Apple's Core Dilemma: Should a New CEO Preserve or Evolve?

Apple has a new CEO. But should John Ternus try to change Apple — or protect what already works?

Chris Deaver, former Apple and Disney leader and co-founder of BraveCore, joins Aaron Wolpoff and Melissa Eaton to unpack one of the biggest questions facing Apple's next chapter: how do you evolve a company without losing the culture that made it great?

Chris brings an unusually close perspective to the conversation. He worked in leadership development at Apple and worked extensively with John Ternus over more than a decade as Ternus developed into the leader Apple ultimately chose to succeed Tim Cook.

The conversation explores why Steve Jobs and Tim Cook were so different, why that difference actually helped Apple, and why John Ternus doesn't need to become either one.

They discuss Apple's collaborative culture, the shift from "Think Different" to "Different Together," the company's approach to AI and privacy, the future of AR, the challenge of creating Apple's next major product category, and the pressure on a new CEO to deliver a "mic drop" moment.

Chris also explains why Apple's current transition is less about fixing a broken company and more about preemptively positioning a healthy company for its next phase.

In this episode:

Why Steve Jobs chose a fundamentally different successor in Tim Cook

What Apple actually needs from John Ternus

Why culture may be Apple's most important product

The shift from "Think Different" to "Different Together"

Why Apple promotes people based on principles, not just results