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KinderGare

The Seeds Of Success

Ballmer realized that making
a commitment to Gates would
require him to drop out of busi-
ness school.
He said Gates told him, "'I
had to drop out of Harvard to do
this Microsoft thing; it's not so
bad. Why don't you at least think
about it?'
"So finally I thought, 'There's
one thing about this Bill Gates,
he's absolutely the smartest guy I
ever knew,' and he had more
enthusiasm, more focus; he had
that relentless focus I talked about.
He has more of an ability to really
concentrate and know what he was
doing,- to think about it complete-
ly, and just love it. 'Well,' I
thought, 'at least I'll be working
Ballmer on June 14, 1990, addressing the
for a guy who I really think is
commencement at Detroit Country Day School.
great. He is a friend of mine and
that will be a lot of fun.'"
But the choice posed a dilemma for
who he had faith in.
Ballmer. "I was just fearing the call
"I consider myself at this stage a
from my dad," he told the graduates,
founder (of Microsoft)," said Ballmer
"because he was really excited, 'Oh
in 1990. "I'm about the third or fourth
man, you are in business school. You'll
guy left of the original 30, and I hired
come home, you'll work in the auto
the first 300 people."
industry — it'll be great.'"
"Steve had the ability to recruit at
"It was very interesting because
these universities and he knew what
Steve couldn't make the decision to
Microsoft needed," said his aunt. "I
leave," said his aunt Olga. "His father
think if you were to send someone out
would say, 'Now you stay in school'
who doesn't have the mentality to
because, naturally, education is the
understand Bill Gates and Paul Allen
thing. And he talked to his mother and
and what they were all about, you
his mother said, 'Well, maybe you
couldn't have done as good a job."
ought to try it.'
Ballmer also tapped his high school
"Bea even called her brother Iry and
experience when building up
said, 'What do you think?' and he said,
Microsoft.
`I think I would try it. He could always
"Country Day is a very intense envi-
go back to school. With his intelligence
ronment," Ballmer told the graduates.
he didn't have to worry. He could
"[I thought] we ought to re-create that
always walk into any university and
kind of an atmosphere here at
they'd take him.'
Microsoft. I looked for people who had
"It took Steve three weeks to make
talent, but I also looked for the twinkle
his decision," Olga Dworkin remem-
in their eyes when they were talking
bered. "Every time that Bill Gates
about what excited them.
called him, he'd up the perks and
"Some people were very quiet,"
everything else, so finally, I guess, Steve
Ballmer continued in his address, "but
said, 'I guess I'll try it.'
you could just see it, you could see the •
"And I'm glad he did, for this rea-
twinkle in their eyes and you knew
son. If he hadn't, he might have regret-
that they really loved it and they had
ted it. Whether Microsoft was success-
really developed a complete model of
ful or not."
what it is that they had done, and that
was great!
Building The Business
"The people in our company ... still
At the time Ballmer was asked to join
feel that way. [At Microsoft] you get
Microsoft, it was not certain to him
people that are a lot happier, a lot more
that the young company would be a
excited about their lives, and I think
success. But on the business side, he
that's really what everybody can aspire
had the trust of Gates and Allen. Early
to in terms of their business lives as
on, said his uncle, Ballmer saw the
well as their personal lives."
need to hire more employees. Gates
Ballmer's interest in sports continues.
was at first reluctant, but was advised
Besides football and track in high
by his own father to go along with the
school, Steve also caddied at Franklin
friend who understood him so well and
MR. MICROSOFT on page 14

