The former CEO of eBay, who was in Long Beach Tuesday to campaign for governor in 2010, spoke about the company that went from 30 employees and about $4 million in revenue to more than 15,000 people and nearly $8 billion in revenue.
"I was not sure this job was for me," said Whitman, who was approached by the founder of eBay, who at 29 developed the coding for his company in a weekend. "You had to remember the Internet was such in its early stages."
However, Whitman - who would go on to serve as eBay's CEO from 1998 to 2008 - saw the potential for technology that could "change lives."
"What I saw was very powerful, in many ways a uniquely American concept," she told the nearly 400 people present at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce event at the Hyatt Regency. "What he had done was he had created a level playing field where your next door neighbor had equal chance of success to a large corporation. ...
"eBay provided the training tools, but it was inspired individuals who took up the training tools to create businesses in ways we never dreamed that they would."
She also talked about that moment when the company became more than a vehicle for selling collectibles, when one day in the miscellaneous category there were 300 used cars for sale. Now eBay's largest single category is used vehicles, Whitman said.
"And I promise you, a host of MBAs sitting in a conference room would never have dreamed of going from Beanie Babies to Beemers," she said.
For more about her visit, check out my story here.
"I was not sure this job was for me," said Whitman, who was approached by the founder of eBay, who at 29 developed the coding for his company in a weekend. "You had to remember the Internet was such in its early stages."
However, Whitman - who would go on to serve as eBay's CEO from 1998 to 2008 - saw the potential for technology that could "change lives."
"What I saw was very powerful, in many ways a uniquely American concept," she told the nearly 400 people present at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce event at the Hyatt Regency. "What he had done was he had created a level playing field where your next door neighbor had equal chance of success to a large corporation. ...
"eBay provided the training tools, but it was inspired individuals who took up the training tools to create businesses in ways we never dreamed that they would."
She also talked about that moment when the company became more than a vehicle for selling collectibles, when one day in the miscellaneous category there were 300 used cars for sale. Now eBay's largest single category is used vehicles, Whitman said.
"And I promise you, a host of MBAs sitting in a conference room would never have dreamed of going from Beanie Babies to Beemers," she said.
For more about her visit, check out my story here.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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