Ex-Apple ad man Ken Segall talks Apple and simplicity [Podcast interview]

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Author Ken Segall worked in advertising with Steve Jobs for more than a dozen years. His new book is called Think Simple.
Author Ken Segall worked in advertising with Steve Jobs for more than a dozen years. His new book is called Think Simple.
Photo: Doug Schneider Photography

Ken Segall is a former Apple ad man who worked closely with Steve Jobs for more than a dozen years. Segall is the guy who put the “i” in iMac and worked on the famous “Think Different” campaign.

The big lesson he learned from Steve Jobs was keeping things simple. But easier said than done. How exactly do you keep things simple?

Segall went out and found 40 business folks who keep things straightforward. His new book based on those interviews is called Think Simple:How Smart Leaders Defeat Complexity.

In a new podcast, Kahney’s Korner, Segall talks about some of those lessons, how Steve Jobs kept things uncomplicated and about how Apple is doing these days without him.

This episode of Kahney’s Korner is supported by TunnelBear, an award-winning service that gives you fast and private access to the internet.


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Think Simple is Ken Segall's new book about keeping things uncomplicated.
Think Simple is Ken Segall’s new book about keeping things uncomplicated.
Photo: Portfolio/Penguin Publishing Group

Segall worked closely with Steve Jobs at NeXT and Apple, naming the iMac and working closely on the famous “Think Different” campaign, among many other things. Segall was always impressed how Jobs kept things uncomplicated, from Apple’s products to its advertising.

Segall worked his experience into a book about his career called Insanely Simple, which led to a very successful second career on the lecture circuit.

But while he was telling people how Steve Jobs kept things uncomplicated, they’d always say, ‘Well, that’s great, but what about me? How do I apply that to my company or my life?’

It’s a good question, so Segall went out and interviewed dozens of business leaders who have found ways to keep things simple. His book based on those interviews was launched earlier this week.

In this first episode of Kahney’s Korner, Segall talks about some of those lessons, about working with Steve Jobs and how Apple is more complicated these days.

About Kahney’s Korner

Kahney’s Korner is a new weekly podcast. Every week I’ll be interviewing a guest from the world of Apple. I’ve got some great guests lined up, including a bunch of ex-Apple staffers who will talk about their work and working with Steve Jobs. I’ve also got people like an iPhone case maker, who’ll spill the beans on the competitive and shadowy world of case making. Being first to market is worth millions of dollars and these guys do some crazy things to get the specs of Apple’s upcoming devices and get the jump on the competition. I’ll also talk to app makers, and IT guys, and recyclers — it’s a big Apple world out there, and there’s tons of great, fascinating stories to tell.

This week’s sponsor

Thanks to TunnelBear for supporting this episode of Kahney’s Korner. Go to GetTunnelBear.Com and create a FREE trial account. If you use that URL, TunnelBear will know we sent you.

Episode

Kahney’s Korner #1 – Apple ad man Ken Segall talks Apple and simplicity — Subscribe to Kahney’s Korner on iTunes or Google Play.
If you liked the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes — five stars helps a lot — and thumbs up in apps like Overcast.

See you next week.

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