Four Things Blacks Can Learn from Steve Jobs Life

Whether you’re a fan of Apple or not, it’s impossible to deny the role Steve Jobs has played in spreading computer technology across the planet during the past three decades. His passing has marked the end of an era — and it’s one worth looking back on….especially from a Black perspective.

Number 4: Geeks Can Be Businessmen, Too

Before Steve Jobs came along, the term Geek was a put down. Stereotyped as a young, never go anywhere, can’t dance, glasses wearing, punk, white boy! The last thing a smart young Black man wanted to be called was a Geek.

In the Black community, learning technology was looked at as a stepping stone to a 9 to 5 job. State and federally funded training centers started popping up in ghettos across this land. Many took advantage….few got jobs…but all were called Geeks

But then Jobs ( & Wozniak ) became the most successful businessmen on the planet transforming the term “Geek” from an insult to a badge of honor; from a job skill to entrepreneurial necessity; from the shunned to the wanted.

Black retail computer/technology stores started opening up in the ghetto. Every Black community had dozens of ma-pa computer stores, pager business, and now days, cellular accessories and ring tones (bootleg and legitimate) are sold on every other corner.

Number 3: People Will Pay For Value

Jobs didn’t invent the technology but by ” Innovation ” through portability, operability, and compatibility, he created a world-wide cultural and economic phenomena. His primary focus was on ease-of-use.

By emphasizing function over form he added value to existing technology. Value that the world felt they could not live without. As the consonant perfectionist his goal was to provide quality and conveyance to the end user.

In the Black tech community there should be a spirit of excellence in our end product, with an attitude of service. Whether it be in the retail, service, or tech industries, you should be looking at how to add Value to your business or service.

If you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door….

Number 2: You Don’t Need A Diploma…Just A Desire To Learn

As a young man Jobs, was passionate about education. Even though he famously dropped out of college, he continually sought out knowledge through traditional and non-traditional means.

By diving into every aspect of his company, Jobs self-educated himself in the principles of business, and consumer marketing, consequently reinventing methods, business models, and devices we all now take for granted.

Due to the magic of the Internet, there are online courses to just about anything. The more you Learn…the more you Earn. Ivy League and Tech schools like MIT now offer Free Open Course software that reflects almost all the undergraduate and graduate subjects they teach.

It’s not about the Paper – It’s about the Knowledge!

Number 1: Never Give Up

In the early days of personal computing Apple was the little company that “Could” against IBM’s Big Blue (you can’t do that in DOS) Giant. Against all the naysayers and predictors of doom…Apple won that battle

Years later after losing a power struggle with the board of directors in 1985, Jobs resigned (some say forced) from Apple. In less than a year after leaving Apple, Jobs picked himself up and founded Pixar Animation Studios…the rest is movie history.

Then in 1996 the Apple board of directors had a change of heart and brought Steve Jobs back to head the company…can you say i(phone, pad, whatever).

In the Black community poverty and ignorance is fueled by fear, doubt and unbelief; What the white man ain’t gon let you do, what you can’t do without money; you’re not smart enough. Even though our history is full of success stories that permeates every aspect of American society..We still fear Failure

It’s Not Too Late

Steve Jobs vision is still true today. As cell phones are becoming televisions, and televisions are becoming computers, technology has moved out of the business arena and billions of people are discovering how multimedia devices can change their day to day lives. It no longer matters how you get on the Information Superhighway….what matters is the software that allows you to do what you do.

The same vision applies to cellular/mobile technology today. If you want to reach Black youth…..you got to hit them on their hip! One out of every three people on this planet has access to the Net viva a mobile device. The computing market is still young compared to telephone and television. When you consider new third world markets such as Africa and South America….the sky is the limit.

In the Black community, you have Burger King across the street from McDonalds….on the Net you have BlackPlanet one click away from AOL’s Black Voices. Both are owned by white corporations that see the viability of the Black dollar, so don’t tell me there is no room in the marketplace for Innovators like iZania.com or BlackBusinessSpace.com.

Let us learn from the life lessons that Steve Jobs has taught us. Striving forward with persistence, and tenacity, to achieve the dreams of our foreparents, the hopes of our children, and the promises of this great country.


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