John Couch on Life at Apple and The Steve Jobs He Knew

Ten years ago today, on 5th October 2011, we lost one of the greatest tech innovators of our time – Steve Jobs. It’s almost unfathomable how much impact Steve had on the world and how much his work will empower future generations but as he wished, he most definitely put a ding in the universe and left a wide, gaping hole when he passed.

To mark Steve’s life, it seemed fitting to talk to someone who knew him well – so today’s guest is John Couch, who was both Steve’s colleague and friend for many decades.

Steve personally recruited John to help him build a “revolutionary computer.” It was 1978, just two years after Apple had started, and thus making John Apple’s 54th employee. Soon after, John became Apple's first Vice President of Software and then became General Manager, overseeing the Apple Lisa computer division.

Prior to joining this new startup called Apple, John was one of UC Berkeley's first fifty computer science graduates and had a well-paying, secure job working at HP, under the tutelage of its iconic founder, and a hero of Steve Jobs, Bill Hewlett. But as he tells me, there was something about Steve’s vision that drew him in and made him leave his job at HP for the exciting yet vastly unknown.

Six years later, John left Apple to work in education before becoming the CEO of a biotech company called DoubleTwist. He was then recruited again by Steve Jobs again in 2002 and returned to Apple to take on the newly created role of Vice President of Education – a position he remained in until his recent retirement.

In 2018, John co-wrote "Rewiring Education and this year, he published his latest book - “My Life at Apple and The Steve I Knew" which is a book we dig deeper into in this episode. 

As Steve Wozniak says, “John is one of the most interesting, intelligent, and passionate people I've ever met. Both Steve and I viewed him as an essential part of what made Apple the most innovative company in the world, even as he remained one of our best-kept secrets.” 

You’re listening to the Danielle Newnham podcast where I interview tech founders and innovators to learn the inspiring, human, stories behind the game-changing tech we use every day.

And this is my interview with John Couch.