Sorry this is a bit late. I was a little too shaken to write it yesterday.
Back in the mid 1980′s I was broke and destitute. I was drowning in desperation, 20,000 dollars in debt, living in a single room with a shared bath, one rent payment away from skid row.
I had been out of high school for a decade. Hating my career as a cook by day, and burned out from playing blues in bars at night, I realized that I needed to go back to college.
Sniffing around the federal employment office I noticed a job posting for VidTex operators. (It wasn’t called desktop publishing just yet.) After reading the job description, I knew it would be something I’d love to do.
My training was on a state of the art Mac SE20. Graduating in 1988 at the top of my class, I was given 21 dollars an hour to start, at the first place I applied at. Thanks to Adobe Postscript, Aldus Pagemaker and most of all, Steve Jobs’ Apple Computer and Laserwriter, I was in top demand.
I spent the next few years evangelizing the Mac, training print shops and traditional film strippers to make the jump to digital. By 1993 I was head of prepress and lead designer for a large commercial printing plant.
In 1994 the commercial internet began. While at the Seybold Publishing show in San Francisco, I picked up the local newspaper. The difference being, this edition was published on CD with HTML 1.0 and read using the Mosaic browser.
I realized at that moment, power had shifted. This was the most important invention since Gutenberg’s printing press and movable type. My mind sparked, remembering Mark Twain’s advice, “Find out where the people are going and try to get there first.”
I began to moonlight as a website designer using my Mac in 1994. By 1996 I left my full time job at the printing plant and began my career in SEO. I was so successful at it, that I wrote a book about it – using a Mac – in 1999 called, “Nothing but ‘Net” which became an instant success, having been downloaded to date over 1/2 a million times.
The rest – as they say – is history. But I wouldn’t have the freedom and lifestyle that have today, without the Apple products, that made it possible to live my dream, starting with that Mac SE20 back in 1988.
Besides my faith in God, I owe my success and career largely to one person, Steve Jobs. I am forever indebted and grateful, for making my career possible, so I could spend my life, doing what I love to do.
Thank you Steve Jobs for giving your life to Apple, so I could have mine.
Michael
P.S.
I’ll leave you with a snippet from the original Steve Jobs Stanford commencement speech from 2005…
The full commencement speech is here:
You’ve got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied, is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work, is to love what you do.
If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle. ~ Steve Jobs
Thank you Steve. May you rest in peace and may God bless.
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
I watched a part of that same speech as it was on the news here in the UK. When he got to the bit about love what you do, it strongly reminded me of you as you’ve said this yourself. And you got it from him, eh?
Small world
BB
Hi Bill, thanks for stopping by. LOL… nope I didn’t get it “Love what you do” from Steve, he just confirmed my beliefs.
I wrote “Love what you do” as the intro to Nothing but ‘Net back in the summer of 1999, about 6 years before Steve gave his speech.
I’ve always believed in following my heart and intuition.
Hi Michael,
Thanks so much for sharing this amazing story of Steve Job and your life journey with him and also the Stanford Commencement Speech. I’ve learnt that , Do What You Love , Love What You Do , Follow Your Heart ,Your Inner Voice , Ignore The Outside Noise that may let you down.
Lots of respect and admiration to You and my Hero Steve Job.
We love you Steve , and May You Rest in Peace ! God Bless You !
Kim
You got it Kim. One of the secrets to being happy in life, is to ignore what others think about you, because you can’t control it. Like the philosopher Joseph Campbell used to say, “Follow Your Bliss.”
Michael: Well said.
God Bless you !
Just like to say that on a sad dark wet night in the UK I enjoyed your email.
I too was touched by Steve Jobs and fought the Apple corner for a number of years.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sending your background and how Steve Jobs touched your life.
I’ve just printed the commencement speech snippet you added the bottom – and will put it onto my office wall as a reminder of doing what you love.
Like you, I was in a heap of @#%$ 3 years ago, working for a (another) boss that I couldn’t stand and hoping one day to make more of myself. Well, as things conspired, I left the job and decided there and then to start a new business providing SEO & internet marketing services. So I started in a dingy office at the back of the house that had been used as a tool shed, and without a website, customers or money in the bank (in fact, heavily in debt) I made a decision to make it work. The rest is history.
One of the defining factors for me was reading / learning / studying how the greatest innovators, thinkers, leaders and business people of our time had often gone against incredible odds to follow their dream and live a life of service to others, and by doing so enriching those they touched in often extraordinary ways. Steve Jobs was one of those unique gentlemen.
As the saying goes “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”….
Thanks again for your email – let’s hope his life story touches many others.
All the best
Tony
Hi Tony, thank you for the kind words and taking time to comment. Glad to hear you found inspiration in the commencement speech. I must have listened to it at least 50 times. Any time I have uncertainty or doubt, I load it up into the iPod and listed to it while out for a walk.
Another favorite is Richard St. John’s four minute video on the eight things that lead to success. I’ve watched it over 100 times. Anytime that I need encouragement.
Hi Michael
That was a lovely tribute to Steve Jobs.
Gillian
An outstanding contribution Michael. Thanks for sharing your life and thoughts.
Steve Jobs will be dearly missed. The commentment speech, which i have watched a few times, is extrodinary as was the man.
regards Steve
If there is someone who understands every word in your e-mail it’s me.
I ran a printing company for 20 years.
I used to farm-out all my typesetting to a typesetting service that had 2 Varitype machines. I’m sure you know what those are
I wanted to do the typesetting in-house but a Varitype machine was $35,000.
One day I was invited to a DTP seminar put together by a local computer company. DTP was the buzz word back then for “Desktop Publishing” – yes, I know you know that too
I left the seminar buying a Mac SE and a Radius Double Page Display (mono color), along with the LaserWritter NT – all for $10,000 (1/3 the price.)
By the way, NT stood for Network – hey, that was a big deal back then.. hahaha!! It was also Postscript printer – 300 dpi.
Anyway, I’m writing to you because your e-mail brought out even more emotions than the ones I’ve been experiencing all day with the passing of Steve Jobs. I even wrote a short blog post I’d like to share with.
Here’s the link: http://www.localmarketingtoday.com/blog
Thank you for keeping in touch. I may not write back every time but I do read your e-mails and newsletters.
Hi Frank, thanks for the comment about your time in the print industry. Yes, those were wild and crazy days back then.
I was the only one for miles around that could get Quark XPress files to run through an imagesetter. Had to go in and edit the Postscript code. LOL
I used to take my “portable” Mac SE30 (which cost about 3,500 used) around to the print shops and say, “Gentlemen, this is going to revolutionize the print industry.”
90% of them laughed. The 10% who didn’t, kept their jobs by seeing the writing on the wall. It was a wild and wacky time, that’s for sure.
Michael,
A wonderful and sobering story. We are all indebted to Steve Jobs in some kind of way. He and his company have affected all of our lives, in a very positive way. I have never bought a Mac, but have always admired it and have four Ipod’s, but no Ipad and no Iphone…
Best wishes,
Peter
Hi Peter. Yes he touched just about all of us. Without him, Windows would be the only game in town. Computers would have stayed in the geeky dark ages for years to come.
Me… right now… 2 Macs, iPhone, iPod, iPad and iLove it. I spend more time with Apple products (8 – 10 hours per day over the past 23 years) than I have with anything / anyone else.
Nice piece!
With regards
Jacques
Very eloquently put Mike – the world lost a digital visionary of the kind we may not see again.
I can only hope when my time comes that I have contributed or created even a fraction of what he has.
The sad thing is that Steve’s passing has motivated me in a way that I needed right now to achieve more and moan less.
RIP Steve Jobs.
Hi Niall… agreed! Less moaning and more action. It’s only by doing that we learn, achieve and grow. I think it was Zig Ziglar who said, “You don’t have to be good to start, but you have to start to get good.”
Hi Michael,
I’ve not written you before. But want you to know today’s piece is refreshing and spot-on as it relates to Steve. And your faith in God is a nice bonus!
)
Thanks for sharing your story…
Warm wishes,
~ Darryl
Wow, Michael, I’m touched. I’ve never owned an Apple product and I’m just now beginning to dabble in Internet Marketing (well, a few years trying to learn), but thanks to you, I have a new respect for Steve Jobs…and for you too, my friend!
I stumbled upon some of your work rather recently, but I’m impressed with the advice you give so freely, and the manner in which you give it.
I’m about 10 years away from retirement in a steel manufacturing facility, but I will continue to work at something I love…which may be IM (I’m not sure yet, but it definitely be computer related
But I’ll keep plugging away, and hopefully soon – on a new Mac!
Thanks again, Michael, for your story and the touching tribute to Steve Jobs. Long live his legacy.
Sincerely,
Greg Goodwin
Thank you for the kind words Greg. They are appreciated. I hope to see you living in the Apple world very soon.
Wow Michael that was an amazing true life story. I have been on your list for a long time. And yes I read your nothing but net ebook in 2000.
I have not made it yet with internet marketing but I never gave up the dream. I used to listen to your mp3 files in my car on the way to work. Back then I didn’t have the technical skills to do things, but now there is no excuse.
You have had a influence in my life. You have given me the dream over all other people I have bought from since 2000.
take care,
James
HI James. I’m glad to have helped you. I wish you all the best in your quest for success.
Thank you, Michael for this story! My first was also the SE20
Also very thankful to Steve.
My live would have been totally different without him. Also had a shaky day …
Thanks and all the best from Munich,
Mathias
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Macintosh SE 20. My colleague at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in the same years used Mac.
After some short years of real frustration using IBM’s PC I finally got a Macintosh Plus (B & W with a postage sized monitor) and I still have it.
I remember this colleague at that time creating the Newsletter for the Model “T” Ford Antique club and showing how he could word wrap text around pictures and the pictures and text was smooth and flowing. There was nothing that the PCs could do.
Even on my little Mac, at the same time I could run a word processing program, a spread sheet program and a drawing program and it wasn’t a powerful machine compared to the SE 20. Also we didn’t have to use different templates for the key board for each type of software we used.
The little Mac was capable of running two other monitors besides it’s own which I never did. I really loved the little Mac and I later bought a bigger one which I also have yet.
In fact I still have some of the desk top publishing software for it. Those Macs were so powerful for doing desk top publishing and art drawings.
Yes Steve Jobs Mac’s really helped people more than most realized. His technology and all his ideas have opened up whole new worlds so quickly.
Andrew Kohsel
Hi Andrew, thanks for stopping by and sharing. LOL… me too. I loved that SE30.
I remember renting a 5,000 dollar Agfa scanner and walking into the production company and offering to do their weekly grocery store flyer. I was so confident (or foolish, not sure which)
that I offered to pay for the print run, if the quality wasn’t good enough.
Long story short, they bought the scanner off me and a whack of training, to bring all production in house. It was gigs like that, through the miracle of Steve Jobs’ Mac, that allowed me to “Crush It” in my town and get top dollar as THE Mac guy.
Such a sad day for us all …
Thank you for such a lovely message …
warmest regards … Elizabeth
Michael,
What an incredible and fitting message that you’ve reflect here.
Best wishes,
John Alexander
Thank you Michael, for sharing your story. I can’t find the words I want to speak, except to say I am going to save this and use it to move ahead when times are rough.
I am sorry for your loss, and the loss of a great visionary. Thank you again for sharing.
Sunny
Hi Sunny, thanks for that. Yes, the commencement speech will help you through rough times, as will the Richard St. John video I mentioned earlier. And Jeffery Gitomer’s Yes! Attitude book.
I really like this bit from Roy H. Williams aka the Wizard of Ads. The Monday Morning Memo for Feb 18 2008 called, “7-Step Secret of Success.” It will tell you exactly how to get where you want to go.
This is such an awesome tribute. I see why John Alexander, Robin Nobles, and Michael Marshall speak so highly of you.
If you are ever going to be speaking someplace, I would love to “be in the know” and attend.
Gail Wright
Wonderful article, a genius was lost recently, RIP
A moving tribute to a man I admire. Thank you, Michael.
Cheryl
Thank you for this. It meant a lot to me. My first Mac was the “Classic”
Michael,
Thanks for sharing this. You and Jobs are an inspiration to us all. You’ve designed your ebooks like Jobs designed Apple’s products – to be easy to understand and use and to provide a benefit for all of us.
Thanks again,
Ray
Wow… thank you Ray! I appreciate your kind words. Being compared to Steve Jobs in the same sentence is quite the honour.
Yes, I’ve tried to make my ebooks and courses affordable, easy to understand and implement. In case anyone reading this is looking for them, I’ve stashed all my internet marketing products, research, experiments and test data, in one place for one low price… the Dynamic Media Vault.
I can only hope that everyone can will eventually have the lifestyle they want. To call their own shots, and not have to answer to anyone, except their own inner callings. I wrote every single one of my courses with that in mind.
Michael,
Just read your Steve Jobs piece.
More parallels between your life and mine…
I too lived in a one-room apartment in the 80s not much bigger than my bedroom today (and my bedroom today isn’t very big)
My bathroom was outside in the hallway and was about the size of a phone booth and a half.
I did have one up on you though. It was my own. I didn’t share it, – but it had no sink.
I didn’t get an air conditioner until 1988 and I assure you that little room on the top floor just underneath a black tar roof got very hot in the steamy NYC summer. And no cross ventilation.
Desktop publishing bought me my freedom, not that I ever took it as far as you did, but I was free.
The Internet, which Tim Berners-Lee created on a Steve jobs created NEXT machine, was what finally put some money in my pocket.
Sometimes I try to imagine what life would be like without easy-to-use personal computers with graphical interfaces, nice type, and laser printers. And without the World Wide Web.
I don’t think about it too much because the concept is too horrible to contemplate
Now of course I could live without these things if I needed to but I sure wouldn’t have gotten from Point A to Point B without them as pleasantly as I have.
Here’s what I wrote about Jobs.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Thanks for sending that. There certainly is an uncanny amount of parallels between us. Are you sure we weren’t separated at birth. LOL
Yes, it was a weird feeling. I knew he would pass soon but it certainly shook me more than expected. I spend more time with Apple products 8 – 10 hours per day, than I do with my wife.
And that’s just the computer. I read in the morning on my iPad. My iPhone is a constant companion as I listen to audio books while out for walks, or doing chores.
So pretty much from the time I wake up, to the time I sleep, there’s an Apple product of sorts, if not on my person, within arm’s reach. I cannot imagine being without them.
I even stuck with Apple through the lean years, when Steve was with NeXT and Pixar. I know its just technology, but if it wasn’t for it, I can’t imagine what I’d be doing right now… I don’t even want to “go there” because its too depressing to even think about.
I actually used a NeXT computer in the print industry. Very smooth. When Steve came back to Apple and revamped them. The first operating system was based on NeXT. It felt like home.
Gosh… I wonder if the computer would have evolved at all if it wasn’t for Apple and Steve Jobs. I shudder to think that we’d still be using DOS and command line interfaces.
Michael
G’day Michael
What a lovely email and a pleasure to receive. Steve Jobs changed all our lives, I’m sure. If all of us could make such a great contribution to the world as he did, the world would be a much better place.
In 2005 I was teaching business and computing to female Emirati students in the United Arab Emirates. I gave them Jobs’ speech as an exercise and an encouragement to go onward and upwards, so I remember it well.
I was one of the 500,000 who gratefully downloaded your “Nothing but Net” all those years ago, all 100 plus pages I think, and found it one of the most useful ebooks I read. I see it’s still going strong.
Stay well and thank you for keeping in touch.
Robin Henry
Hi Robin, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Nothing but Net is still around, but now its only available to my Lifetime Dynamic Media Vault members.
Yes, if we could all make a contribution like Steve Jobs did, the world would be an amazing place. There will never be another like him…
Nor an Earl Nightingale, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison… all we can really do is to strive to be our best, be a good people, follow our bliss, and allow others to do the same, to live peaceful, happy lives.