<div id="readability-page-1"><div><div><p>Former <strong>Microsoft Corp.</strong> <span>MSFT</span> CEO <strong>Steve Ballmer </strong>disclosed a previously unknown rift with co-founder <strong>Bill Gates </strong>that left the tech executives not speaking for an entire year during Ballmer’s transition to chief executive in 2000-2001.</p><p><strong>What Happened</strong>: Speaking on the Acquired podcast, Ballmer revealed the communication breakdown occurred from approximately March 2000 to 2001, coinciding with his assumption of the CEO role amid Microsoft’s antitrust battles and the dot-com crash. </p><p>“We went through a year where we didn’t speak,” Ballmer stated, describing the period as among the company’s most challenging.</p><p>The rift stemmed from unclear power dynamics as Gates transitioned from CEO to Chief Software Architect. When Gates offered Ballmer the CEO position, Ballmer insisted on clarification: “Do you really want me to be CEO or do you just want me to be a figurehead?” Gates confirmed he wanted “a real CEO,” but both executives struggled with the new reporting structure.</p><p>“I didn’t know what it meant to be his boss and he didn’t know what it meant to work for me,” Ballmer explained. The former CEO, who had served as Gates’ lieutenant for two decades since joining Microsoft in 1980, found the role reversal particularly challenging.</p><p><strong>Why It Matters</strong>: The reconciliation came through intervention from their wives, who arranged an “awkward dinner at a health club” to repair the relationship. However, Ballmer acknowledged they “never really got the right mojo” afterward, with Gates maintaining significant influence over product direction.</p><p><strong>Latest Startup Investment Opportunities</strong>:</p><div><div><div><div><div><div><ul><li><div><div><p><span><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdnwp-s3.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06125138/IMG_5682-edited.jpeg/query-YXV0bz13ZWJwJmF1dG89d2VicCZkcHI9MSZkcHI9MiZvcHRpbWl6ZT1tZWRpdW0md2lkdGg9MTA4MD9vcHRpbWl6ZT1tZWRpdW0md2lkdGg9Mzg0MA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1000" height="563" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdnwp-s3.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/06125138/IMG_5682-edited.jpeg/query-YXV0bz13ZWJwJmF1dG89d2VicCZkcHI9MSZkcHI9MiZvcHRpbWl6ZT1tZWRpdW0md2lkdGg9MTA4MD9vcHRpbWl6ZT1tZWRpdW0md2lkdGg9Mzg0MA"/></span></p></div><div><div><p><span></span></p><div><div><div><p><span>Min. Investment</span><span>$1,000</span></p><p><span>Industry</span><span>AI</span></p></div></div></div>Get Offer <p></p></div></div></div></li><li><div><div><p><span><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdnwp-s3.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/12011752/Screenshot-2025-01-11-at-10.17.30%E2%80%AFPM.jpg/query-YXV0bz13ZWJwJmRwcj0yJm9wdGltaXplPW1lZGl1bSZ3aWR0aD0zODQw?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="7680" height="4130" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdnwp-s3.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/12011752/Screenshot-2025-01-11-at-10.17.30%E2%80%AFPM.jpg/query-YXV0bz13ZWJwJmRwcj0yJm9wdGltaXplPW1lZGl1bSZ3aWR0aD0zODQw"/></span></p></div><div><div><p><span></span></p><div><div><div><p><span>Min. Investment</span><span>$974</span></p><p><span>Industry</span><span>Tech</span></p></div></div></div>Get Offer <p></p></div></div></div></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div><p>During Ballmer’s 14-year tenure, Microsoft’s revenue tripled while the stock price remained relatively flat. Ballmer attributed this disconnect to his reluctance to engage with Wall Street analysts and his reputation as a heavy spender on strategic initiatives like <strong>Surface</strong> and <strong>Xbox</strong>.</p><p>The leadership tensions manifested in major strategic disagreements over hardware initiatives, mobile phones, and the <strong>HoloLens</strong> project. Ballmer has since maintained his Microsoft stake, with Forbes estimating his net worth grew from $20 billion to $130 billion since departing in 2014.</p><ul> <li><strong>Jeffrey Epstein’s $40 Million Bet On Peter Thiel’s Capital Firm Is Now Worth $170 Million: But His Victims Probably Won’t See A Dime</strong></li> </ul><p><em>Image Via Shutterstock</em></p></div></div></div>

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<p>Steve Ballmer revealed a year-long rift with Bill Gates during his transition to Microsoft CEO from 2000-2001, coinciding with antitrust issues and the dot-com crash. The conflict arose from unclear power dynamics as Gates shifted to Chief Software Architect. Their relationship was mended through intervention from their wives, but tensions persisted, affecting strategic decisions. Despite revenue growth during Ballmer's tenure, stock performance lagged due to his reluctance to engage with analysts and disagreements over initiatives like Surface and Xbox.</p>

- Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer revealed a year-long communication breakdown with co-founder Bill Gates during his transition to CEO from 2000 to 2001.  
- The rift was caused by unclear power dynamics as Gates shifted roles, leading to challenges in their new working relationship amid significant company pressures.  
- Reconciliation efforts were made through their wives, but Ballmer noted that the relationship never fully recovered, impacting strategic decisions during his tenure.  

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Steve Ballmer Says He 'Didn't Speak' To Bill Gates For A Year After Becoming Microsoft Chief: Reveals Power Struggle And Rift Over 'Real CEO' Role