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Randy Wigginton, Apple’s 6th Employee, Remembers the Time He Worked Up to 100 Hours a Week on Software Development for the Macintosh Alongside Steve Wozniak and Other Pioneers.
When Apple was just starting out, Randy Wigginton, Apple’s 6th employee, experienced a routine that few could endure. Working tirelessly, reaching up to 100 hours a week, he contributed directly to the development of the Macintosh, especially with the creation of iconic applications like MacWrite and Full Impact.
This period in Wigginton’s life was a true rollercoaster, marked by missed opportunities, exhausting journeys, and closeness to visionaries who shaped the future of technology.
Fundamental Role in Apple’s Early Years
Randy Wigginton, a name not as recognized as Steve Jobs or Steve Wozniak, played a fundamental role in Apple’s early years. As Apple’s 6th employee, he was in the eye of the storm, actively participating in the development of the Macintosh, one of the company’s most ambitious projects. According to him, the routine was intense, and the work culture at that time was unforgiving. Wigginton and his colleagues worked between 90 and 100 hours a week, in a superhuman effort to complete tasks before launches. “Yes and no” was his response when asked about the insane workload, explaining that the hours also accounted for small breaks for meals.
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The Price of Being a Pioneer
Besides the surreal workload, the Apple 6th employee saw firsthand how the company’s initial social capital was distributed and how some opportunities were lost due to premature decisions. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Mike Markkula each held 33.33% of the company. Wozniak began selling his shares to investors before the company went public in 1980. Ron Wayne, Apple’s co-founder, sold his 10% for just US$ 2,300 twelve days after the company’s registration, a sum that would have made Wayne a millionaire if he had waited.
Wigginton defends Wayne, stating that at that time, no one really knew that Apple would achieve the tremendous success it did, except perhaps Mike Markkula, the true visionary who invested US$ 250,000 in the company and became Apple’s second CEO.
Working with Wozniak
Wigginton’s relationship with Steve Wozniak, whom he considers his mentor and best friend, was a highlight of his career. Wozniak, according to him, was the smartest and most creative person he has ever met, a playful genius who loved to pull pranks. Working with Woz was a blend of technical learning and moments of relaxation, something Wigginton values to this day. They worked closely together on the circuit design and ROM software for the Apple II, one of the products that paved the way for the success of the Macintosh.
Paypal, Ebay, Google, and Square
After four intense years at Apple, Wigginton continued his career at other technology giants. He worked for Paypal, Ebay, Google, and Square before settling at Block, a small financial services company in Oakland, California, where he currently works. Wigginton’s journey as Apple’s 6th employee shows not only the resilience needed to survive the rollercoaster of a startup in its early years, but also the importance of being in the right place at the right time with the right people. And, of course, with a lot of dedication.
This is the story of Apple’s 6th employee, Randy Wigginton, one of the pioneers who helped shape the Macintosh and, consequently, the future of personal computing, even at the cost of exhausting hours and a life of sacrifices.
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