Geekwire
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How Tom Alberg bet on Amazon ... and Seattle
Posted
November 12, 2020
Views
3,515
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November 12, 2020
3,515
18
0.51%
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3:58Now PlayingIt was the mid 1990s, and Tom Alberg had a decision to make.
Jeff Bezos had arrived in Seattle and was looking for investors for his nascent virtual bookstore. Alberg, who had been a leader at telecom pioneer McCaw Cellular Communications, was already a devout technology enthusiast. But these were early days for the online world, back in the days of Netscape and AOL. Microsoft's internet browser was just being unveiled. Bricks and mortar still ruled the retail world.
"I didn't know a lot about the internet in '95," Alberg said, "but I knew some because of McCaw, and I did think it was a big deal."
He sent a copy of Bezos' business plan to his son, John Alberg, who was recently out of college and working as a software engineer on the East Coast. The younger Alberg recalled perusing it while on his train commute. He was impressed. The senior Alberg took the risk, investing in Amazon's seed round and joining the company's board.
"Tom saw something in Amazon before most people did. I think it was because he shared my vision that the internet was a disruptive force that could improve businesses and people's lives," Bezos wrote in a recent letter, reflecting on Alberg's decision to invest.
But Alberg didn't stop there.
Read the full story at geekwire.com.
By Lisa Stiffler, with video production by Kevin Lisota, and videography by Tiffany Grunzel.
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