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How One Former Apple Employee Uses His Experience to Spread a Global Gospel

Think.

Former managing director of U.S. operations for Apple Computer, Walt Wilson, recalled a day when the single word was a campaign for IBM, the competitor that his company frequently “locked horns with.”

“[Steve Jobs] asked for a black poster to be made with white lettering and a small apple logo,” Wilson told guests of Regent University’s Executive Leadership Series on Tuesday, October 13th.

And in white lettering, IBM’s “think” became Apple’s “think different.” That phrase was the shot heard around the world. A turning phrase that sparked a digital revolution, fired by a man without so much as a college degree; just a startup company with a big vision.

And a goal to one day put a “ding” in the universe.

“For a small startup for toy computers, to say that is about as arrogant as it gets,” said Wilson. “But, I think we put a ‘ding’ in the universe.”

They were a company that focused solely on innovation and profit in the midst of a monster-sized industry – completely ignoring their market share.

“What do you get when you don’t care about your market share?” asked Wilson. “Two hundred billion dollars of profit, that’s what it means.”

Wilson’s experience working with companies such as Apple, and in various positions in the Silicon Valley’s Fortune 50 companies, led him to his position as founder and chairman of Global Media Outreach, an organization revolutionizing the sharing of the Gospel through mobile devices.

Wilson, with his ministry, is working toward a world where everyone has access to a cell phone and lives within range of a cellphone tower. A feat Wilson anticipates in the near future.

“Seeing the fulfillment of the Great Commission in our lifetime is now a mathematical certainty,” said Wilson.

He leads with passion, forging ahead through his “retirement” years, clinging to the lessons he learned from leaders before him.

“You get one chance in your lifetime, don’t mess it up,” said Wilson, who encouraged his audience to carry the traits of a leader into their workplace by keeping focused, leading from the front, and having the courage to have a big vision.

“Make it fun, take care of your employees, and don’t be afraid to tell them that you love them,” said Wilson.

Regent’s ELS will host its Presidential Candidate Forums event on Friday, October 23, featuring former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Learn more about Regent University’s ELS.