At 21, Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus for $1,500, while Steve Wozniak sold his HP calculator for $500, using the funds to start their venture. In 1976, they introduced the Apple I, securing a 100-unit order for $50,000. To fulfill it, they bought parts on credit and, with the help of friends and family, completed the order just in time. Investor Mike Markkula soon joined, providing $92,000 and helping secure a $250,000 credit line. The Apple I, priced at $666.66, generated around $774,000. The launch of the Apple II propelled sales to $139 million in three years. Apple went public in 1980, reaching a $1.8 billion market cap on its first day. Jobs hired John Sculley as CEO in 1983, and the Macintosh debuted in 1984, marketed as a counterculture product. Despite strong sales, compatibility issues with IBM led to internal conflicts, and Jobs left in 1985. Returning as CEO in 1997, Jobs revived Apple from near bankruptcy, transforming it into a leader in digital innovation. By his ...