Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently shared a memorable encounter with the late Steve Jobs that changed the trajectory of his career and Salesforce’s future. Speaking on Lenny’s Podcast, Benioff reflected on advice Jobs gave him during a period of “entrepreneur’s block” that eventually led to the creation of Salesforce’s AppExchange.

During their conversation, Jobs presented Benioff with three directives that were as challenging as they were transformative.

“Your company, it better get 10 times larger than it is now in 24 months or it’s over,” Jobs told him. Next, Jobs emphasised the need to land a major client, suggesting Avon. Finally, he delivered a cryptic mandate: “You better go build an application economy.”

Confused by the last instruction, Benioff asked for clarification. Jobs replied, “I don’t know, but you’re going to go figure it out.”

Benioff described the exchange as akin to receiving a Zen koan. “It was like meeting with your guru and getting a puzzle to solve,” he recalled.

Determined to act on Jobs’ advice, Benioff revisited his notes repeatedly until he deciphered the vision: creating an app store. In 2006, Salesforce launched AppExchange, a platform for apps and services that transformed the company’s ecosystem. Two years later, Apple introduced its App Store, revolutionising mobile technology.

Benioff later gifted Apple the App Store trademark and the appstore.com domain, recognising Jobs’ role in shaping his vision.

Reflecting on his relationship with Jobs, Benioff said, “I’m very grateful to have had that relationship. It dramatically influenced me in my career and my whole life.”