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Michael Seibel: Don't Be Fake Steve Jobs

By Michael Seibel · Product & Building · 3 min read

Everyone thinks Steve Jobs dreamed perfect ideas out of his head. They forget the first iPhone — no 3G, one carrier, horrible battery, no app store. Real Steve Jobs iterated. Fake Steve Jobs says 'make it my way, screw the customers.'

Key Points

The first iPhone sucked — no 3G, one carrier, horrible battery, cracked screens, no App Store
Real Steve Jobs released a shitty MVP and iterated every year until it was magical
Don't be fake Steve Jobs who dreams perfection. Be real Steve Jobs who iterates.

Real Steve Jobs released a shitty MVP that was revolutionary but still fairly shitty — and every year iterated it until you have the thing in your pocket right now.

The First iPhone Sucked

Seibel: People have a false picture of Steve Jobs. They think he dreamed perfect ideas out of his head and into the world. They look at their iPhone today — it's magical.

But the first iPhone? No 3G — back when 3G was standard. So your great internet browser only worked on Edge, which sucked. One carrier. Horrible battery life. Screen cracked all the time. No App Store — you couldn't even download other apps. That was the first iPhone. Everyone forgets that iPhone.

First iPhone: no 3G, one carrier, horrible battery, cracked screens, no App Store. Everyone forgets.

Real Steve Jobs vs. Fake Steve Jobs

Seibel: If you're the person in your company saying 'the product has to be this way because I said so, screw the customers, screw everyone else' — you're being fake Steve Jobs.

Real Steve Jobs released a shitty MVP that was revolutionary but still fairly shitty. And every year iterated it — until you have the thing in your pocket right now, which is pretty damn good. Real Steve Jobs iterates and talks to customers. Fake Steve Jobs just dreams and creates art.

Don't be fake Steve Jobs.

Real Steve Jobs released a shitty MVP and iterated every year. Fake Steve Jobs dreams perfection. Don't be fake.