Steve Ballmer: Once Bill Gates’ Assistant, Now Richer Than Bill Gates
Steve Ballmer's journey from a modest beginning at Microsoft to becoming one of the wealthiest individuals in the world is a remarkable tale of ambition, opportunity, and success. Once serving as Bill Gates' assistant, Ballmer has now surpassed his onetime mentor in wealth, highlighting an extraordinary career trajectory that few could have predicted. When Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as the company’s 30th employee, he didn’t receive a single company share. Instead, he was brought on with the unimpressive title of “business manager,” essentially serving as a quasi–personal assistant to Bill Gates. Ballmer had dropped out of Stanford Business School for this opportunity, demonstrating his belief in the fledgling company’s potential. Despite starting with no shares, Ballmer’s fortunes changed rapidly due to a unique compensation deal. Recognizing the need for rapid growth, Gates and cofounder Paul Allen agreed to give Ballmer 10% of the profit growth he generated, o
