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Perhaps the greatest man of our time has died today, Steve Jobs. So many kind things were being said on Twitter…I thought I would ask people how Steve Jobs had changed the lives of those in this industry. Here are some answers:

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Aside from the obvious, (I write this on an Apple MacBook Pro as my Apple iPhone buzzes) Steve Jobs definitely impacted my life. He was a visionary that taught me that attention to detail can make or beak a product, and that every touch point of the consumer should be unexpected and awe-inspiring. Steve helped evolve marketing and product design as a whole, and with it my own thinking.

Samir Balwani

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I’m not an Apple fanboy, I don’t own a Mac, an iPad, or an iPhone, and I rarely get downloads from iTunes. Yet Steve Jobs changed my life when I recognized how much of a visionary he was, and how, against all odds, he held true to his vision. In that moment, he became a beacon to me – one of the few larger than life people in this world who took the gifts God bestowed uniquely on him, and breathed those gifts out into the world. And as a result, changed the lives of millions. May he finally rest in peace. And may his family find comfort in this difficult time.

Alan Bleiweiss

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I worked at Apple from 1987 through 1994, arriving just after his ouster by the board. My employees had a balanced view of Jobs – genius, madman, mercurial, inspirational. I had the opportunity to work with and get to know Jobs’ successor, John Sculley, and always felt that history had short-changed Sculley – the year before Sculley joined, annual revenues were $750 million; the year he left, revenues peaked at $8 billion, sliding to a low of $2 billion during the ensuing period marked by “bozo CEOs.”

Having said that, there’s no denying Jobs succeeded at creating, sustaining and then reviving one of the most innovative, fun, world-changing businesses in human history. I owe him a debt of gratitude – I’ve tried to create and manage companies that mirror the best of the philosophy and creativity he espoused.

Dave Szetela

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Steve’s legacy taught me about competition and why it’s important to keep your mouth shut. He inspired me to strive for simplicity and showed me what real innovation is. He encouraged me to fight for what I want in a product, and if I can’t get it or don’t like it, to start over. Even though I never knew him personally, he has left an indelible imprint on how I approach many aspects of my life and business. I will truly miss him.

Jon Henshaw

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Steve Jobs has touched my life in a very deeply personal way. Much of the way I work, play, and communicate is facilitated by either an iPhone, iPad, or iMac. The people I love and care about most are never more than the light touch of a screen away.

Michelle Stinson Ross

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Steve Jobs was always an inspiration to me because of his entrepreneurial journey and focus on design. I realized how important simplicity and design was to a business, while working at PayPal. Every so often I would listen to his Stanford speech as a reminder of not only how great an inspirational leader he was, but like those at Apple say, a great human being. , He was truly an icon of our time, a visionary, and a leader that inspired a generation of technologists and entrepreneurs.

Tony Adam

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He was a visionary. He shared his vision. He moved himself, others, me, and future generations forward. What Ford did to automotive, Steve did to computers and technology. His technology rests in my hands everyday.

Thomas Ballantyne III

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He defined entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, inspiration and suave for our generation.

Ben Cook

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Steve Jobs’ inventions brought mobility to my life. WebmasterRadio.fm talk shows help me stay on top of Search while bike riding thanks to iTunes. I can handle client needs while traveling thanks to the iPhone and iPad. Bottom line, the world is more “tactile” as we touch and swipe thanks to Steve Jobs!

Dana Lookadoo

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I never understood the thrill of Apple until I received the iPhone when it first came out. Instant love and adoration for this simple thing that improved my life. It made me a convert to the Apple way of life. Thank you Steve Jobs.

Kristi Davis

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Steve Jobs was one of my first gaming experiences. I will never forget The Oregon Trail with broken arms, bouts of cholera, and that one time the thieves stole all of my clothes. Although I turned PC from college onward, I changed my ways. In my grown-up life, the iPhone 3GS, which I was initially fiercely against, became my new love. My Words with Friends and Plants vs Zombies addictions are just a few examples of how Apple stealthily entered my life, and I will never be the same.

Rebecca Jutzi

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To me, Steve Jobs is the epitome of not giving up. He easily could have packed it in when Apple missed the mark early on but he didn’t let failure get in the way of his vision. Love him or hate him, the guy stuck to his guns.

Brian LaFrance

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Steve Jobs taught me how powerful simplicity can be. He’s showed me how to think about the same thing everyone else has thought about, but in a completely different way.

Chase Granberry

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What I admired about him was how his presentation style. It was simple yet visual which was so powerful & profound. He was one of the reasons why I want to do more public speaking / presentations. He mentioned somewhere that when presenting tell a story & let the slides assist you, rather than being the story.

Victoria Edwards

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He made technology easier to learn and access. He also raised the bar with each new product. If anything he was creating products and innovation to inspire the next Steve Jobs of future generations.

Joshua Titsworth

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From the moment I saw Steve Jobs’s Stanford commencement speech I was a fan. High school drop out that got fired from his own company, yet still managed to change the world. “Love what you do. Keep looking, don’t settle.” Words to live by. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

Barbara Boser

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I never really understood the hype about Apple until I held an iPhone for the first time. I just thought “This is it.” – this was the thing I had been waiting to exist since I was a kid. It was as close to a flying car as I had ever seen. Steve Jobs did what every technologist and marketer aspires to – he built what we wanted before we even knew we wanted it.

Dr. Peter J. Meyers

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I’m pretty speechless.. not sure what I’d really say there, sorry. An amazing man.

Ross Hudgens

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Steve Jobs taught me that you can come from a humble background and make a life for yourself that you can feel very proud of. He finished the race strong and left behind a legacy for others to build on. He also taught me to live my life like each day could be my last.

Annie Cushing

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Steve Jobs made being a geek a good thing. He showed us design matters and tenacity and innovation and perfection will win the day.

Diane Kinney

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If it weren’t for Steve Jobs, I would not have the career I do today. He helped make computers accessible and even cool. SEO wouldn’t be what it is today without the influence of visionaries like him, who truly paved the way to bring computers into the home and pocket. He made geek “cool”.

Michael Halvorsen

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I’ll tell how Steve Jobs changed my life. I am on a flight from Charlotte to Phoenix using my iPad where I learned of his passing online, received your email, sent this response, while listening to iTunes. Nuff said.

Arnie Kuenn

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Man, where to start… Steve Jobs changed my life in so many ways.

Whether he was in the news for leading Apple to another innovation or stifling them with obsessive and suffocating micromanagement, he taught me what it meant to be a leader and what passion really was. Steve cared about every part of the process. He had such a passion for his products that he put his finger in every step of its journey from concept to packaging. He’s an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere.

Mitch Monsen

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Steve Jobs has forever changed how a view simplicity. Steve has forever changed how I view what’s really possible with animation techniques (Pixar). But, most importantly,Steve helped alter the way I associate rebellion with innovation: if you’re not doing either, you’re not doing enough.

Anthony Verre

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Not being an Apple user, I still feel the impact of Steve Jobs every day. His ability to take the complex & make it easy to understand & usable for masses has impacted the design of almost every electronic device we touch. With out his vision, people might still be using DOS, and mp3 players would take a science degree master and tablets would still be years away.

His vision & foresight will be missed and I can feel the pace of the technology revolution/inovation slowing down as a sign of respect.

Alan K’necht

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I was living in Italy when Pope John Paul II died. Though not a Catholic, I felt pained that a great man had been taken from the earth. Though not an Apple user, the feeling is very similar today. The company I work for today would not exist without Steve Jobs. I thank him for putting food on my table.

Scott Cowley

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Steve Jobs has had a profound impact on the way I look at problems and how to solve these. Lots of times I would consider a complex solution where Steve would bring me back to simplicity. what a great product & technology visionair!

Dennis Goedegebuure

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For me, it was always about Apple. I have never had a PC. I listened to music with Apple. I watched TV with Apple. I talked to people with Apple. I even started my business with Apple. Steve Jobs is and always will be an incredible inspiration to me, and every dreamer out there wanting to do it for themselves. What a sad day, for us and for his family especially.=

Shaun Anderson

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Steve Jobs has made some of the most amazing tools and toys I have ever had the privilege to touch. The iPhone and the iPad are constantly used in my day. I can’t life without them. Every member of my family has an iPhone and we look like dorks when we have dinner because we are all playing with our iPhones. Steve’s genius and creativity has improved my work life, my family life and my fun life.

Melissa Fach

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