
The Nomad is a series of stories, fascinations, encounters, observations, experiences, joy of the moments by me, Ulrike Reinhard – all around my travels. Stay tuned!
Ulrike Reinhard is The Nomad 🙂
My next book – title still in the works – will weave in encounters with extraordinary people I met along the way. One of the most unforgettable? Steve Jobs.
It’s January 9, 2007.
The day Apple presented the i-Phone and changed communication
I was at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in the front row as an accredited journalist, waiting for Steve Jobs’ presentation. And I had an interview scheduled with him later that afternoon.
How I managed to land this, I still don’t know.
Two weeks before the event, I’d sent an email to the Apple PR team on a whim.
I never dreamed they’d say yes. But here I was – excited, nervous, utterly amazing.
Outside the venue, hundreds of people had camped overnight just to get in.
Thankfully, the media entrance was separate.
When the doors opened, 1,000 hundreds of journalists surged forward like a tsunami,
racing down the endless hallways, desperate to claim the best front-row seats.
I was just a few meters away when Steve Jobs took the stage.
He wore his signature washed-out Levi’s jeans and black turtleneck sweater.
A broad smile lit up his face – he knew exactly what was about to happen.
The energy in the room was electric, and he thrived on it.
This space was his playground, and he commanded it effortlessly.
Then, the BIG moment arrived.
“A phone, an iPod, and an internet communicator,” he announced.
“All in ONE device. We call it the iPhone!
The audience went wild. It was revolutionary, and we all knew it.
My interview with him was scheduled for late afternoon.
When I arrived, he was already there. We shook hands.
“You look exhausted!” I blurted out. “Maybe I should give you a break?”
I couldn’t believe I’d just said that. And yet, I kept going:
“I can only imagine the relief you must be feeling!”
(Though, truthfully, I couldn’t imagine it at all.)
He looked at me, clearly surprised, then laughed. “No interview?” he asked, amused.
“We can just have a cup of tea instead,” I replied. “No problem at all!”
“Okay,” he said with a smile. “Please, have a seat.”
We sat at a small table. He started talking about the day.
The meticulous preparations, the endless tension leading up to the event.
He spoke so casually, like an ordinary guy.
Not the genius who had just unveiled a device that would change the world.
I just listened, nodded, and let him talk.
It felt like he was releasing the weight of the day.
When my time was up, he leaned back, reached into his pocket, and handed me a card.
“Here’s my phone number,” he said. “When you’re in town again, call me.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I dialed the number right then and there.
His phone rang, and we both laughed. “Thank you,” he said simply.
I walked away with a grin, knowing I’d meet him again.
We never did an interview.
Instead, we shared something much better: a series of conversations about life, leadership, and passion.
So, in the end, it was an Encounter of the Human Kind 🙂