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When most people think of Bill Gates, they picture the bespectacled tech visionary who cofounded Microsoft, revolutionized personal computing and went on to dedicate his fortune to tackling some of the world's toughest problems. But the man behind the billions wasn't always known for his philanthropic heart. According to a 2021 article from Business Insider, Gates once had a reputation as an "office bully" during his early days at Microsoft.

Young Bill Gates was not the laid-back, sweater-wearing, vacation-taking man he is today. Former employees recall him as a fiery and demanding boss who didn't hold back his opinions – often loudly and colorfully.

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According to a 2015 article published by The Week, he would shout at employees and criticize ideas he didn't like with phrases such as "That's the stupidest f***ing idea I've ever heard." He would even patrol the parking lot, memorizing employees' license plates to keep tabs on their work hours.

In his 2012 memoir Idea Man, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen detailed his tumultuous relationship with Gates, including a claim that Gates attempted to dilute Allen's stake in the company while he was battling cancer. Allen wrote, "My sinking morale sapped my enthusiasm for my work, which in turn could precipitate Bill's next attack." The allegations paint a picture of the high-pressure environment at Microsoft during its rise to dominance. It's a sobering reminder that the tech industry in the 1980s and 1990s, while groundbreaking, wasn't exactly a bastion of kindness and empathy.

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But Gates today couldn't be more different from the "tyrannical genius" of those early Microsoft days. He's the first to admit just how much he's changed, though not in a way that suggests regret. Reflecting on his younger self, Gates quipped during a Village Global event in 2019, "My 20-year-old self is so disgusted with my current self." Far from apologetic, this comment highlights just how radically his lifestyle has shifted.

"It really is true that I didn't believe in weekends; I didn't believe in vacations," Gates said at the event. His relentless work ethic didn't allow for luxuries like downtime, but that all began to change when he entered his 30s and started dating Melinda French, his now ex-wife. As their relationship grew, Gates started to loosen up, carving out time for vacations and moments of rest.