As an investor, I often find myself digging beyond the numbers and examining corporate management teams. In the technology sector, that job is often made a little more entertaining because the industry offers a truly interesting cast of characters. These aren't your average corporate suits.
No, not the one in Omaha
Oracle
"It is not sufficient that I succeed," said Mongol emperor Genghis Khan. "Everyone else must fail." Ellison likes to quote him, and runs Oracle along those lines. If Ellison can't simply beat you bloody in the marketplace, he'll buy your company to get rid of the competition. Because, you know, that's what Khan would do if he were a modern businessman.
Retiring IBM
And Micron Technology
Fresh fruit
The next man on my list really needs no introduction: the vegetarian, Buddhist, visionary taskmaster Steve Jobs of Apple
Steve could be warmly personal, as when responding in person to random iPhone users' antenna gripes. He could also be brutally vindictive -- Jobs never wanted money out of Google
Steve even had a great last name. Given the times that we live in, I've often done a double take over "Jobs Report" headlines -- are they talking about Steve or the economy?
But wait -- there's more!
I could fill books with these rich characters. There'd be many chapters about "giant-brained alien" Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com
Each and every one of them comes into business with a strategy all his own, based on unique backgrounds and interests. And they're all proven success stories.
Maybe the book will come when I retire, independently rich. Until then, these mind-boggling and entertaining characters will continue to inspire me and the next generation of great business leaders.