The origin story of Apple is packed with garage-built computers, visionary ideas, and at least one petty argument over badge numbers. According to tech lore, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, once insisted on being labeled “Employee #0” after a disagreement about who should get the coveted “Employee #1” title. The story goes that Jobs, ever the perfectionist (and occasional diva), refused to settle for #2—so he invented a zero. Whether this is fact or Silicon Valley myth depends on who you ask, but it’s a tale that perfectly captures Jobs’ blend of genius and stubbornness.
The numbering drama allegedly unfolded in Apple’s early days. Co-founder Steve Wozniak, the engineering brains behind the Apple I, was designated Employee #1—a nod to his technical contributions. Jobs, the charismatic hustler who sold a Volkswagen van to fund their first batch of circuit boards, reportedly balked at being #2. In a move that’s equal parts petty and iconic, he supposedly demanded “Employee #0” to sidestep the hierarchy altogether. Some versions of the story claim he even had a badge made, though no physical evidence survives. Historians note that Apple’s early employee records were chaotic, so the truth may be lost to time—or to Jobs’ legendary reality distortion field.
While the badge feud isn’t explicitly confirmed in Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography of Jobs, former Apple employees have recounted versions of the story over the years. It fits Jobs’ personality: a man who once argued with a hospital to replace 67 iPads because their serial numbers weren’t sequential. The humor here lies in imagining Jobs, already plotting world domination, getting hung up on a digit. It’s like arguing over who gets the top bunk on the Titanic—except the Titanic, in this case, became a $3 trillion company.
Skeptics point out that Apple’s early payroll systems listed Jobs as Employee #2, with Wozniak as #1. But the “Employee #0” legend persists, partly because it’s too delicious to ignore. After all, Jobs was the guy who made black turtlenecks a CEO uniform and convinced people a computer needed a “soul.” Assigning himself a nonexistent employee number feels on-brand. It also underscores Silicon Valley’s obsession with founding myths—because what’s a tech giant without a quirky origin story involving petty drama?
The broader truth is that numbering schemes at startups are often arbitrary. Apple’s third employee, Mike Markkula (Employee #3), provided critical early funding and business savvy, while early engineer Rod Holt (Employee #5) designed the power supply for the Apple II. Jobs’ hypothetical #0 badge, if it existed, would’ve been less about hierarchy and more about his knack for mythmaking. In a way, it foreshadowed Apple’s future: a company that bends reality, one beautifully designed detail at a time.
So, did Steve Jobs really finagle a “#0” badge to avoid being #2? The answer is maybe, but probably not. Yet the story endures because it reflects a universal truth: even visionaries have insecurities. And if you’re going to be difficult about something, why not make it a trivia question for the ages? Just don’t try this at your next job. Most HR departments aren’t fans of employees inventing new numbers—unless you’re also inventing the iPhone.
