In 2014, Microsoft was imploding.
Their $7.2B Nokia purchase was a disaster. Windows 8 was failing. Their culture was toxic.
Until they hired ONE man who would transform Microsoft into a $3 TRILLION empire...
Here's the full story: https://t.co/Ebcx8LDCcK
2013: Microsoft was struggling.
The tech giant that once dominated computing had lost its way.
Windows 8 was a disaster. The $7.2B Nokia acquisition would soon be written off.
And a toxic culture was destroying the company from within: https://t.co/1fecvEMKRc
Inside Microsoft's walls, fear ruled supreme.
Teams sabotaged each other thanks to stack ranking - a system that forced managers to rate some employees as underperformers, even if everyone excelled.
But something even more devastating was happening... https://t.co/CIkV4IZsFc
The company had become dangerously arrogant.
When open source threatened Windows' dominance, their response shocked the industry:
Their CEO called Linux "a cancer."
The stock hadn't moved in 10 years. Microsoft was dying.
Then everything changed: https://t.co/BOj3aH0aNE
Enter Satya Nadella.
His journey to CEO wasn't typical — since joining in 1992, he'd held an unusual philosophy that would save Microsoft.
Nadella believed every role was "the greatest job on earth."
No position was a stepping stone. Each day was a chance to learn.
The effect?
This mindset of constant curiosity would transform Microsoft.
His first move stunned everyone: Ending stack ranking.
Next, he declared war on Microsoft's "know-it-all" culture. In its place? https://t.co/Cq6LlXPXsW
A "learn-it-all" mindset where:
• Experimentation flourished
• Failure became acceptable
• Teams collaborated freely
• Learning was celebrated
But his next decision was even bolder:
2015: Nadella did the unthinkable.
He put Linux—Microsoft's sworn enemy—on Azure cloud.
The same technology they'd called "cancer" was now running on Microsoft servers.
His explanation revealed a revolutionary insight: https://t.co/zcss7zZuYl
"It's better to be present on a platform than to think you can bring your platform to everything."
This simple idea sparked a revolution at Microsoft:
• They open-sourced their crown jewels
• Embraced competitors' tech
• Bought GitHub for $7.5B
But Nadella's masterpiece was yet to come:
While Amazon pushed all-cloud and Oracle clung to on-premise solutions, Nadella saw a different path.
He created something revolutionary. A bridge between worlds.
The result? It would transform enterprise computing forever:
Microsoft's hybrid cloud strategy.
It let companies:
• Keep sensitive data on-site
• Move at their own pace
• Migrate gradually
• Stay in control
Azure's revenue exploded. But the real lesson wasn't about cloud computing at all: https://t.co/V2YQfJU5fY
Nadella had discovered something profound about transformation:
Trust builds slowly. Change happens gradually.
You have to meet people where they are.
This insight extends far beyond Microsoft... https://t.co/GD4BPYDMEc
Today's founders face a similar crossroads.
The old playbook of secrecy and control is dead. People — especially this generation — crave authenticity and vulnerability.
That's why there's an opportunity most are missing:
For today's founders, personal content is a huge unlock.
It taps into the shift to authenticity.
So build in public, create content & share your story. That's how you can embrace the same tailwinds that revived Microsoft.
A personal brand becomes a 24/7 growth engine:
You'll get:
• Business opportunities
• Perfect-fit customers
• Top talent
On autopilot as you build trust at scale. All because, like Nadella's Microsoft, you chose openness over secrecy.
Ready to transform your business? https://t.co/qY87idumN7
Founders: We’ll build your entire personal brand on 𝕏 without you lifting a finger.
To date, we've already helped 60+ founders get 2 Billion combined views.
Interested in how we can do this for you? Book a free strategy session here:
https://t.co/Q1il3K8uV6
Thanks for reading! A bit about me:
1.5 years ago, I quit my job to build personal brands for incredible founders on 𝕏.
We've since grown to a team of 20+ across the world.
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