MARC BENIOFF

In school all I wanted to do was build technology. That's what I loved.

The world is being re-shaped by the convergence of social, mobile, cloud, big data, community and other powerful forces. The combination of these technologies unlocks an incredible opportunity to connect everything together in a new way and is dramatically transforming the way we live and work.

Learning how to interact with customers is something that anyone starting any business must master. It's an amazing opportunity to be able to learn the ropes at an established company and then employ your expertise at your own company.

Although I loved working on technology - I've always been a computer geek at heart - my professors encouraged me to get a real-world job working with customers.

You must always be able to predict what's next and then have the flexibility to evolve.

The future of communicating with customers rests in engaging with them through every possible channel: phone, e-mail, chat, Web, and social networks. Customers are discussing a company's products and brand in real time. Companies need to join the conversation.

The only constant in the technology industry is change.

I love software and I love technology.

In business, we say that people overestimate what you can do in a year and underestimate what you can do in a decade. This is true in philanthropy as well.

There are a lot of politicians who are just obstructionists.

My approach to politics is that I'm not a Democrat or a Republican. I'm an American and I always support candidates I think are great for the country.

You can do things in every part of the world. You can do things in every discipline. You can do large things, you can do small things. But it takes a while to figure out what you actually want to do. And it changes. As you change your interests and desires in philanthropy change, I think you have to be open to that change.

Presentation skills are key. People who work for you represent your brand. You want them to present themselves - and represent you - in a certain way.

I think the most surprising thing about giving is it takes a while to find out what you're really interested in and what you really want to do.

I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I started my own software company in high school and went to college to study entrepreneurship.

Journalists immediately think of me as a resource for a quote or comment because they know that I will be available to offer fresh insight and meet their deadlines.

Most of all, I discovered that in order to succeed with a product you must truly get to know your customers and build something for them.

I have failed a lot in my philanthropy, where I will make philanthropic contributions and they just won't be effective.

If someone asks me what cloud computing is, I try not to get bogged down with definitions. I tell them that, simply put, cloud computing is a better way to run your business.

I strongly believe the business of a business is to improve the world.

The best way that I can give my best advice is not to be encumbered with any job with any administration.

I mentor a lot of CEOs and entrepreneurs, and when I see that product is the number-one thing, the only thing that matters, that's a real red flag.

Businesses cannot be extricated or disintermediated from the communities they serve. Businesses who do that will do that at their own peril. They will draw fire. And companies who are integrated will be lauded by their communities and not draw fire.

Technology is a continuum. It's constantly getting lower-cost and easier to use, and you see that, and that's true with our company.

I think everybody understands how important the cloud is.