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Opening New Windows: How Gates Soared to Incredible Heights

Article Overview: Though he never set out to be a millionaire, Gates not only became the world’s first centibillionaire in 1999, but also one of the world’s most respected entrepreneurs for having revolutionized the world of computers and setting new industry standards. “I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid,” recalls Gates. How did he do manage to turn those dreams into reality?

Opening New Windows: How Gates Soared to Incredible Heights

Though he never set out to be a millionaire, Gates not only became the world’s first centibillionaire in 1999, but also one of the world’s most respected entrepreneurs for having revolutionized the world of computers and setting new industry standards. “I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid,” recalls Gates. How did he do manage to turn those dreams into reality?

He Had A Vision: From day one, Gates dreamed of having a personal computer in every home, in every business and in every school. Throughout his career, he never once wavered from this dream. Focusing on software as the means to popularize the PC, Gates built his empire around this central vision and steered clear of all other distractions. And, the vision continues today. “We are not even close to finishing the basic dream of what the PC can be,” he says.

He Had a Solid Team: “If we weren’t still hiring great people and pushing ahead at full speed, it would be easy to fall behind and become a mediocre company,” says Gates. From Microsoft’s inception, Gates prioritized his team, bringing in only trusted friends to help him get the company started. As the company grew, he insisted that they hire only the most capable young minds and strove to create a small and creative environment for them to thrive in. Microsoft succeeded not only because of Gates, but also because of the strong team that stood behind him.

He Took a Long-Term Approach: “In the decade ahead I can predict that we will provide over twice the productivity improvement that we provided in the ‘90s,” said Gates. This bold statement captures Gates’ philosophy behind his entire business. Never one to chase after instant success or an immediate pay-off, Gates began coding software with a view to the next fifty years. He has constantly tried to keep his company at the forefront of new technological developments by funding new research initiatives. Gates’ long-term approach helped ensure Microsoft’s remarkable staying power.

He Learned From Failure: In hindsight, Gates’ early failures seem so miniscule that they are almost laughable. But, as a struggling entrepreneur, he went through the same frustration, confusion and despair that others in his situation also face. What distinguishes Gates from the rest was his ability to rebound from his mistakes and take whatever lessons he could from them. He then became even more resolute and determined to see his vision realized.

He Never Stopped Asking Questions: “I believe that through our natural inventiveness, creativity and willingness to solve tough problems, we’re going to make some amazing achievements,” said Gates speaking to the future possibilities for medicine, education and technology. When Gates faced a dilemma, he didn’t stop and give up. He asked questions about what could be done to solve the problem. From his business activities to his philanthropic efforts, Gates’ curiosity and desire to constantly be learning has been one of the key factors behind his success.

“If I'd had some set idea of a finish line, don't you think I would have crossed it years ago?” asks Gates. Showing no signs of slowing down, Gates continues to fuel his business, inspire his workers and make his contribution to the global village.

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Article Tags: bold statement, central vision, coding software, creative environment, decade, distractions, forefront, full speed, inception, instant success, mediocre company, millionaire, next fifty years, pc gates, personal computer, productivity improvement, research initiatives, technological developments, term approach, world of computers



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Re: Quote of the Day - "Just because something works doesn't mea - Good qoutes. Case study Microsoft Dos Microsoft Windows 1 very good Microsoft Window 3.0 Very good Microsoft Windows 95 Better Microsoft Windows 98 Better Microsoft Windows XP Better Microsoft Windows Vista Better Windows 7 Best More is still coming I used them all
Learning from other people's mistakes (Books) - Most business books are written by people who tell of success stories, and how they were achieved. I'm wondering if people learn more by reading about the stories of failure? Or about how people achieved success...and then frittered it away through bad business practice. I checked two books out of the library yesterday. Apple: The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania, and Business Blunders, by Jim Carlton (started as a startup in 1976, sales peaked in 1995, and even then they were a "troubled" company, and now they've only got a 3% market share. (And I must admit I used to love Macs, but don't anymore...) and Breaking Windows: How Bill Gates Fumbled the Future of Microsoft, by David Bank. "Breaking Windows" tells the story of the battle for the soul of Microsoft that raged inside the company from 1997 to 2000 and continues to reverbrate today." The book "breaks new ground in its analysis of Microsoft's past and future business strategies. As Microsoft faces the waning importance of Windows, rallies behind XML, and confronts the open-source insurgency, the past Bank reveals is vital to understanding the future of this company and the still unfinished digital revolution it helped unleash.
Re: Who inspired you to start? - Hi Evan, I was inspired by Mr. Bill Gates ever since I was a student learning Computers. But I was motivated for Internet as my Business, when I read his book "The Road Ahead" in 1995. It was in this book that Gates laid out his vision of an interconnected world built around the Internet. Based on the premise that life will be transformed by the convergence of inexpensive computing and inexpensive communications, Gates drew from his experience at the center of the personal computer revolution to give insights on the growth, evolution and impact of technology. I had always looked up to Bill Gates as my idol. When I read this book, it made me more focussed on Microsoft and Internet, The Internet was one of the upcoming things in this time. So I took over to the Internet as my primary business. Regards,
Youtube belongs to Google? - [quote:3qlx3ro8]That is pure Google at work. [/quote:3qlx3ro8] I must say I never understood the fuss over Gates and his monopoly of Windows, and yet no one ever complains about the other monopolies that are out there. All food is made by 3 or 4 different companies, I think - each multi-million dollar company owns about 20 brands.... and then there are the companies that own restuaraunts... Pepsi owns KFC and PIzza Hut for example... and then Google or Yahoo - I think it's Yahoo that owns Google, actually - come along and buy up every software thing they can get their hands on ... We're all being swallowed up my monopolies and it's rather frightening to think of...
Bye Bye Vista - I've been cleaning house...Finally rid myself of this atrocious operating system called Windows Vista. Eeeegads! It's good to have a nice clean computer again - all reformatted and shiny new! Windows XP has been reinstalled and Vista is in the trash can. Vista is a bomb... plain and simple. ..


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