In 1976, three entrepreneurs—Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne—founded Apple Computer. While the two Steves were in their twenties, Ronald Wayne was 42 at the time. Fast forward to 1990, Apple’s stock price was only $1, and Wayne was uncertain about the company’s future success. As a result, he sold his 10% stake in the company for a mere $800 (₹32,000). Today, that stake would be worth an astounding $345 billion (₹29,11,29,100 crore).
Ronald Wayne was also responsible for designing Apple’s first logo, which depicted the famous scene of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under a tree, eating an apple. Besides designing the logo, he also handled the company’s mechanical and documentation responsibilities. Despite his pivotal role in Apple’s early days, in 1990, Wayne believed selling his shares was the right decision. He felt that the pressure from Apple would eventually destroy him, and he didn’t want to become the richest person in a graveyard.
Steve Jobs, who started from nothing, borrowed $15,000 alongside Wozniak and Wayne to fund the company. However, Wayne was concerned about the risks involved. His fear was that if the company failed, he would be left bankrupt. So, he eventually walked away from the deal, selling his shares for $800. If he had held onto those shares, statistics show that by November 2024, his net worth would have exceeded $300 billion.
However, Wayne has no regrets about his decision. In an interview, he explained that, given the market conditions and the information available at the time, his choice seemed rational. He acknowledged that while he believed Apple could succeed, he also saw many obstacles in its path. Moreover, as he was getting older, he felt he couldn’t keep up with the energy of the younger founders. Despite this, it’s clear that had he held onto his shares, Ronald Wayne might have been among the wealthiest individuals in the world today.
