In 1998, Steve Jobs convinced a 37-year-old Tim Cook to join near-bankrupt Apple

In 1998, Apple found itself on the brink of financial collapse, grappling with declining staff morale and a tarnished reputation. Steve Jobs, the company's visionary leader, managed to convince a 37-year-old executive, Tim Cook, to leave Compaq, the global market leader in personal computer sales, and join the struggling Apple. Prior to this, Cook had built a distinguished career, holding executive positions at IBM, Intelligent Electronics, and Compaq.

When Jobs approached Cook for a face-to-face meeting, Cook had previously dismissed Apple's recruitment team. In 2014, Cook recounted to Charlie Rose that he felt compelled to meet Jobs and learn from the man who had shaped the modern computing industry. At their meeting, Jobs presented his ambitious plan to revolutionize the PC landscape with the iMac G3, a computer that would later become iconic.

Despite the warnings from his peers and conventional logic, Cook decided to take the leap of faith and join Apple, recognizing the immense opportunity to contribute to Jobs' vision. Cook's appointment as senior vice president of worldwide operations in March 1998 marked the beginning of a transformative period for Apple, as he worked tirelessly to overhaul the company's supply chain, manufacturing systems, and global distribution.