Bill Gates – A story of Success

William H. Gates is chairperson and chief software architect of Corporation, the worldwide leader in software services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. was born on October 28, 1955 in a family having rich business, political and community service background. His great-grandfather was a state legislator and a mayor, his grandfather was vice president of national bank and his father was a lawyer.

Bill strongly believes in hard work. He believes that if you are intelligent and know how to apply your intelligence, you can achieve anything. From childhood Bill was ambitious, intelligent and competitive. These qualities helped him to attain top position in the profession he chose. In school, he had an excellent record in mathematics and science. Still he was getting very bored in school and his parents knew it, so they always tried to feed him with more information to keep him busy. Bill’s parents came to know their son's intelligence and decided to enroll him in a private school, known for its intense academic environment. It was a very important decision in Bill Gate's life where he was first introduced to a computer. Bill Gates and his friends were very much interested in computer and formed "Programmers Group" in late 1968. Being in this group, they found a new way to apply their computer skill in university of Washington. In the next year, they got their first opportunity in Information Sciences Inc. in which they were selected as programmers. ISI (Information Sciences Inc.) agreed to give them royalties whenever it made money from any of the group’s program. As a result of the business deal signed with Information Sciences Inc., the group also became a legal business.

Bill Gates and his close friend Allen started new company of their own, Traf-O-Data. They developed a small computer to measure traffic flow. From this project they earned around $20,000. The era of Traf-O-Data came to an end when Gates left the college. In 1973, he left home for Harvard University. He didn’t know what to do, so he enrolled his name for pre-law. He took the standard freshman courses with the exception of signing up for one of Harvard's toughest mathematics courses. He did well over there, but he couldn’t find it interesting too. He spent many long nights in front of the school's computer and the next day asleep in class. After leaving school, he almost lost himself from the world of computers. Gates and his friend remained in close contact even though they were away from school. They would often discuss new ideas for future projects and the possibility of starting a business one fine day. At the end of Bill's first year, Allen came close to him so that they could follow some of their ideas. That summer they got job in Honeywell. Allen kept on pushing Bill for opening a new software company.

Within a year, Bill Gates dropped out from Harvard. Then he formed Microsoft. Microsoft's vision is "A computer on every desk and Microsoft software on every computer". Bill is a visionary person and works very hard to achieve his vision. His belief in high intelligence and hard work has put him where he is today. He does not believe in mere luck or God’s grace, but just hard work and competitiveness. Bill’s Microsoft is good competition for other software companies and he will continue to stomp out the competition until he dies. He likes to play the game of Risk and the game of world domination. His beliefs are so powerful, which have helped him increase his wealth and his monopoly in the industry. Bill Gates is not a greedy person. In fact, he is quite giving person when it comes to computers, internet and any kind of funding. Some years back, he visited Chicago's Einstein Elementary School and announced grants benefiting Chicago's schools and museums where he donated a total of $110,000, a bunch of computers, and provided internet connectivity to number of schools. Secondly, Bill Gates donated 38 million dollars for the building of a computer institute at Stanford University.

If you possess the mastermind and your intellect is put to correct use, one day you can be at the top of the world. Hard to believe? Then look at the life of William Henry Bill Gates, whose consistent victory upon victory is a proof of his genius that he is today undisputed billionaire by far. born October 28, 1955, he has become the envy of all the richest men in the world and he achieved this feat within the shortest possible time. Bill Gates is today the chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions and has generated revenues of US36.84 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2004. The company employs more than 55,000 people in 85 countries and regions.

Early on his life, it was apparent that Bill Gates inherited the ambition, intelligence, and competitive spirit that had helped his forefathers rise to the top in their chosen professions. In elementary school he quickly surpassed all of his peer's abilities in nearly all subjects, especially math and science. His parents recognized is intelligence and decided to enroll him in lakeside, private school known for its intense academic environment. This decision had far reaching effects on Bill Gates life. For at Lakeside, Bill Gates was first introduced to computers.

In 1968, the Lakeside prep school decided that it should acquaint the student body with the world of computer. At this time, computers were still too large and costly for the school to purchase its own. Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and a few other Lakeside students (many of whom were the first programmers hired at Microsoft) immediately became inseparable from the computer. They would stay in the computer room all day and night, writing programs, reading computer literature and everything else they could do to learn about computing. They even skipped classes to be in the computer room, and worst of all, they had to use up all of the schools computer time in just a few weeks. They caused the system to crash several times and broke the computers security system. They even altered the files that recorded the amount of time they were using computers.

Bill Gates was determined to find a way to apply his computer skills in the real world. It was here that Bill Gates and his friend Allen really began to develop the talents that would lead to the formation of Microsoft seven years later. In 1973, Bill Gates signed up for one of Harvard's toughest math course. He did well but just as in high school, his heart was not at his studies. He lost himself in the world of computers once again. Bill Gates would spend many long nights in front of the computer and sleep in the class the next day. While at Harvard, Bill Gates developed a version of the programming language called BASIC for the first microcomputer - the MITS Altair.

In December 1974, Allen was in his way to visit Bill gates when along the way he stops to browse through the current magazines. What he saw change his and Bill Gate's lives forever. On the cover of Popular Electronics was a picture of the Altair 8080 wih the headline "World's First Microcomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models." He bought the issue and rushed over to Bill Gates room. They both recognized this as their big opportunity. The two knew that the home computer market was about to explode that someone need to make software for the machines. Within a few days, Gates had called MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry System), the makers of the Altair. He told the company that he and Allen had developed a program called BASIC that could be used on the Altair.

That was a lie. They had not even written a line of code. They had neither an Altair nor the chip that ran the computer. The MITS company did not know this and was very interested in seeing their BASIC. So, Bill Gates and Allen began working feverishly on the BASIC they had promised. The code for the program was left mostly up to Bill Gates while Paul Allen began working on a way to simulate the Altair.

The program worked perfectly. The MITS arranged a deal with Bill Gates and Allen to buy the rights to their BASIC. Bill Gates was convinced that the software market had been born. Within a year, Bill Gates had dropped out of Harvard and Microsoft was formed.

Guided by the belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Bill Gates' foresight and his vision for personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. He created an operating system for computers when IBM was the market leader. But IBM did require an operating system to run its personal computers effectively. Bill Gates claimed that his operating system was better than that of others. He was immediately appointed to create an exclusive operating system for IBM computers.

Shortly afterwards, he offered to buy Computer Product Company's Q-DOS program at an exorbitant rate. The company agreed. He renamed it M-DOS and gave the operative system to IBM before the prescribed time. Bill Gates earned a lot of money without putting in much effort. Meanwhile, Bill Gates was shrewd enough not give the full potential of the operating system to IBM. He gave only a part of the system and asks them to pay for the complete version. At last IBM was helpless and was dependent on Bill Gates and ended up paying a heavy sum for his skills. This was a first major business victory for Bill gates. Because of this agreement alone, Bill Gates made millions in royalty as all the computers use his operating system. By this time, internet browser was becoming increasingly popular. Bill Gates' Microsoft company was not very sure about internet browser's future. Mark Anderson created the Netscape to browse the internet. Bill Gates invited him to become his partner but Anderson refused. Bill Gates is known for playing hardball to make life difficult for competing operating systems and applications. Putting his genius to work, he created a web browser know as and distributed it free. Netscape which charged for its services faded into oblivion and it future was doomed.

Bill Gates would go to any length to maintain his exiting monopoly. But he has no qualms. He said that any operating system without a browser would go out of business. So we improved our product or else we would have gone out of business, he added. Critics say that Bill Gates' intensely competitive approach has poisoned the collaborative hacker ethos of the early days of personal computing. His vision is such that he does not look for win- win situations with others, but on the contrary for ways to make others lose. For him, success is defined as flattening the competition, not creating excellence.

No wonder, Bill Gates shuttles between courts to fight disputes. Bill Gates has been declared by Forbes as the richest person in the word for 13 consecutive years and his net worth has reached such astounding levels, he is today worth of $56billion.

He has become one of the most important minds and personalities of our era. In order to become successful in business, mere hard work alone is not enough. One must have the sharp acumen to steer clear of blockades along the way.

When a businessman from the audience asked Bill Gates the secret of success the great tycoon presented a five-point master formula of success: 1. Passion, 2. Intelligence, 3. Integrity, 4. A Good Team, and 5. Leadership. Now from whom can you learn better than the Bill Gates?

1. FIND OUR YOUR PASSION

No mind-boggling success story has been written till now without a great passion. Passion generates focus – so necessary to get success in any field. Bill Gates himself has immense passion for computer and software. When he was admitted in Lakeside School he got hooked to the computer there and surpassed the knowledge of his teacher within a week. Amazing passion indeed! Soon he wrote his first programme, at the age of thirteen. According to great scientist Albert Einstein genius is one percent inspiration and ninety- nine percent perspiration. But without passion it is very difficult to work hard. When you recognise your real hidden talent and work to develop that you become passionate, and you are self-motivated to work hard and perspire. When you have passion the work becomes a fun for you and you want to enjoy it more and more.

2. MAKE YOURSELF INTELLIGENT

Bill Gates told that success also depends on your intelligence. Different people have different level of intelligence. Intelligence becomes a problem area for many people because they think like physical strength all the people can’t be equal in it. True. But like physical strength any person can try to develop his intelligence. Now the question is how a person can develop his or her intelligence. You can develop it by taking the following steps: a) Read books and watch general knowledge based programme on television; b) Lap up information from internet; c) Arrange debates on the topics related to your field of interest with friends or other persons of similar interest; d) Practice memorising. Start from simple things like memorising phones numbers, addresses or quotations related to your field; e) Keep yourself physically fit mentally relaxed.

3. BE SINCERE IN YOUR EFFORTS

Integrity is always useful whether it is business or family life. Deceiving causes friction in human relations and hampers your progress. Try to be sincere in everything – in your efforts, relations, and business policies. ‘Honesty is the best policy’ is really wise saying. It is his quality of integrity that Bill Gates always got long term associates in business. He also got a life long friend and associate in his wife Melinda. Research has also proved that integrity is also good for health as it prolongs one’s life span.

4. CREATE A GOOD TEAM

Creating a team of talented people is necessary to rise fast in business. The motto of modern business world is ‘combine and succeed’. Teams are of two types: partnership team and assistants’ team. Even the big companies are joining hands in modern world to become stronger to face competition. For a single person it has become very difficult to survive or succeed in big business jungle. In case your temperament doesn’t allow you to go for partnership then you may go alone but still you must create a team of talented people to progress fast. Even Bill Gates understood the value of a good team when he was just a high school student. He joined hands with Paul Allen to find a company (Traf-o-Data) to sell traffic counting systems to state governments and help his school’s payroll system computerise. In Harvard University he met his later business partner Steve Ballmer. He also teamed up with Monte Davidoff and Paul Allen to write the original Altair Basic interpreter for the Altair 8800, the first successful personal computer.

5. LEAD YOUR PEOPLE TO VICTORY

Your team will work better if you are able to provide good leadership to them. For a businessman his workforce is like his family. He shares its joys and sorrows and motivates them time to time to better and achieve the targets. By proper rewards and punishment methods he keeps his workforce disciplined and united and lead them to big success. He always shares his gains with his employees or assistants by giving promotions, special increments or other rewards. Dr. G. Shankar Asst Professor, VIT Business School, VIT University, Vellore 632 014 Res: 044 -2642 314