My breakfast with Bill Gates

Last week I had breakfast with Bill Gates. Myself and 2223 other people had double lattes and stale donuts as he shared the state of the digital world. To be frank, I didn't know what to expect so I thought this was a terrific opportunity to get to hear this person who has impacted our world in a very substantive way. Whether you agree with Microsoft’s business practices or not, the impact that Bill Gates has had is incredible and getting to spend breakfast with a billionaire is a good way to start your day.


There were a few observations that I thought I would share.

1. Billionaires get nervous too - There was some trouble with his wireless mike (not a software problem). He was definitely thrown off his game at the start but once they got him a new mike he quickly got back on track.
2. Big breakthroughs are based upon little breakthroughs - This also applies in our careers. It is typically a series of little breakthroughs that opens the door for the great leaps.
3. Professional and personal convergence - Just as the world of technology has bridged all elements of our lives, so is the case in our careers. When our personal and professional lives become more aligned, this creates what I call a sweet spot.
4. The digitized economy - The world is a very seamless place so we can work anywhere, anytime and get paid on line. I think that is cool.
5. Power to the user - If you notice the big technology hits, they are enabling users to have more input and control. This is similar to our careers. We have more power and we need to learn how to use this responsibly!

The one thing that made the most impression on me was his optimism. He is very practical and acknowledged the challenges in the world but was really excited about the next 10 years in our world. If you think of the demands and the complexity of his life and the challenges that he is a part of, you might think he would be more critical. His authentic optimism is the big thing that I will take away from my morning with Bill.

Along the road with you,
Alan Kearns

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