Apple's Jobs lived entrepreneurial dream

October 6, 2011
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Steve Jobs was the ultimate entrepreneur.
 
He and high school buddy Steve Wozniak started Apple Inc. in a Silicon Valley garage in 1976, making home computers for the masses—and $100 million by the time he turned 25. He died Wednesday at 56, leaving behind a legacy worth far more than his bank account.

Jobs was a visionary. From that first desktop computer to the latest iteration of the iPhone, he developed products that revolutionized consumer technology. He knew what people needed before they did—and delivered it in a way that made us wonder how we ever lived without it.

He took chances. Some worked, and others didn’t. But he kept plugging away, doing what he loved and blazing a path that others scrambled to follow.

“Steve Jobs epitomized the revolutionary genius that through hard work, determination and a maverick spirit, our world can be changed by one person,” said Donald F. Kuratko, executive director of Indiana University’s Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. “He showed us the power of innovative thinking and the entrepreneurial spirit, which in the 21st century is the secret to sustained success.

“I hope there are many more [like him] rising from our younger generation, because our world needs them now more than ever.”

Jobs was in a league of his own, to be sure, but that innovative spirit isn’t confined to the coasts. Indiana has some imaginative minds, too.

Local serial entrepreneur Scott Jones is an obvious example. Widely credited with inventing voice mail, he also had a hand in developing early music-recognition software and is the driving force behind the growing ChaCha Search mobile-answers service. And he told IBJ earlier this year that he keeps a filing cabinet filed with thousands of ideas at home.

Who else belongs on Indiana’s list of revolutionary thinkers—and doers? And who, if anyone, is poised to fill the oversized shoes Jobs left behind?

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  1. So the Mayor adds another non value added layer to having a vehicle towed? Whereby the City Government RECIEVES AN ILLEGAL KICKBACK FROM A LGOISTICS COMPANY THAT SUBS THE WORK TO LOCAL TOW COMPANIES? What is the service the City performs for receiving the "tribute"? This is RICO!!!!! What a corrupt and unnecessary layer. What a dirtbag Mayor and his cronies.

  2. Owner occupied housing. Clear enough?

  3. So people think I am paranoid. It's from experience in dealing with puds requested by developers who make major donations themselves to representatives, have nice fund raisers for those running for office and hide through pac's. then there are the public relation firms. You will note some pr comments below. You there Clyde Lee? My opinion. Commercial along 421, great. Multifamily housing, terrible idea that will change the town. Senior condos or zero lot line homes west, great. I suggest keeping all entries to commercial areas at 421. All entries to owner occupied on sycamore. Will keep the traffic on sycamore down some. Two other things. You can't trust what will be there in 10 years. Steve builds quality stuff, but areas change over time. Look at the changes at the wall mart center at 86th and 421 over the last 10 years. Look at the apartments and neighborhoods behind St Vincent's. Raintree properties WILL decrease in value if commercial and multifamily goes in near. It has already been happening around the bridges area. The houses that have been sold recently are way below market. Several deals not closed due to the Illinois construction and the whole unsurety of the bridges. It's pretty simple, Zionsville will approve the whole thing because the city council has been groomed over a LONG period of time for this. I might even suggest some are in their position as a result of this.

  4. Esta, do you have a dog in this fight? You seem to really want to knock anyone against this project. No, I didn't move to Indiana for the architecture. I moved here for that red barn in the field. The horses and fields of corn. A place that is NOT overdeveloped. There are plenty of nearby places in Indianapolis that could be REDEVELOPED instead.

  5. RKW - OK, we get it, you're paranoid. The question is, are you paranoid enough? Greg - Yes, Pittman(s) is (are) at it again. They are developers, they build things. It's what they do. So when you go to work tomorrow, Greg, you're at it again too. Cliff - Really? You moved to Indiana for its progressive architecture? That's like moving to England for the cuisine. Zionsvillain - The house you moved to was once a field or woods. I'm willing to bet folks were upset when that ground was plowed under and a house was built. But I guess now that you are in, everything should stop? "My house was OK, but the next one is sprawl." SE Guy - Please don't paint us with such a wide brush. Most reasonable Zionsville residents welcome planned, measured development.

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