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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great In Front of Any Audience

Carmine gallo.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Welcome to the latest episode of Book Insights from Mind Tools.

In today's podcast we're looking at The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, subtitled How to Be Insanely Great In Front of Any Audience, by Carmine Gallo. It explores what makes Apple's CEO and co-founder such a captivating speaker – and how we can learn from his techniques.

When it comes to presentations, most people who've seen him speak agree that Steve Jobs is a legend. His talks do much more than just give information. They're events. They inspire, excite, spark imagination, and build a following.

Seeing Jobs speak is like spending an evening watching a high-quality theater production. And this is a big reason why people will spend all night, in freezing temperatures, waiting in line just so they can get a good seat.

So, how does he do it? How does Jobs manage to turn a relatively dry subject like computers into a seductive experience that everyone wants tickets to go see?

Well, that's what this book sets out to explain. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs passes on the tips, techniques, and tricks that make the legendary leader's presentations so inspiring and effective. Reading this book is like getting coaching sessions from the master himself.

Here, you learn how Jobs crafts his messages, presents his ideas, generates excitement, and creates a memorable experience for his audience. And, it's all laid out in an easy-to-digest format that allows you to quickly find what you need.

The author highlights dozens of relevant examples from speeches that Jobs made as early as 1984. We get to read in detail what he said, what he did, and how it relates to the lesson or technique the author is focusing on. These examples make it easy to see how these strategies would work in real life.

The book is fun, highly readable, and chock full of useful information. There are plenty of insightful tips in here, and even if you consider yourself a master presenter, you're sure to learn something new.

What's so helpful about this book is that it applies to more than just presentations. The author points out that these strategies can be used in closing a deal, creating an ad campaign, and even interviewing for a job.

The best news? This book reads incredibly fast. The author wrote the book like Steve Jobs presents. He keeps your attention, gives compelling information, and wraps it all up into a story that's so interesting you really can't put the book down.

The author, Carmine Gallo, is a presentation and communication-skills coach for some of the world's top brands. He's a regular contributor to several major networks, including NBC, CBS, and MSNBC, and is a columnist for businessweek.com. In fact, this book is based on an article Gallo wrote for that website, analyzing why Steve Jobs' presentation style is so successful. Gallo watched hours of Jobs' keynote speeches to identify the elements that made them great.

So, keep listening to find out why bullet points will kill your presentation, why your speech really needs a villain, and why it's so important to put intermissions into your talks.

The author has divided this book into three acts, much like a stage play. Why? Well, that's how Steve Jobs views his speeches: as plays.

Act one has seven chapters, and is all about creating your story. Act two has six chapters, and covers how to deliver an experience to your audience. The last act, with five chapters, is on refining and rehearsing your presentation.

When it comes time to map out a presentation, the author says that most people make a big mistake right off the bat. They don't plan their story.

What sets Steve Jobs apart is that when he gives a presentation, he doesn't just lay out facts. He tells a story.

Think about this for a minute. When Jobs unveiled the iPod, he wasn't just unveiling a new device that carried music. He unveiled an entirely new way for us to listen to and enjoy music. He made us realize how the music we experienced would enrich our lives.

Yes, he talked about the iPod's small size and amazing hard drive. But he wove this information into a story about how much better our lives were going to be with this product.

It's a subtle, but very important point.

If we want to give a compelling presentation, we have to spend a lot of time really crafting a story. And this is what the first seven chapters help us do. We learn how to create a "passion statement" that identifies the heart of our message, how to write killer headlines that will start our presentation off with some serious buzz, and how to draw a roadmap for our audience, so they know what's coming.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg of what's in this first section.

Now, one big mistake most of us have made is stuffing our presentation full of bullet points. The author says bullet points will kill a presentation faster than anything.

Why? Because they do nothing to engage the audience. If you want to improve your presentations, then avoid the crutch of bullet points at all costs.

Another great tip in this first act is about villains. And what do villains have to do with presentations? Well, according to Steve Jobs, they're essential. Remember, Jobs looks at his presentations as plays, or stories. And, few stories are complete without a villain, right?

The author says your message is your hero. And, a hero needs an enemy. So your villain's going to be an opposing message, problem, or product. When your audience sees the problem, or villain, they're going to rally more around your hero.

For instance, when Jobs unveiled the iPhone he presented his villains in dozens of subtle ways. Of course, his villains were the current phones on the market. But by bringing up the problems most people had with these phones, and the solutions the iPhone offered to these problems, the audience could clearly see why it was so much better. And, they got emotionally involved.

If you want to know how to create your own villain for your presentation, you'll have to read the book. But don't worry. It can take as little as thirty seconds to create one, and it's well worth the effort.

Now when it comes to pacing your presentation, it's important to keep in the mind the ten-minute rule. Research has shown that audiences basically check out after ten minutes. Not nine minutes, or eleven, but ten.

Jobs understands this rule, which is why he puts intermissions into his presentations every ten minutes. These aren't intermissions where people get up and walk around. These are intermissions that give the brain a break. They're videos, demonstrations, or even another speaker.

These little breaks change the pace of the presentation and let the audience experience a new stimulus. This keeps their interest for the next ten minutes.

Now, when it comes to actually delivering an experience to your audience, there's a lot to keep in mind. And the author keeps the pace going in this second act, as he shows us how to keep our audience engaged while we're talking.

One thing that Steve Jobs does really well is keep things simple. The author says this simplicity is part of why Jobs, and Apple itself, is so successful. Simple is beautiful.

So, we need to keep our slides as simple as possible. The author says that a major mistake many people make with their PowerPoint slides is to add lots of words. What does Jobs do? He subtracts, and subtracts some more.

The author gives us some really helpful tables here that illustrate how Jobs' words correspond with what his slides say. And, these have been taken directly from some of his keynote speeches.

On the left hand side of these tables we get to see exactly what Steve Jobs said. On the right, we get to see what his slide, for that section of the speech, actually said.

This layout enables us to see instantly how concise Jobs' slides really are. Many only contain one word, one picture, or one piece of information, like a statistic. There are no bullet points, ever. And zero sentences.

The slides are used simply to reinforce the story coming out of his mouth. That's it. They don't attempt to pass on important information. That's what Jobs is there to do.

When we're presenting, the focus should be on us, not our slides. And if we've created what the author calls lazy slides, or slides with too much information, then we've succeeded in splitting our audience's attention. Should they read the slides, or pay attention to what we're saying?

Don't make them choose. Keep your slides short and relevant.

Now, if you're giving a presentation, you probably have some numbers to pass along. It could be revenue stats, employee turnover percentages, or the number of complaint calls over the past six months.

Whatever they are, numbers are often pretty essential to a presentation. The problem with numbers is that they're boring. And, people often have a hard time making them mean anything.

For instance, when Jobs introduced the iPod, he told everyone that it had five gigabytes of space.

Well, that's great, but that number didn't mean much to his audience. After all, how big is five gigabytes? Most people aren't really sure.

Jobs knew he couldn't leave it at that. So, he immediately put that number into a context the audience could understand. He told them that with five gigabytes of space, they could hold 1,000 songs in their pocket.

The audience went wild.

The author says that numbers rarely resonate with people, so it's vital that we put them into a context that people can relate to. Fortunately, we get plenty of strategies for how to do this.

One thing to keep in mind when dressing up your numbers, as the author calls it, is to keep things specific. For instance, in a later speech Jobs could have said the newest version of the iPod holds thousands of songs. But thousands is so, generic. Instead, he told the audience that the thirty gigabyte iPod will hold 7,500 songs, 25,000 photos, or up to 75 hours of video.

Those numbers are very specific. Because of this, they impact the audience more.

This section is crammed with useful information. We get to learn the importance of using zippy, emotional words. We learn why Jobs always gives credit where credit is due, and why doing this gets his audience more involved. And, we get to learn everything we ever wanted to know about props, and how to use them effectively.

The last section, act three, is all about refining and rehearsing your presentation. And according to the author, this is the most crucial part of giving a great talk.

One important point the author highlights is body language. What you say is not nearly as important as how you say it.

Here, we get three important tips for improving our body language on stage.

The first thing we have to do is maintain eye contact. Yes, this one is probably in every presentation book out there, but it's repeated for a good reason. Eye contact is essential for keeping your audience engaged and connected with you. Jobs is a master at maintaining eye contact.

Another thing we have to do is to keep our posture open. This means not standing behind a lectern or crossing our arms. Jobs never puts anything between him and his audience. Even when he's doing a demo, he tries to face the audience as much as possible.

The last tip for improving our body language is to use hand gestures. In his speeches, Jobs emphasizes nearly every sentence with a gesture that compliments what he's saying.

According to the author, research shows that hand gestures not only keep the audience engaged, but they actually help presenters speak better, by clearing up their thought processes.

We get more helpful tables in this chapter. Here, the author breaks down a speech Jobs made in two-thousand seven. We get to see exactly what he said, and how it was delivered.

It was a brilliant move for the author to pepper the text with these tables throughout the book. This one could really help readers with their own delivery and pacing.

Now, Jobs is legendary for prepping for his speeches. He makes it look effortless, but a lot of time and effort goes into his events to make it look that way. In fact, before he gives a speech, he practices for hours a day, over the course of several days. His fun, informal style only comes after some serious effort on his part.

How much effort? Well, the author describes it as "grueling." When was the last time you put in grueling hours of practice to prepare for a speech?

For most of us, the answer is probably never. But practicing again and again is vital to looking natural on stage.

What else is in here? Well, the author teaches us five strategies for rehearsing off-the-cuff remarks. We learn how to handle nerves, what we should be wearing on stage, and five steps for tossing our script and speaking from memory.

Like all the sections in this book, this is one you won't want to miss.

If you haven't been able to tell by now, we really loved this book. There's so much information in here, and there's no way we could come close to covering it all.

When it comes to what readers will like best about The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, it's hard to pick. There's no doubt the information is top-notch, and we were impressed by the sheer volume of tips and techniques here. We also loved the fun style and fast pace of the book. You really don't feel like you're reading a book on giving speeches. This is definitely a book that you'll burn through quickly.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, by Carmine Gallo, is published by McGraw Hill.

That's the end of this episode of Book Insights. If you'd like a transcript, log on to www.mindtools.com. And thanks for listening.

Article image by Matthew Yohe at en.wikipedia

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The 10 things steve jobs can teach every public speaker.

Steve Jobs was one of the greatest and most influential businessmen of his generation. He took an idea from a humble garage and turned it into Apple, one of the most recognizable and iconic brands in the world. He was a pioneer in the modern corporate world.

Much has been written about Steve Jobs’ presentation style. He was famous for his rigorous attention to every detail whenever he presented, from the style of the fonts on his slides to the colour of the stage background. When launching a new product, he would rehearse over and over until his delivery was fluid. The benefits of this preparation were seen in the quality of his presentations , which are widely regarded as a standard to which many companies aspire.

In this post, I don’t want to focus on Jobs’ presentation skills per se ; instead, I would like to draw on his wisdom and insights into business and life and see what lessons we can apply when it comes to speaking in public.

Steve Jobs’ memorable quotes

As part of his legacy, Jobs left a small trove of memorable quotes. Sometimes humorous, frequently trenchant, always thought provoking, they are worth reading and thinking about. Below are ten good ones for public speakers to ponder:

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works. The design of the Mac wasn’t what it looked like, although that was part of it. Primarily, it was how it worked. To design something really well, you have to get it. You have to really grok [understand intuitively] what it’s all about. It takes a passionate commitment to really thoroughly understand something, chew it up, not just quickly swallow it. Most people don’t take the time to do that.”

Giving a good presentation – a truly good presentation – takes time and effort. You must understand the material thoroughly; you must understand how it relates to your audience ; you must understand what is most important and why. And then you have to design the presentation –  with or without slides – so that it hangs together and conveys the message with impact.

“This is what customers pay us for – to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We’re supposed to be really good at this.”

You have to sweat all of the details so that it is easy for your audience to follow your presentation (and enjoy it). Don’t make your audience work to understand your points. You should do that work before you present so that the audience doesn’t have to.

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”

Too many presentations become bogged down when speakers try to do too much. You have a limited amount of time and your audience has a limited amount of attention. Choose your key points carefully and ruthlessly cut out everything else. If the subject matter is vast and there is more for your audience to know, prepare a detailed handout or direct people to where they can go for more information. War and Peace makes for a good novel but a lousy presentation.

“That’s been one of my mantras: Focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

As a presenter you must cut through the details and complexity and distill your message to its essence . Taking the time to think carefully about your subject and your audience beforehand will help you design a simple, effective presentation. When you prepare a presentation , you have to think like a sculptor; the beauty of the statue is revealed by what is taken away.

“I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates.”

Technology is great but it is not the most important thing. Far more important is being able to think clearly, strategically, creatively. Whatever your field, expand your horizons. Read widely and extensively. Read the classics, read modern fiction, read non-fiction, read industry periodicals that are not related to your industry. You will become a better thinker and more creative. Those qualities can only help when it comes to communicating ideas to others.

“Good artists copy; great artists steal.”

Jobs was very fond of this quote which, in fact, he got from Pablo Picasso . Good speakers never try to copy other speakers. Good speakers know that they can only be themselves. However, good speakers are willing to “steal” from others in the sense of trying out something that they have learned from another speaker or read in a book or learned in a course. Nobody knows everything and we should be open to learning from others. But we should never try to be like others.

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

When a presentation goes well, don’t waste the opportunity to deconstruct it soon afterwards. Make notes. What worked well? Why? What could be improved? How? Take what you have learned and build on it for your next presentation. Don’t rest on your laurels, especially if you have to give the same presentation over and over. There is always room for improvement: better images; a better story; an exercise for the audience; cutting material; adding material. Figure out what’s next.

“I’m the only person I know who’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year. It’s very character building.”

Things don’t always go well. Mistakes happen and if you give enough presentations or speeches, the odds are that you will stumble at some point. Don’t let the stumbles get you down. They are part of the process of all public speakers and very few of them are fatal. Learn from them and move on.

“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”

When you finish a speech or presentation, your audience should be changed in some way, even if that change is simply learning something new. If you do not change your audience, why bother speaking at all?

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Many presentations are still, unfortunately, mediocre or worse. You might even be able to get away with a mediocre presentation yourself. Don’t. Hold yourself to a higher standard; your audience deserves it and the benefits that will come your way — personal and professional — will be well worth the effort.

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Presenting like Steve Jobs: Using 6 of His Proven Techniques – Here’s How It Works!

The art of presenting has gained transformative significance in today’s business world. A presentation is no longer just a sequence of slides; it’s a way to communicate ideas, establish connections, and inspire the audience.

When discussing inspiring presentations, the name Steve Jobs inevitably comes up. He elevated the art of presenting to a new level. Today, we’ll showcase the techniques Steve Jobs utilized and how you can apply them to your own presentations.

Who is Steve Jobs?

Born in 1955 in California, Steve Jobs is renowned as one of the co-founders of Apple. He is considered one of the m ost prominent figures in the computer industry.

Steve Jobs is equally renowned for his exceptional presentation skills . His presentations are enduringly memorable. They were not only informative but also captivating events that held the audience spellbound. His charismatic presence, persuasive rhetoric, and minimalist design fundamentally transformed the way we present.

Why Steve Jobs Is a Model for Successful Presentations

As the presenter of Apple’s products, Steve Jobs amassed a wealth of experience. Over time, he established a reputation as a master of presentation . Through specific techniques, he managed to do more than convey information; he left an impression, stirred emotions, and enthused the audience . His presentations were more than mere business demonstrations; they were powerful performances that captivated the audience.

Behind every “One more thing” by Steve Jobs lies an array of techniques with the potential to elevate presentations to a new level. His charismatic presence, storytelling prowess, and distinctive presentation style have set a benchmark for modern presenting. The way he engaged the audience and conveyed his messages has made him an exemplar from which presenters worldwide can learn.

The Impact of Steve Jobs’ Presentations on the Technology and Business World

The influence of Steve Jobs’ presentations extends far beyond the technology industry. The styles he used revolutionized entire presentation formats. His innovative approaches and techniques set standards that go well beyond the stage. His charisma, storytelling abilities, and captivating audience engagement transformed the understanding of what makes a compelling presentation, ushering in a new era of presenting.

Jobs’ presentation philosophy demonstrated that a well-crafted presentation is not just about conveying information; it’s an opportunity to captivate, inspire, and persuade the audience.

6 Techniques from Steve Jobs for Captivating and Convincing Presentations

Steve Jobs employed the following techniques to his advantage:

1. Simplicity and Clarity

Simplicity and clarity are crucial factors for all types of presentations. Nobody wants to hear complex content delivered in the most convoluted way. Steve Jobs had the ability to transcend complexity through simplicity.

He understood that cluttered slides and confusing information overwhelm the audience and blur the messages. Instead, Steve Jobs embraced minimalism and clarity by reducing his presentations to the essentials.

This minimalism was reflected in his slides, often composed of just a few words or an image that illustrated the central message . Focusing on the essentials also helps your audience understand your key points better and faster. Simplicity doesn’t equate to shallowness. Skillfully direct your listeners’ attention by operating in a minimalist manner and projecting only the most important messages to reinforce.

2. Storytelling

To keep your audience engaged, you should always use storytelling. Incorporating your content into a story using this technique helps maintain attention spans and convey your message more effectively. More in-depth tips can be found in the article “ Storytelling in Presentations .”

Steve Jobs also knew how to use storytelling. He was a true master of storytelling, taking his audience on an emotional journey . In his presentations, he built suspense by following a clear structure resembling a classic narrative: introduction, plot development, and a captivating conclusion . He also integrated personal stories, authentically conveying his passions and beliefs. This created a common ground with his audience and lent a human touch to his presentation.

He understood that compelling presentations should rely not only on facts and logic but also on emotions. Jobs appealed not only to the minds but also to the hearts of his audience.

If you also use storytelling, your audience is more likely to identify with the ideas you present . This means that you have a higher chance of generating sales or new customers. At the same time, storytelling creates an unforgettable presentation experience for your audience. And staying in their minds for a long time also leaves a good impression.

3. Visual Presentation Aids

Nobody enjoys reading text-heavy PowerPoint slides. Therefore, like Steve Jobs, you should always rely on supportive visual presentation aids. When used skillfully, these aids are not only visually appealing but also reinforce your messages and better reach your audience.

Such presentation aids can include images, videos, or graphics . Steve Jobs used these primarily to illustrate abstract concepts, demonstrate products in action, and evoke emotions. These visual presentation aids weren’t just for decoration; they were integral parts of the story he told.

4. The Art of Staging

Many presenters overlook this: a presentation is not just about compelling slides and a good delivery, but also about effective staging . One of the most captivating aspects of Steve Jobs’ presentation style was his masterful staging. Jobs understood that a presentation is not only about content but also about how it is presented.

His appearances were meticulously choreographed , from his stage entrance to the sequence of slides. Every step, movement, and pause was intentionally planned to captivate the audience and convey messages with maximum impact. He utilized silence and pauses to build tension, employed gestures and facial expressions to convey emotions, and mastered perfect timing to direct the audience’s attention.

You don’t necessarily need to be as meticulously planned as Steve Jobs, as that requires intense preparation and practice . Nonetheless, strive to be conscious of what you radiate, how you behave, and what reactions your actions evoke in your audience. A test audience is an excellent way to practice.

Tips for exuding confidence, appropriate body language, and conscious use of language can be found in the following articles:

• Body Language in Presentations
• Speech Techniques in Presentations

5. Innovation and “One More Thing”

You’ve probably heard of Steve Jobs’ “One More Thing.” It’s the hallmark of Steve Jobs’ presentation style. He managed to spice up his presentations with a touch of innovation and surprise . This distinctive technique, known as the “One More Thing,” was a masterpiece in building suspense and last-minute revelations.

Steve Jobs’ audience was familiar with this effect, and Jobs intentionally created expectations by leading his audience through the main presentation, only to deliver an unexpected bombshell at the end. In his case, the surprises were groundbreaking product announcements or innovative features that captivated the audience. With the “One More Thing” technique, Jobs adeptly engaged his audience and held their attention until the very end.

Like Steve Jobs, strategically place well-timed surprises to harness the potential to make a presentation unforgettable and leave a lasting impact.

6. The Right Conclusion

A convincing conclusion is crucial for any type of presentation. Avoid the usual “Thank you for your attention” phrase and aim for memorable presentation endings.

Steve Jobs’ conclusions were often powerful and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. He also employed the “One More Thing” technique to end with a surprising revelation that left the audience in awe. This technique not only generated excitement but also left the audience with a sense of wonder and enthusiasm.

Furthermore, Jobs’ conclusions always had a clear connection to his message or main theme . He summarized the key points of his presentation and emphasized the core messages once again. This technique helps your audience internalize and remember the most important key points as the presentation concludes.

For more helpful tips on a successful conclusion, refer to the article “ 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending .”

If you want to see a speech of Steve Jobs please have a look here . Use the english subtitles if needed.

Conclusion: Applying Steve Jobs’ Techniques Strategically and Convincingly

Follow the example of Steve Jobs and enhance your future presentations to be more engaging and persuasive. Apply the techniques we’ve presented and captivate your audience.

Do you have questions about this article? Feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] . We are here to assist you!

If you are looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates, explore our shop. We offer a wide range of slides prepared for various (business) topics available for download. Visit our shop today! ► Shop

You might also find these articles interesting:

• Storytelling in Presentations
• Preparing Presentations: 11 Tips
• 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending
• Learning from Hitchcock: How to Deliver Captivating Presentations

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How to present like Steve Jobs during online webinars

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Very few brands are as recognisable as the Apple Brand. Since its inception, especially with the introduction of the iPhone, the company has firmly implanted itself into the fabric of popular culture. But Apple is not just a popular brand; it is also one of the biggest and most marketable brands on the planet, with customers and enthusiasts in every part of the world. The brand is so well-positioned that it now practically sells itself; there are people worldwide who would buy the next iPhone or Apple Watch, regardless of its features.

The success of Apple is not a fluke or a product of chance. On careful observation, you can trace a significant part of its initial success to the charisma and presentation prowess of its founder, Steve Jobs. Everyone old enough will surely remember when Jobs introduced the first iPhone during the 2007 Macworld Conference & Expo and how the audience went wild.

Today, despite the sad departure of Jobs, Apple continues the tradition of giving exceptional presentations—a tradition that has served them spectacularly well.

What makes Steve Jobs presentation skills spectacular

Good presentations do more than dish out information; the ultimate goal is to change how people view the subject or product you, and if possible, take the actions that you wish them to take, whether it be starting a healthy routine or purchasing your product. To do that, you need to captivate the audience with your body language and make an emotional connection; this is where Steve Jobs public speaking skills excels. This article will show you some tips to help you improve your online presentation by analyzing the presentation style of Steve Jobs.

Presentation secrets of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs used many techniques to get his audience on the edge of their seats. His method stemmed from his belief that people didn't just buy what was valuable but also what they liked; he understood presentation makes all the difference. So he wanted to show them the importance and beauty of his product. Every presenter can learn valuable tips by considering some of these techniques. Here are some ways he went about it.

Build momentum before your online webinar or keynote

Many speakers make one mistake when they try to address a topic in the webinar session; they often deliver their speech at a straight, unchanging pace. While you may not necessarily be delivering your talk in a flat, monotonous drawl, this is still the worst way of presentation as you can still lose your audience.

This is because humans, especially now, can get increasingly bored if they are not excited about the presentation or feel the talk is going nowhere. One way of combating this problem is by building momentum. There are two ways you can do this:

• Set the theme
• Create a road map.
• Instil Anticipation

Steve Jobs did this perfectly when he unveiled the iPhone and even the macbook air. He did not allow his audience to wonder what the presentation would be about nor did he ramble on carelessly from one unrelated point to another. Rather, he structured his talk in a way that allowed him to link one point to another. He had a roadmap and it went something like this.

• He started with an announcement– he would launch three devices at the end of the day. Now, the audience was curious to see the devices.
• He went on to outline the logical and emotional value of these devices.
• Finally the big reveal. The three devices are, in fact, one device with multi-purpose value; it was a satisfying twist.

By giving his audience something to look forward to and ensuring he didn't spend much time discussing each of the most logically and emotionally appealing features, and by revealing something surprising, Jobs hooked the audience. From the beginning of the presentation, everyone was curious about the end, and he did not disappoint. You can use this technique to take your presentation to new, riveting levels. 

Dish out information in small bites and sell the benefit

People struggle to remember bulky information, and you will never be as influential as you wish if your audience doesn't remember the information in the first place. Steve Jobs understood this concept well, so he boiled down his presentations to their core details. He used a principle called The Rule of Three- a vital concept in communication theory.

The rule of three principle suggests that when a group of topics, products, or characters are three in number, it gives the audience the most psychological satisfaction while also helping them retain the information. You can apply this principle by arranging your presentation in three parts; do this in the following three ways:

• Break up your presentation into tiny chunks, preferably arranging them to fit three sessions. The length of each segment should ideally be 10-15 minutes because that is the limit of most people's attention span.
• Input suitable relief material in between each session. It should be something lighter than what you are presenting. If possible, you can play a video or interview a satisfied customer. Steve Jobs used this technique when he made his first call using an iPhone during one of his presentation intervals.
• Highlight only the core values of the product, this way you don't include details that distract your audience from the main points.

Use story techniques

Every human on earth is easily affected by stories; they are how we learn lessons about the world. Good stories are not only entertaining but also memorable. You probably remember the plot of your favourite movie or the lyrics of your favourite song. Conversely, arranging your presentation using a story format can make your presentation engaging, relatable, and unforgettable. Here are some ways you can do this:

Introduce an antagonist (or a bad guy)

The Bad guy could be anything from a rival product that is not fulfilling the audience's needs, a gap in the industry that is highly inconvenient, or a terrible habit that is preventing the audience from reaching their goals. Emphasise how terrible it is and how the bad guy reduces the quality of their life.

Show your concerns and efforts

Next, briefly recount your desire to provide a solution or weapon they can use to combat this enemy that seeks to make their lives miserable. This part will show you as emphatic to their plight and bind you to them. But be careful not to dwell too much on this segment so you don't start sounding too sanctimonious.

Reveal the hero

Show how your products succeed in addressing the problems that you have outlined earlier. Ensure you imprint the necessity of making changes as the only solution to the audience’s problems (which usually requires purchasing the product). This empowers them through using your product - it is important to make the customer the hero of the story.

Make the presentation people-centered

An important thing to remember when making your presentation is that it isn't all about you. Your audience is not listening to you out of compassion; it is because there is a problem that needs solving, and they are interested in knowing how beneficial your presentation will be. Hence, the presentation should be audience-focused, not speaker-focused. There are some unique ways you can do this:

Capture audience imagination

You will have better success engaging and possibly influencing your audience when you capture their imagination. For example, Steve Jobs did not say "we have built a better phone"; instead, he said "we are putting 1000 music tracks into your hands". The second statement was better because it instantly made the audience think of a specific need the phone would solve.

Make numbers and figures relatable

We often take for granted that many people are blind to measurable parameters. We may know what a kilometre or a pound is, but until we compare it to something else, we cannot really sense the impact. Use this principle when you make your presentation; if there is any raw data, make sure to present it in a way that your audience can feel. For example, instead of saying the company uses a 128-bit encryption network, try saying: We use the same security used by the National Bank. This way, your audience can relate to your data and picture it in a way that holds meaning to them.

Create a sense of higher purpose

This part is essential especially in sales because people often hesitate to make purchases, possibly feeling guilty or scared at having to indulge themselves. You can overcome this feeling by giving the thought of buying the product a sense of nobility. When Steve Jobs presented the iphone, he offered his future customers the chance to be part of the phone reinvention. Suddenly they were not mere consumers but part of something extraordinary. You can apply that principle during your presentation. Only be careful not to lay it too heavily, or else you risk coming off as pretentious! 

Keep the audience focused on you

You don't want the audience getting distracted by anything, not even the presenting aids you're using to get your points across. Some presenters often prepare such elaborate slides that they end up hugging all the audience's attention. Slides, pictures and audio-visual materials are a crucial part of your presentation. Still, you want to ensure you draw attention to yourself and what you're saying occasionally. Steve Jobs had an incredible stage presence, but he often included a blank slide that subconsciously made the audience focus back on him. Some presenters use a prop such as a laser pointer to grab attention. You have to look for effective but discreet ways to do this during your presentation.

Prepare properly

Although it often doesn't seem like it, Steve Jobs always knew to sweat the small stuff. He agonised over every product detail, ensuring he knew every facet of his story. When preparing for a presentation, Steve Jobs rehearsed and scripted every part of his presentation so as not to deviate from his outlined structure.

Even if scripting every word of your presentation isn't your style, you want to know what you're about to say. One way to do this is by writing your main points in a single sentence or as bullets, so that as you carry out your presentation, those points will remind you of what you should be talking about. This technique gives you the freedom of spontaneity while guiding you against derailing off-topic.

Finally, be sure to bring some humanity into your presentation. In todays world where AI is used in an increasing amount of communications, it's important to remember, as human beings we are capable of emotion and humour, engaging in our own unique way. You don't need to bring the house down with hilarious stories (although a good story always helps!), but in reality remembering to pause and smile at certain moments will bring warmth and help your audience build belief and trust in you and what you are presenting, even if it's not as exciting as a new iPhone! ‍

Frequently Asked Question

How do you make a presentation like Steve Jobs?

Craft a narrative with a clear structure, use minimalistic slides, and prioritize visuals over text. Practice and master your delivery, focus on audience engagement, and infuse passion and enthusiasm into your presentation for a compelling and impactful style, akin to Steve Jobs.

How can I be confident on a webinar?

Prepare thoroughly, practice your content, and familiarize yourself with the best webinar platform . Maintain a positive mindset, engage with your audience, and remember that expertise and enthusiasm will boost your confidence during the presentation.

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Steve Jobs' speaking techniques

At TED, we make a job of scouring the world for ideas worth sharing and for speakers able to share them in the most compelling ways . So we pay attention when somebody delivers a great speech. And Apple CEO Steve Jobs certainly did so when, last January, he introduced the iPhone at the annual Macworld trade show in San Francisco, five months before the device actually hit the US market .

Communication coach Carmine Gallo has deconstructed Jobs’ job for BusinessWeek.com . A good primer for any speaker, with concrete, memorable examples. Read Gallo’s column , watch Jobs’ speech , or consider this cheat sheet: 1) Build up the presentation to something unexpected; 2) Stick to one theme per slide, and make them visually attractive; 3) Vary the speed and tone at which you speak to electrify the audience; 4) Three things are absolutely key: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse . 5) If you’re passionate about the idea or the product, show it.

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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience Prologue—How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience

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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

• April 12, 2013
• Carmine Gallo

“It’s not about the software; it’s about the story”

How to create a presentation like steve jobs.

As a communication and presentation skills coach, I often get asked, “How do I make my slides look like a Steve Jobs presentation?” The first thing I tell them is that they do not have to use Apple presentation software (Keynote), although it’s a beautifully refined program. I’ve seen gorgeous PowerPoint designs as well, especially with PowerPoint 2007. So it’s not about the software; it’s about the story. Steve Jobs treats presentations like theatrical events complete with heroes and villains, a supporting cast, stage props and visually stunning backdrops—slides. I know designers who have actually worked with Steve Jobs at Apple, so I wrote an entire book on how to create and deliver a presentation the Steve Jobs way. While there are about eighteen techniques that Jobs uses, one stands out. I call it “unleashing your inner Zen.” Here are some tips on creating a presentation the Steve Jobs way.

Picture Superiority

A Steve Jobs presentation is strikingly simple, visual and devoid of bullet points. That’s right—no bullet points. Ever. Of course, this raises the question, would a PowerPoint presentation without bullet points still be a PowerPoint presentation? The answer is yes, and a much more interesting one. New research into cognitive functioning—how the brain works—shows that bullet points are the least effective way to deliver important information. In fact, memory processing is aided by pictures. Scientists call it picture superiority: ideas are more easily recalled when presented as text and images instead of text alone.

Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication

When Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air in January, 2008, the most memorable slide showed the notebook computer being pulled from a manila inter-office envelope to show just how thin it really was. No words could equal the power and simplicity of that image. The average PowerPoint has forty words. It’s hard to find forty words in ten slides of a Steve Jobs presentation. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” said Jobs quoting from one of his heroes, Leonardo da Vinci. Jobs keeps his slides simple by eliminating unnecessary words, charts and other eye clutter. The influential German painter, Hans Hoffman once said, “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” By removing clutter—extraneous features and information—from his products and presentations, Jobs achieves the ultimate goal: ease of use and clarity.

To gain a fuller appreciation of Jobs’ simple slide creations, watch the first few minutes of his  keynote presentation at the Macworld Expo, January, 2008 . The first several slides have one or two words per slide. When Jobs reviews the new products that Apple introduced in the previous year, the slide simply reads: 2007. Jobs thanks his customers for their support and the slide reads: Thank you.

Confidence, Time and Practice

Creating simple, visual slides requires three things: confidence, time and practice. First, confidence. Slides should not take center stage. The audience’s attention should be directed at you, the speaker. The slides compliment the speaker. That means you had better know your material and have the confidence to deliver your message with conviction. The second thing it requires is time. It’s easy to create cluttered slides—just write everything you want to say on the slide. Thinking visually about displaying information takes more effort, but it’s worth the time to stand apart. And the third thing it requires is practice. Because you’re delivering information that is not on the slide, you can’t read from the slide. You have to commit the information to memory and use the slide as a prompt to deliver the idea. Steve Jobs rehearsed for many, many hours over many weeks to get everything just right.

Steve Jobs may be a hard act to follow, but once you start using some of his techniques in your own presentations, you’ll be hard to forget.

Carmine Gallo  is a communications coach for the world’s most admired brands.

He is a sought after speaker and author of the new book,  The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.

design , great presentations , presentation , Secrets , Steve Jobs

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Book description

The Wall Street Journal Bestseller!

Updated to include Steve Jobs's iPad and iPad2 launch presentations

“ The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs reveals the operating system behind any great presentation and provides you with a quick-start guide to design your own passionate interfaces with your audiences.” —Cliff Atkinson, author of Beyond Bullet Points and The Activist Audience

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’s wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard—and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is as close as you'll ever get to having the master presenter himself speak directly in your ear. Communications expert Carmine Gallo has studied and analyzed the very best of Jobs's performances, offering point-by-point examples, tried-and-true techniques, and proven presentation secrets in 18 "scenes," including:

• Develop a messianic sense of purpose
• Reveal the Conquering hero
• Channel your inner Zen
• Stage your presentation with props
• Make it look effortless

With this revolutionary approach, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to sell your ideas, share your enthusiasm, and wow your audience the Steve Jobs way.

“No other leader captures an audience like Steve Jobs does and, like no other book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs captures the formula Steve uses to enthrall audiences.” —Rob Enderle, The Enderle Group

“Now you can learn from the best there is—both Jobs and Gallo. No matter whether you are a novice presenter or a professional speaker like me, you will read and reread this book with the same enthusiasm that people bring to their iPods." —David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave

Table of contents

• The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs
• Copyright Page
• Acknowledgments
• Prologue: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience
• SCENE 1 Plan in Analog
• SCENE 2 Answer the One Question That Matters Most
• SCENE 3 Develop a Messianic Sense of Purpose
• SCENE 4 Create Twitter-Like Headlines
• SCENE 5 Draw a Road Map
• SCENE 6 Introduce the Antagonist
• SCENE 7 Reveal the Conquering Hero
• INTERMISSION 1 Obey the Ten-Minute Rule
• SCENE 8 Channel Their Inner Zen
• SCENE 9 Dress Up Your Numbers
• SCENE 10 Use “Amazingly Zippy” Words
• SCENE 11 Share the Stage
• SCENE 12 Stage Your Presentation with Props
• SCENE 13 Reveal a “Holy Shit” Moment
• INTERMISSION 2 Schiller Learns from the Best
• SCENE 14 Master Stage Presence
• SCENE 15 Make It Look Effortless
• SCENE 16 Wear the Appropriate Costume
• SCENE 17 Toss the Script
• SCENE 18 Have Fun
• Encore: One More Thing
• Postscript: Steve Jobs by the Book

Product information

• Title: The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience
• Author(s): Carmine Gallo
• Release date: October 2009
• Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
• ISBN: 9780071636759

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5 Presentation lessons you can learn from Steve Jobs

Become a storyteller.

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Steve Jobs was a master of public speaking, and although it may seem like he had all the secrets to a successful presentation, he used some rather basic ideas about how to do it that… ... read more Steve Jobs was a master of public speaking, and although it may seem like he had all the secrets to a successful presentation, he used some rather basic ideas about how to do it that you can use today. Here are five presentations from his keynote speeches that you can learn from. close

Steve Jobs was one of the most innovative leaders of our time. Among other things, there is a lot that can be learned from him when it comes to presentation design and what aspects of his presentations made them so memorable and entertaining. Some would argue that he was the one person who completely changed our minds about what makes a presentation great—in a world of long, boring, and unimaginative slides, he used presentation techniques that followed a completely different approach.

In this piece, we thought it would be a good idea to go over the five principles that Steve Jobs followed when it came to presentation design and delivery. So let’s jump right into it.

How did Jobs give incredible presentations? 

Steve Jobs was known for the friendly and open demeanor he had while presenting. He avoided technical vernacular and kept his ideas straightforward with quick, memorable titles. Jobs was a showman. He was enthusiastic and told stories, he had confident body language and told jokes, which made him appear more approachable. What can we learn from him as we practice and prepare our own presentations?

01 Use a compelling theme & title

Come up with a headline and general theme for your presentation that run through the entire deck as an underlying message. This headline should be short enough to be easily memorable and tweetable. Think back to Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch in 2007, when his headline was “Your life in Your Pocket.” This quick slogan summed up his whole message and was memorable enough for the audience to carry with them even after the presentation. Think about the theme of your presentation. What do you want the audience to walk away remembering? Now simplify it into one, all-encompassing catchphrase.

02 Engage the audience by telling a story

Tell a story that hits people at an emotional level. It’s a well-known fact that stories are one of the most powerful tools that leaders use to inspire, motivate, and educate. This is because stories are far easier to remember than facts and figures. And research, according to psychologist J erome Bruner, points to the fact that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they are embedded in or contextualized with a story .

Like Steve Jobs, you could frame your narrative around defeating an antagonist—the problem at hand. Introduce yourself or your company as the hero. Paint a picture of how your product or service defeated this problem and emerged victorious.

03 Simplify bigger numbers

Simplify large numbers. This ensures that people can grasp the facts better. For instance, Steve Jobs would say, “We sold 2 million iPods in the first 59 days.” And then he would give context by adding, “That’s nearly 34 thousand iPods sold every single day.” In February 2013, Apple reached 25 billion songs downloaded from iTunes, and he simplified the number so it was easier to understand. For instance, he’d say, “On average, that’s 15,000 songs every minute.” His whole approach was about simplifying big ideas. Don’t leave the audience confused, connect the dots and explain the relevance these numbers have to them.

04 Use compelling visuals

Studies find that using images boosts information retention. Since most people are visual learners, they can pick up on the information shared in a presentation when shared as an image.

Jobs used big, bold, and clear pictures and rarely used more than two images on a presentation slide. In the 2007 launch of the iPhone, he used three images to highlight that the iPhone could do all three things—be a phone, a music player, and give you internet access. Then he quickly moved on to his normal procedure of using one striking image.

05 When it comes to words, less is more

Use fewer words. If you want a presentation like Steve’s, you will have to edit and re-edit your words. Leave only the most important phrases and cut out everything else. The idea is to communicate your message in the most impactful and memorable way possible, rather than having your audience read slides full of text. So he would use words like “magic” instead of the full, grammatically correct sentence “it works like magic,” and similarly, he would use “no stylus” instead of “it has no stylus.” You get the idea!

Jeff Black, the founder of the leadership development company Black Sheep, says that Steve’s presentations boiled down to three key factors: powerful storytelling, emotional connection, and obsessive preparation. Black says the late Steve Jobs was a masterful storyteller. “He was the messenger, he was the star of the show — not the PowerPoint slide.”

And one more thing… the average PowerPoint slide has on average forty words. Steve Jobs would use an average of nineteen words across 10–12 slides. That’s the presentation zen.

If you are interested in learning more about designing a presentation like Steve Jobs, we recommend the book “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.” Or you can just reach out to   professional presentation design services in Dubai and across the GCC—we specialize in not only delivering your message but also helping you tell your story and push your brand forward.

Let us design your presentation!

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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience Hardcover – October 2, 2009

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Based on the author’s article on Businessweek.com,which became one of the site’s most popular downloads, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs breaks downthe 10 elements that make Steve Jobs’ legendary presentationsso outstanding. Readers implementing theseprinciples to their own presentations are sure to leavea lasting impression, dazzle their audiences, and becomea hard act to follow at any conference or seminar.

An enhanced ebook is now available with 12 demonstration videos of Jobs' sure-fire presentation secrets! Select the Kindle Edition with Audio/Video from the available formats.

• Print length 272 pages
• Language English
• Publisher McGraw Hill
• Publication date October 2, 2009
• Dimensions 5.8 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches
• ISBN-10 9780071636087
• ISBN-13 978-0071636087
• Lexile measure 1050L
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Carmine Gallo is the communications coach for the world’s most admired global brands. A former anchor and correspondent for CNN and CBS, Gallo has addressed executives at Intel, Cisco, Google, Medtronic, Pfizer, and many others. Gallo writes "My Communications Coach," a regular column for Forbes.com. He has written several bestselling and award-winning books, including The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs . Gallo has been featured in The Wall Street Journal , The New York Times , Success magazine, and on CNBC. Gallo’s latest book, The Power of Foursquare , reveals how innovative businesses around the world are leveraging new mobile marketing tools to attract and engage customers. Gallo, who lives in Pleasanton, California, with his wife and two daughters, may be found online at www.carminegallo.com.

About the Author

Excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., the presentation secrets of steve jobs, mcgraw-hill, chapter one.

Excerpted from The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo Copyright © 2010 by Carmine Gallo. Excerpted by permission of McGraw-Hill. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0071636080
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ McGraw Hill; 1st edition (October 2, 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780071636087
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0071636087
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1050L
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.03 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.8 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches
• #289 in Running Meetings & Presentations (Books)
• #1,120 in Communication Skills
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Carmine gallo.

Carmine Gallo is a popular keynote speaker, Harvard instructor, and communication advisor for the world's most admired brands. His new book is FIVE STARS: The Communication Secrets to Get From Good to Great. Gallo is the author of 9 books including international bestsellers: Talk Like TED, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, The Apple Experience, and The Storyteller's Secret. Join Carmine's list at carminegallo.com and follow him on Twitter @carminegallo.

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In 1976, Steve Jobs cofounded Apple Computer Inc. with Steve Wozniak. Under Jobs’ guidance, the company pioneered a series of revolutionary technologies, including the iPhone and iPad.

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Quick Facts

Steve jobs’ parents and adoption, early life and education, founding and leaving apple computer inc., creating next, steve jobs and pixar, returning to and reinventing apple, wife and children, pancreatic cancer diagnosis and health challenges, death and last words, movies and book about steve jobs, who was steve jobs.

Steve Jobs was an American inventor, designer, and entrepreneur who was the cofounder, chief executive, and chairman of Apple Inc. Born in 1955 to two University of Wisconsin graduate students who gave him up for adoption, Jobs was smart but directionless, dropping out of college and experimenting with different pursuits before cofounding Apple with Steve Wozniak in 1976. Jobs left the company in 1985, launching Pixar Animation Studios, then returned to Apple more than a decade later. The tech giant’s revolutionary products, which include the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, have dictated the evolution of modern technology. Jobs died in 2011 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

FULL NAME: Steven Paul Jobs BORN: February 24, 1955 DIED: October 5, 2011 BIRTHPLACE: San Francisco, California SPOUSE: Laurene Powell (1991-2011) CHILDREN: Lisa, Reed, Erin, and Eve ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Pisces

Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco to Joanne Schieble (later Joanne Simpson) and Abdulfattah “John” Jandali, two University of Wisconsin graduate students. The couple gave up their unnamed son for adoption. As an infant, Jobs was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs and named Steven Paul Jobs. Clara worked as an accountant, and Paul was a Coast Guard veteran and machinist.

Jobs’ biological father, Jandali, was a Syrian political science professor. His biological mother, Schieble, worked as a speech therapist. Shortly after Jobs was placed for adoption, his biological parents married and had another child, Mona Simpson. It was not until Jobs was 27 that he was able to uncover information on his biological parents.

Jobs lived with his adoptive family in Mountain View, California, within the area that would later become known as Silicon Valley. He was curious from childhood, sometimes to his detriment. According to the BBC’s Science Focus magazine, Jobs was taken to the emergency room twice as a toddler—once after sticking a pin into an electrical socket and burning his hand, and another time because he had ingested poison. His mother Clara had taught him to read by the time he started kindergarten.

As a boy, Jobs and his father worked on electronics in the family garage. Paul showed his son how to take apart and reconstruct electronics, a hobby that instilled confidence, tenacity, and mechanical prowess in young Jobs.

Although Jobs was always an intelligent and innovative thinker, his youth was riddled with frustrations over formal schooling. Jobs was a prankster in elementary school due to boredom, and his fourth-grade teacher needed to bribe him to study. Jobs tested so well, however, that administrators wanted to skip him ahead to high school—a proposal that his parents declined.

While attending Homestead High School, Jobs joined the Explorer’s Club at Hewlett-Packard. It was there that he saw a computer for the first time. He even picked up a summer job with HP after calling company cofounder Bill Hewlett to ask for parts for a frequency counter he was building. It was at HP that a teenaged Jobs met he met his future partner and cofounder of Apple Computer Steve Wozniak , who was attending the University of California, Berkeley.

After high school, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Lacking direction, he withdrew from college after six months and spent the next year and a half dropping in on creative classes at the school. Jobs later recounted how one course in calligraphy developed his love of typography.

In 1974, Jobs took a position as a video game designer with Atari. Several months later, he left the company to find spiritual enlightenment in India, traveling further and experimenting with psychedelic drugs.

In 1976, when Jobs was just 21, he and Wozniak started Apple Computer Inc. in the Jobs’ family garage. Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus and Wozniak his beloved scientific calculator to fund their entrepreneurial venture. Through Apple, the men are credited with revolutionizing the computer industry by democratizing the technology and making machines smaller, cheaper, intuitive, and accessible to everyday consumers.

Wozniak conceived of a series of user-friendly personal computers, and—with Jobs in charge of marketing—Apple initially marketed the computers for $666.66 each. The Apple I earned the corporation around $774,000. Three years after the release of Apple’s second model, the Apple II, the company’s sales increased exponentially to $139 million.

In 1980, Apple Computer became a publicly-traded company, with a market value of $1.2 billion by the end of its first day of trading. However, the next several products from Apple suffered significant design flaws, resulting in recalls and consumer disappointment. IBM suddenly surpassed Apple in sales, and Apple had to compete with an IBM/PC-dominated business world.

Jobs looked to marketing expert John Sculley of Pepsi-Cola to take over the role of CEO for Apple in 1983. The next year, Apple released the Macintosh, marketing the computer as a piece of a counterculture lifestyle: romantic, youthful, creative. But despite positive sales and performance superior to IBM’s PCs, the Macintosh was still not IBM-compatible.

Sculley believed Jobs was hurting Apple, and the company’s executives began to phase him out. Not actually having had an official title with the company he cofounded, Jobs was pushed into a more marginalized position and left Apple in 1985.

After leaving Apple in 1985, Jobs personally invested $12 million to begin a new hardware and software enterprise called NeXT Inc. The company introduced its first computer in 1988, with Jobs hoping it would appeal to universities and researchers. But with a base price of $6,500, the machine was far out of the range of most potential buyers.

The company’s operating system NeXTSTEP fared better, with programmers using it to develop video games like Quake and Doom . Tim Berners-Lee, who created the first web browser, used an NeXT computer. However, the company struggled to appeal to mainstream America, and Apple eventually bought the company in 1996 for $429 million.

In 1986, Jobs purchased an animation company from George Lucas , which later became Pixar Animation Studios. Believing in Pixar’s potential, Jobs initially invested $50 million of his own money in the company.

The studio went on to produce wildly popular movies such as Toy Story (1995), Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Cars (2006), and Up (2009) . Pixar merged with Disney in 2006, which made Jobs the largest shareholder of Disney. As of June 2022, Pixar films had collectively grossed $14.7 billion at the global box office.

In 1997, Jobs returned to his post as Apple’s CEO. Just as Jobs instigated Apple’s success in the 1970s, he is credited with revitalizing the company in the 1990s.

With a new management team, altered stock options, and a self-imposed annual salary of $1 a year, Jobs put Apple back on track. Jobs’ ingenious products like the iMac, effective branding campaigns, and stylish designs caught the attention of consumers once again.

In the ensuing years, Apple introduced such revolutionary products as the Macbook Air, iPod, and iPhone, all of which dictated the evolution of technology. Almost immediately after Apple released a new product, competitors scrambled to produce comparable technologies. To mark its expanded product offerings, the company officially rebranded as Apple Inc. in 2007.

Apple’s quarterly reports improved significantly that year: Stocks were worth $199.99 a share—a record-breaking number at that time—and the company boasted a staggering $1.58 billion profit, an $18 billion surplus in the bank, and zero debt.

In 2008, fueled by iTunes and iPod sales, Apple became the second-biggest music retailer in America behind Walmart. Apple has also been ranked No. 1 on Fortune ’s list of America’s Most Admired Companies, as well as No. 1 among Fortune 500 companies for returns to shareholders.

Apple has released dozens of versions of the iPhone since its 2007 debut. In February 2023, an unwrapped first generation phone sold at auction for more than $63,000.

According to Forbes , Jobs’ net worth peaked at $8.3 billion shortly before he died in 2011. Celebrity Net Worth estimates it was as high as $10.2 billion.

Apple hit a market capitalization of $3 trillion in January 2022, meaning Jobs’ initial stake in the company from 1980 would have been worth about $330 billion—enough to comfortably make him the richest person in the world over Tesla founder Elon Musk had he been alive. But according to the New York Post , Jobs sold off all but one of his Apple shares when he left the company in 1985.

Most of Jobs’ net worth came from a roughly 8 percent share in Disney he acquired when he sold Pixar in 2006. Based on Disney’s 2022 value, that share—which he passed onto his wife—is worth $22 billion.

Jobs and Laurene Powell married on March 18, 1991. The pair met in the early 1990s at Stanford business school, where Powell was an MBA student. They lived together in Palo Alto with their three children: Reed (born September 22, 1991), Erin (born August 19, 1995), and Eve (born July 9, 1998).

Jobs also fathered a daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, with girlfriend Chrisann Brennan on May 17, 1978, when he was 23. He denied paternity of his daughter in court documents, claiming he was sterile. In her memoir Small Fry , Lisa wrote DNA tests revealed that she and Jobs were a match in 1980, and he was required to begin making paternity payments to her financially struggling mother. Jobs didn’t initiate a relationship with his daughter until she was 7 years old. When she was a teenager, Lisa came to live with her father. In 2011, Jobs said , “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of, such as getting my girlfriend pregnant when I was 23 and the way I handled that.”

In 2003, Jobs discovered that he had a neuroendocrine tumor, a rare but operable form of pancreatic cancer. Instead of immediately opting for surgery, Jobs chose to alter his pesco-vegetarian diet while weighing Eastern treatment options.

For nine months, Jobs postponed surgery, making Apple’s board of directors nervous. Executives feared that shareholders would pull their stock if word got out that the CEO was ill. But in the end, Jobs’ confidentiality took precedence over shareholder disclosure.

In 2004, Jobs had successful surgery to remove the pancreatic tumor. True to form, Jobs disclosed little about his health in subsequent years.

Early in 2009, reports circulated about Jobs’ weight loss, some predicting his health issues had returned, which included a liver transplant. Jobs responded to these concerns by stating he was dealing with a hormone imbalance. Days later, he went on a six-month leave of absence.

In an email message to employees, Jobs said his “health-related issues are more complex” than he thought, then named Tim Cook , Apple’s then–chief operating officer, as “responsible for Apple’s day-today operations.”

After nearly a year out of the spotlight, Jobs delivered a keynote address at an invite-only Apple event on September 9, 2009. He continued to serve as master of ceremonies, which included the unveiling of the iPad, throughout much of 2010.

In January 2011, Jobs announced he was going on medical leave. In August, he resigned as CEO of Apple, handing the reins to Cook.

Jobs died at age 56 in his home in Palo Alto, California, on October 5, 2011. His official cause of death was listed as respiratory arrest related to his years-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The New York Times reported that in his final weeks, Jobs had become so weak that he struggled to walk up the stairs in his home. Still, he was able to say goodbye to some of his longtime colleagues, including Disney CEO Bob Iger; speak with his biographer; and offer advice to Apple executives about the unveiling of the iPhone 4S.

In a eulogy for Jobs , sister Mona Simpson wrote that just before dying, Jobs looked for a long time at his sister, Patty, then his wife and children, then past them, and said his last words: “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.”

Jobs’ closest family and friends remembered him at a small gathering, then on October 16, a funeral for Jobs was held on the campus of Stanford University. Notable attendees included Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates ; singer Joan Baez , who once dated Jobs; former Vice President Al Gore ; actor Tim Allen; and News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch .

Jobs is buried in an unmarked grave at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. Upon the release of the 2015 film Steve Jobs , fans traveled to the cemetery to find the site. Because the cemetery is not allowed to disclose the grave’s location, many left messages for Jobs in a memorial book instead.

Before his death, Jobs granted author and journalist Walter Isaacson permission to write his official biography. Jobs sat for more than 40 interviews with the Isaacson, who also talked to more than 100 of Jobs’ family, friends, and colleagues. Initially scheduled for a November 2011 release date, Steve Jobs hit shelves on October 24, just 19 days after Jobs died.

Jobs’ life has been the subject of two major films. The first, released in 2013, was simply titled Jobs and starred Ashton Kutcher as Jobs and Josh Gad as Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak. Wozniak told The Verge in 2013 he was approached about working on the film but couldn’t because, “I read a script as far as I could stomach it and felt it was crap.” Although he praised the casting, he told Gizmodo he felt his and Jobs’ personalities were inaccurately portrayed.

Instead, Wozniak worked with Sony Pictures on the second film, Steve Jobs , that was adapted from Isaacson’s biography and released in 2015. It starred Michael Fassbender as Jobs and Seth Rogen as Wozniak. Fassbender was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, and co-star Kate Winslet was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Apple and NeXT marketing executive Joanna Hoffman.

In 2015, filmmaker Alex Gibney examined Jobs’ life and legacy in the documentary Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine .

• Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world? [Jobs inviting an executive to join Apple]
• It’s better to be a pirate than join the Navy.
• In my perspective... science and computer science is a liberal art. It’s something everyone should know how to use, at least, and harness in their life.
• It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities that yields us the result that makes our hearts sing.
• There’s an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love—‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been’—and we’ve always tried to do that at Apple.
• You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.
• I think humans are basically tool builders, and the computer is the most remarkable tool we’ve ever built.
• You just make the best product you can, and you don’t put it out until you feel it’s right.
• With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.
• Things don’t have to change the world to be important.
• I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates .
• If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have to be willing to take whatever you’ve done and whoever you were and throw them away.
• Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful—that’s what matters to me.
• I like to believe there’s an afterlife. I like to believe the accumulated wisdom doesn’t just disappear when you die, but somehow, it endures. But maybe it’s just like an on/off switch and click—and you’re gone. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like putting on/off switches on Apple devices.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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Tips for creating the best presentation

Tips Trick and Technique for creating and delivering Powerpoint and Keynote Presentation

5 Presentation Techniques From Steve Jobs

March 28, 2018 by Muhammad Noer

Jobs’ performance on a presentation is always expected and waited by many people. Through the world-class exclusive presentation technique, he performs how to deliver a presentation in a unique way, like an attractive show, successfully. Here are some techniques used by Jobs that lead him to be a successful presenter.

1. Create stories as a background to your presentation

The first secret is how you create a story behind a presentation. Everyone loves story. The presentation that has a story in it will always be remembered by the audiences.

The reason is very simple, stories are easily remembered. That is why you will always remember your childhood’s stories told by your parents. The audiences will remember your stories and forget anything else.

Steve jobs masters this technique properly. In every presentation he always delivers a story. When he introduced iPod in 2001, he did not explain iPod as a merely MP3 player. He chose to tell a story about iPod as 1000 songs in your pocket.

2. Create simple but visually strong slides

A good slide is usually not a complicated one. A good slide is a simple one, accurate, and helping the audiences to grasp quickly the idea that the presenter wants to deliver.

In every presentation, Steve Jobs always uses very simple slides. Sometimes, they contain just pictures with no words. In another time, they contain numbers, typed with big font size.

Through the appropriate pictures, he wants to evoke the audience’s imagination to imagine what he is explaining.

3. Use three parts rule

In the process of making a speech, we know a term three parts rule. It is done because people are used to understanding many things through three parts.

Jobs knows very well the strength behind this rule so that he uses this trick in many occasions. When he explained about iPhone, Jobs did not tell too many things that can lead people into confusion.

He summarized it as a revolutionary cell phone that has three function: (a) as an entertaining iPod, (b) as a smart phone, and (c) as a great internet communication media. Through these three things, the audiences could easily remember what iPhone is and they could summarize all other features.

The audiences can hardly remember more than three things. On the other side, less than 3 things are too little that makes presentation uninteresting. Use three parts of information to create strength to your presentation.

4. Help the audiences understand the statistics and data

Sometimes a presentation needs statistics and data to deliver important information to the audiences. Unfortunately, statistics and data sometimes are boring.

The question is how to make statistics and data more interesting? Remember! The audiences don’t care about the number you show in your presentation. They do pay attention to the story behind those numbers.

When he explained about the amount of songs that had been downloaded through iTunes, he delivered simple data by saying that 2 billion songs have been downloaded. It means 5 million songs have been downloaded per day.

It also means in a second, there are 58 songs downloaded. To make the audiences easy to imagine, he added, “This happens every minute in every hour every day.”

Now, notice how he could deliver an interesting story behind numbers and statistics. If the audiences were just given data that 2 billion songs had been sold or 5 million songs were sold per day, the audiences would hardly imagine the meaning of the statistics.

When Jobs helped the audiences by telling an analogy that there were 58 thousand songs were sold per second, the audiences could easily imagine that that was a huge amount of songs that had been downloaded.

5. Create extraordinary surprise momentum

A great presentation has something that surprises the audiences. If you want to perform greatly, create a surprise momentum to the audiences. This was what Jobs did in his presentation in 2008: he told that apple had made the thinnest notebook in the world. He showed a picture that showed how thin and light the notebook was.

When the audiences tried to imagine how thin this was, Jobs suddenly took an envelope and take a MacBook Air out of the envelope and showed it to the audiences. They were shocked and mesmerized. He created a surprise momentum in his presentation successfully. Actually, he could just explain about the product monotonously, but it would not give strength and emotional aspect to his presentation.

By taking out a MacBook out of the envelope, the explanation about the thinnest notebook was perfectly delivered. There was no technical explanation needed.

For you who want to be an extraordinary presenter, think and create the surprise momentum that summarized the whole presentation that will be remembered by the whole audiences.

Those are some techniques used by Jobs that make him famous and loved by many people. If you use and apply these techniques, every chance you have will be the mesmerizing presentation to the audiences.

If you want further understanding about these techniques, you can read book entitled “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs – How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience” written by Carmine Gallo, a columnist in Businessweek.com.

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About Muhammad Noer

Muhammad Noer is a Human Resources Professional who has passion in sharing how to create and deliver a great presentation.

Best Presentation is aiming to give you practical tips on how to create a great presentation. We believe everyone can learn how to create a better presentation, deliver a great speech and show amazing visual slides.

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Bill Gates Reveals Steve Jobs' Secret To Captivating Presentations: 'He Was A Natural, Although He Would...'

Microsoft Corp. co-founder and former CEO  Bill Gates  has shared insights into the art of delivering compelling presentations, highlighting the late Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs ‘ natural talent in this area.

What Happened : Gates discussed the importance of storytelling in presentations on the Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard   podcast earlier this month.

During the conversation that took place in India , Gates spoke about the role of storytelling in securing government funding for the  Gates Foundation ‘s initiatives.

“The work we do, the cost to deliver even just say vaccines in Africa, even our foundation, although it’s the largest by foundation standards compared to the cost of actually buying all the vaccines and getting them delivered to just say all the kids in Africa, that would be too much for us,” he said.

Gates added, “So we have to partner with governments who have these aid budgets and convince them, hey, let’s pool money together.”

See Also:  Nvidia’s New Superchip Delivers 8,470 Times The Computing Performance Of Supercomputer That Jensen Huang Donated To OpenAI

“And so telling the story is very important. That’s what makes it legitimate for us to get politicians to step up,” the former Microsoft CEO said.

When Shepard praised his speech prowess, Gates said he wouldn’t call himself a natural. “Steve Jobs was a natural, although he would rehearse.” He noted that Jobs’ ability to make his presentations appear spontaneous was part of his genius.

Subscribe to the  Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter  to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.

“It was always fun to watch him kind of rehearse because part of his genius was when he would finally do it, he would make it look like he’s just thinking it up right there.”

Why It Matters : In a previous interview, Gates acknowledged Jobs’ unique abilities , including his sense of design and marketing, despite his imperfections.

“I learned a lot from Steve, we were utterly different. I mean, he never wrote a line of code, but his sense of design, marketing, and his intuitive feel for who is a good engineer… Steve was such a unique person, and he could get a lot out of people.” 

Jobs’ presentation skills have been a subject of admiration and study for many years. His ability to captivate audiences and convey complex ideas in a simple, compelling manner has been a source of inspiration for many aspiring presenters and business leaders.

Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by  following this link .

Read Next:  5 Technologies That Could Be Worth $220 Trillion By 2030, Cathie Wood’s ARK Predicts: ‘The Time Is Now’

Disclaimer:  This content was partially produced with the help of  Benzinga Neuro  and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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