Apple's forgotten co-founder made a choice that haunts corporate history.

Apple's forgotten co-founder made a choice that haunts corporate history. Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake for just $800 in 1976, a decision that would cost him $400 billion in potential value today. Wayne, recruited by Steve Jobs to help convince Wozniak to join the venture, held equal footing with the famous co-founders initially. However, he exited within 12 days, citing legitimate financial concerns about general partnership liability that could have threatened his personal assets if Apple failed. At the time, that risk seemed real. Today, with Apple valued near $4 trillion, Wayne's early exit represents one of the most consequential business decisions ever made. Yet remarkably, the now 91-year-old maintains he made the right call given the circumstances and risks he faced in 1976.