Meet Chris Espinosa: Apple's longest-serving employee who joined at 14
Chris Espinosa, who joined Apple at the young age of 14, has become the company's longest-serving employee. He started working part-time for Apple in 1976 when it was founded in a garage on April Fool's Day. By the time Steve Jobs and Steve 'Woz' Wozniak incorporated the company in 1977, Espinosa officially became an employee with the title of employee number eight, as reported by CNET.
Espinosa's role during Apple's early days
Espinosa's first official task at Apple was testing the Apple II BASIC OS during his Christmas holidays. When Jobs left in 1985 to establish NeXT, an education computer company, Espinosa became the senior employee at Apple. He retained this position even after Jobs returned to Apple following its acquisition of NeXT in 1997. In past interviews, Espinosa shared insights into the marketing principles established by Apple in 1978 and Jobs's notorious micromanagement style.
Insights into Apple's marketing principles
Espinosa revealed the three key marketing principles that were established by Apple in 1978. He stated, "There were three words. Empathy: know your customer, know what they want. Focus: do fewer things better. And impute: always carry value in everything you do. Those are things that we do today." These principles have guided the company's approach to its products and customers since its early days.
Perspective on Steve Jobs's management style
In another interview, Espinosa provided a glimpse into Jobs's notorious micromanagement style. He described Jobs as a "maniacal genius" whose job was to "stir up everything." Espinosa further added that Jobs would "not leave anything alone" and would not tolerate "inadequacy or compromise." This insight offers a unique perspective into the leadership style of one of the most influential figures in tech history.
Espinosa debunks fake vintage employee badge
Earlier this year, Espinosa made headlines when he identified a fake vintage Apple employee badge being sold on eBay for over $1,000. The badge was claimed to have belonged to Sherry Livingston, who was supposedly employee number 10. Espinosa debunked the claim by pointing out discrepancies in the typewritten font and the paper used for the badge, stating "That wasn't taken with a Polaroid with a flash. The laminate dimensions are all wrong." Despite his efforts, the item was sold.
