘90s, Apple was a “yes” company. They had a product line that was as wide as it was confusing, with dozens of models that even their own salespeople couldn’t distinguish.
The result? Plummeting sales and a brand that was losing its identity. This was the reason why Jobs was forced to resign as CEO.
However, Jobs came back (after founding NeXT, which Apple bought for $400 million, and Pixar, bought by Disney for $7.4 billion, no big deal two more companies changing the world) more focused than ever.
He realized Apple needed to concentrate on a handful of products instead of an expansive lineup. He then never hesitated to ax anything that didn’t contribute to his core vision, even if it meant killing off successful products like the iPod Mini.
How To Build Products That Change the World
The next time you find yourself on the verge of saying yes to a new product idea, pause and consider the hidden cost. Remember, each “yes” is an investment and a commitment (if you don’t follow through with it, it destroys your reputation), so be wary of where you put your time and energy.
Instead of saying yes to a new idea(s), double down on what works.
Insight #3: Simplicity and User Experience
Simplicity, in both design and user experience, was Steve Jobs’ secret sauce.
Some might even call it his mantra.
Steve took a trip to India in 1974 when he was 19. He came back with a shaved head, bare feet, and Buddhism. His new perspective?
- A desire to change the world
- A belief in simplicity, which meant focusing on what is important
- The ability to say no to maintain his new focus
Now, the trick to simplicity isn’t just about stripping away complexities—it’s about striking the perfect balance between simplicity and functionality. Imagine navigating a maze with no walls: It’s simple, sure, but it’s also utterly pointless.
Apple’s design process is a masterclass in this balance. Under the guidance of Jobs and design maestro Jony Ive, Apple gave designers the freedom to design, unconstrained by budgets or manufacturing limitations.
The result? Products that ooze simplicity without compromising functionality, like the iPhone, which managed to pack a camera, phone, internet, and 100 other things into one sleek device.
How To Build Products That Change the World
Keep it simple. The goal isn’t to reduce—it’s to distill. Make it simple but significant. If Apple can turn a multifunction device into a symbol of minimalism, you can trim down your product or service without losing its essence.
AutoGrow has also learned from Jobs’ design mantra. Our web app’s simple design makes it easy to create and delegate marketing tasks with just a few clicks, with the full menu on the left side for quick navigation. And, of course, you can easily use it on your phone (Apple or any other device).
Insight #4: Organizing for Innovation
Steve Jobs and Apple: a match made in innovation heaven. How did they do it? They let Steve run the company his way… only he knew that innovative companies are more than just one person.
The iPhone we know and love today could have been very different if Steve Jobs had his way back when they invented it.
Back in ‘07, this new touch phone was originally going to be buttonless, but designers knew it needed at least one button (the now-defunct Home button). But Jobs wanted a back button, too.
From Brian Merchant’s book, The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone, Imran Chaudhri, a veteran Apple designer who spent 19 years working on Apple’s elite Human Interface Team “argued that it was all about generating trust and predictability. One button that does the same thing every time you press it: It shows you your stuff.”
Jobs is sometimes known for being authoritarian and ruthless in business. In fact, he routinely took credit for ideas he had to be talked into by his team. (Hey, I never said the guy was a saint!) But he also knew when to listen to his trusted crew.
Chaudhri’s design was accepted, and the rest is history.
How To Build Products That Change the World
So, how can you orchestrate innovation in your own business?
- Hire the right people and trust them to help you make decisions.
- Be open to discussion about your product.
- Take credit for your team’s work. (Just kidding! But in reality there are some Steve Jobs stories where this is exactly what he did, but his co-workers often accepted him for the talented by imperfect leader he was)
Insight #5: Learning From Apple’s Vision Pro VR Headset
You may have heard about Apple’s latest wearable technology, the Vision Pro. Apple has been the only name in wearable tech (other than Fitbit) for years, and the market (aka Meta) has decided that virtual reality (VR) headsets are the next step.
Meta has actually been leading the charge for VR headsets for a while now. But, in true Apple fashion, Apple decided to wait, pour untold resources into research and development, and come out with a product that, in my opinion, is vastly superior to Meta’s.
Now, it remains to be seen whether or not the market truly wants it…
But sticking true to Apple’s core values again, they have made their product superior, more comfortable and more user-friendly. Here are a few of its design features that people will probably love (if they can get past the $3,500 price tag).
- Ability to see what’s around you even when you have the headset on (with AR overlayed)
- Immersive entertainment (where you basically have your own cinema).
- 3D photos and videos. (It’s always about the camera.)
- 3D meetings with “real” photo avatars (unlike Meta’s cartoon characters).
- “EyeSight,” which displays the user’s eyes to other people in the room (also unlike Meta).
- Made of lightweight glass, aluminum, and elastic fabric for comfort (classic Apple).
- You look at a 23 million pixel screen in each eye (better than a 4K TV).
The amount of research they put into every detail of these goggles (from comfort to features to function) is very impressive.
Apple’s approach to product design isn’t just about being the biggest or the best. It’s about learning, innovating, and constantly improving.
How To Build Products That Change the World
The takeaway for entrepreneurs and agencies is that being first isn’t always the best.
Apple did it with the iPod + Itunes store when it came to MP3’s, and now they (might) be doing it again with AR/VR by addressing key shortcomings of other, earlier, products.
If you want to be a company that changes the world, do your research, take your time, and stick to your core principles.
Side Note: Time will tell who wins this VR race between Apple and Meta, but I wouldn’t bet against Apple here. The product seems very cool the more I learn about it, but whether it’s a novelty or a new platform people ultimately cannot live without remains to be seen… The subsequent versions of these goggles will scale down the tech into cool, simple, wearable “everyday” glasses—just like everything else Apple has created.
Conclusion
And there you have it, folks. An exploration of Steve Jobs’ philosophy on product development and how it has shaped Apple into the tech titan it is today. Let’s take a moment to recap some of the key points we’ve touched upon:
- We dived into the power of saying no, highlighted by Jobs answering a snarky interview question and reminding us of the importance of focus. Remember, brutal honesty, prioritizing, and saying no will solve many of your problems.
- We then flipped the coin to examine the hidden cost of saying yes, evidenced when Jobs was fired from Apple, which had lost its focus. Remember, instead of saying yes to a new idea(s), double down on what works.
- We navigated the waters of Jobs’ mantra of simplicity, which he found on a trip to India, and infused into his business practices. Remember, keep it simple.
- We delved into putting the right team into place and the impact of Imran Chaudhri, whose one-button approach revolutionized the iPhone. Remember, hire the right people and trust them to make decisions.
- We turned the lens onto Apple’s Vision Pro VR headset, examining it as a case study of Jobs’ philosophy of being the best, not first. Remember, do your research, take your time, and stick to your core principles.
Steve Jobs was a realist first and a dreamer second.
He believed in his vision, but despite his brash style sometimes, he also listened to his team. He was tyrannical and ruthless in his product philosophy, but then persuadable and rational regarding the final decisions on what would add value for customers.
You can benefit from absorbing some of Steve Jobs’s product philosophy traits into your arsenal–his ruthlessness in simplifying and saying “No,” a clear vision like a laser cutting thru dark, but he was rational and open-minded enough to change if a better idea was presented, having built a team he could rely on.
When your SaaS company, agency, or venture is developing a new product, simply ask yourself, “How would Steve approach it? How can you Think Different?”
This is how companies are changing the world.
R.I.P. Steve. Thank you for putting a “dent” in this universe.
One more thing before we part ways. I’m curious, which of these insights struck a chord with you? Have you already woven any of these threads into the fabric of your business journey? Or maybe you’ve got some wisdom of your own to share?
Drop a comment below, and let’s keep the conversation going.
Keep AutoGrowin’, stay focused.
