Robert Leff
Robert Leff
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| Leff, Robert | |
| Occupation | Founder Robwin Computing, Softsel |
Career
Robert Leff’s identified the need for a specialized middleman during the microcomputer boom, taking a $1,300 risk purchasing the software distribution from friend Ken Williams at Sierra On-Line, eventually turning it into Merisel, a multi-billion dollar global distribution company.
Early Career and the $1,300 Spark
In the late 1970s, Robert Leff was a data processing manager at United California Bank (and later Citicorp’s Transaction Technology). His entry into the business world began with a modest side hustle.
In 1980, Leff and Ken Williams agreed on a purchase whereby Leff would purchase the distribution business started as part of Williams' On-Line Systems. Williams wanted to focus on creating new games and was looking to shed the logistical burden of distributing them. Leff bought Williams' small distribution arm for just $1,300.
Initially named Robwin Computing (a portmanteau of Robert and his wife's name), Leff ran the business out of his house in the evenings. After grossing $5,000 in his first month, he realized the venture required full-time dedication and more capital.
The Partnership: Softsel is Born
Leff turned to his co-worker, David Wagman, with an offer. Wagman invested $10,000 to buy a 50% stake in the company. With this partnership, the company was officially renamed Softsel Computer Products.
Softsel's success came from acting as a "stocking distributor." They didn't just move boxes; they professionalized the market by:
- Testing Software: Leff and Wagman personally vetted 120–150 new programs a month to ensure they were user-friendly.
- The Softsel Hot List: They created a weekly ranking of best-selling software that became the "Billboard Chart" of the tech world, helping retailers know what to stock.
Key Software Partnerships (Early 1980s)
Softsel's success was built on close relationships with the leading publishers of the era. Softsel was the primary engine that put these companies' products into stores:
- Sierra On-Line: Early adventure games and the King's Quest series.
- Broderbund: Popular titles like Lode Runner and The Print Shop.
- Infocom: The Zork series and other text adventures.
- VisiCorp: VisiCalc (the first "killer app" spreadsheet).
- MicroPro: WordStar (the dominant word processor of the early 80s).
- Lotus Development: Lotus 1-2-3 (Softsel was instrumental in its massive 1983 launch).
- Ashton-Tate: dBASE, the standard for early PC databases.
Evolution into Merisel
By 1982, Softsel was generating $25 million annually. By 1983, that number jumped to $90 million. In 1990, Softsel merged with the hardware distributor Microamerica. The new entity was renamed Merisel to reflect its broader mission of distributing both hardware and software globally.
Leff served as Co-Chairman of Merisel as it grew into a $5 billion international corporation. He retired in the mid-1990s, having successfully navigated the industry from the "garage era" to the age of global enterprise.
