A former intern of Steve Jobs reflects on their time working for the tech icon, noting that they were in close proximity to him every day, just 20 yards away. 

A former intern of Steve Jobs shares reflections on their close proximity to the tech icon during their time working together. They emphasize being just 20 yards away from Jobs every day. The reflection was published recently, offering insights into their experience with the legendary figure in the tech industry.

As a teenager, Chet Kapoor harbored a dream of working for tech luminary Steve Jobs. That dream materialized when he secured an internship at NeXT, Jobs' software venture. Kapoor, now CEO of DataStax, recalls being in awe of Jobs, though his role was menial. Despite this, Kapoor cherished the proximity to Jobs, finding it instrumental in his subsequent success in Silicon Valley. He attributes much of his achievements to the insights gained from observing Jobs' leadership style. Born in Kolkata, Kapoor's admiration for Jobs stemmed from reading about Apple's founders in his youth, shaping his career aspirations.

Inspired by the book, Kapoor enrolled in computer classes and began applying to U.S. colleges. Eventually, he enrolled at Arizona State University in 1986. Meanwhile, Jobs departed Apple and founded NeXT in 1985, offering Kapoor the chance to realize his aspirations. NeXT initiated the Campus Consultants program in 1988, hiring students part-time and later as interns after graduation. Kapoor joined five years after envisioning working for Jobs. At NeXT, Jobs fostered a product and design-centric ethos, prioritizing user experience. This ethos mirrored Apple's culture, as Jobs emphasized creating great products with talented teams. Kapoor highlights the rigorous engineering culture at NeXT, emphasizing the meticulous attention to detail Jobs instilled to ensure product excellence.

Source: CNBC