Steve Ballmer had always envisioned himself to be a big company guy - but he never dreamed that he would have to grow the company from the ground up. In this amusing anecdote on the roots of Microsoft's salad days, the company CEO recalls how he he took on the business responsibilities at the fledgeling start-up. At Bill Gates' invitation, Ballmer took on a low-risk summer job, never dreaming that it would result in one of the largest industry players enduring for over three decades.

1. The Future of Microsoft, The Future of Technology (Entire Talk)
2. The Start-Up During Economic Crisis
3. The Slow Incubation of Disruptive Technologies
4. Emerging Trends in the Future of Technology
5. Microsoft's Research and Development
6. The Interplay of Venture Capital and Innovation
7. Balance and Tension in Company Culture
8. The Launch of Ballmer's Microsoft Career
9. Choosing the Right Projects
10. Applying Education to On-the-Job Experience

Steve Ballmer lectures on Entrepreneurship for Stanford University students, May 6, 2009. Steven A. Ballmer is Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of software for personal and business computing. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates. Since then, Ballmer's leadership and passion have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company. In this Stanford lecture, he talks about the start-up during economic crisis and applying education to on-the-job experience.

Related Links: http://www.microsoft.com
Last Updated: Wed, May 6, 2009

Course Details:
- Entrepreneurial Thought Leader Lecture
- Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner (ecorner)

Original Course Name: Entrepreneurial Thought Leader Lecture