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In April 2001 after his company ran out of money, a casual DJ and former Philips executive secured a last-ditch meeting to pitch Steve Jobs.
Fast forward 20 years, and he’s now worth ~$800M.
Here’s how one meeting changed his life
Fast forward 20 years, and he’s now worth ~$800M.
Here’s how one meeting changed his life
1) When he wasn’t DJing events, Tony Fadell was building operating systems for Personal Digital Assistants (back when those were a thing) at General Magic, and eventually made his way to Philips.
All the while, he was obsessed with solving a major personal problem.
All the while, he was obsessed with solving a major personal problem.
2) He hated lugging around his bulky CD collection between gigs.
After seeing Audible's digital audio tech, Fadell tried to pitch a similar solution to management, but was rebuffed.
With no other option, Fadell started his own company, Fuse Systems, to create a digital jukebox.
After seeing Audible's digital audio tech, Fadell tried to pitch a similar solution to management, but was rebuffed.
With no other option, Fadell started his own company, Fuse Systems, to create a digital jukebox.
3) Fadell lined up 80 VC pitches for Fuse and got told 'no' 80 times. Hardware startups were not sexy.
Fuse would go on to run out of money. Shortly after, Tony received a call from a hardware manager at Apple.
Fuse would go on to run out of money. Shortly after, Tony received a call from a hardware manager at Apple.
4) Tony was given a chance. 6 weeks to do all the research and design for this next-gen MP3 player, before a meeting with Steve Jobs.
Though crunched for time he came up with 3 prototypes, but was certain Jobs would hate two of them.
Though crunched for time he came up with 3 prototypes, but was certain Jobs would hate two of them.
5) Tony prepared the presentation only showcasing two prototypes and kept the third hidden under a bamboo bowl on Jobs’s conference room table.
After Jobs expressed his dissatisfaction with the first two, Tony unveiled the third, his "one more thing." The rest is history.
After Jobs expressed his dissatisfaction with the first two, Tony unveiled the third, his "one more thing." The rest is history.
6) Tony and Apple would go on to sell over 400M units of the iPod.
After also working on the iPhone, Tony would leave Apple to found Nest Labs, which he eventually sold to Google for $3.2 billion
After also working on the iPhone, Tony would leave Apple to found Nest Labs, which he eventually sold to Google for $3.2 billion
