For people who haven’t delved into Jobs’ and Jagger’s backgrounds, the similarities between these legends in their respective industries are pretty striking. I introduced the parallels between them in a recent blog post .
You think of Steve Jobs and you automatically think of business innovation, right? You think of Mick Jagger and, of course, musical genius comes into play (that was an accidental pun, but I like it). Both, brilliant performers.
The funny thing is that they’re flip sides of the same coin. Or better: they’re mirror images of each other.
So how is Mick Jagger the mirror image…
So, first you need to know that I believe that everyone sells, all the time .
Think about it: Your kids are born salespeople. If you’ve ever had a teen negotiate past their curfew or a toddler wheedle their way to a toy you had no intention of purchasing when you walked into the store… You know I’m right.
The same goes for family pets who successfully got you throw them a treat, co-workers who ask for small favors and spouses who need “just one more thing done.” (And if my beloved wife is reading this, the answer is always…
I am a drummer. I feel the rhythm of the world around me in my soul. Everything has a rhythm, from train ride to sales conversation to business evolution.
When I arrived at Apple in 1988, I had one purpose in mind: to make enough money to record my album. What I never anticipated was spending the next 22 years as a member of one of the greatest bands in history, without ever making that record. Apple wasn’t a company; it was a band.
In a band, every member has a clear role.
The drummer has one job. They must keep everyone together, moving in the same direction, at…
The most ubiquitous representation today of Apple the company is, of course, the Apple Store. As Tim Cook told The Washington Post in 2013, “I’m not even sure ‘store’ is the right word anymore. They’ve taken on a role much broader than that. They are the face of Apple for almost all of our customers.”
Although some criticize the retail extension of Apple as no longer cutting-edge, as more and more retail outlets copy their practices, the Stores’ role in revolutionizing the industry is undisputed.
Others still would argue that great service isn’t new; it’s how things used to be…
But salesmen don’t become legends. Because, you know, sales.
In the same way that nobody pays much attention to what a great businessman Mick Jagger is, we didn’t “know” Jobs was a salesman. Jagger studied finance and accounting at the London School of Economics. He is a supremely savvy businessman who leads a highly profitable company, The Rolling Stones.
We prefer, instead, to focus on Mick’s music and stage presence. On the art.
Remember that old Vick’s NyQuil slogan? “The nighttime-sniffling-sneezing-coughing-aching-stuffy head-fever-so you can rest-medicine.”
Vick’s didn’t try to simplify their message so it could fit into a “cough suppressant” or “fever reducer” box. (No pun intended. Okay, slight pun intended.)
I can imagine the debates that must have ensued after Marketing proposed the tagline. “It’s too many words.” “Yeah, but NyQuil really does all those things. That’s what sets it apart.”
Those of us that lived through the ’80s can recite the slogan, complete with rhythm and inflection, verbatim. NyQuil’s tagline continued to be used into the ’00s with minimal tweaks.
I…
Last week, the Kilgore College Foundation announced a $3.5 million estate gift for its world-renowned Rangerettes. As Chief Development Officer at the school, I’m proud of the part I play in ongoing philanthropic opportunities that support student success at KC-but that’s not what this article is about.
The endowment is one of the largest gifts in the school’s history. It will provide scholarships for future generations of young ladies who have earned the lauded title of “Rangerette” and meet certain academic criteria. The gift also provides scholarships for Rangerette managers, a support team also made up of KC students. …
Can we please get over Tim not being Steve?
The thrill is gone… It’s hard not to feel a little nostalgic for the old Apple. Steve Job’s untimely passing seemed the end of an era. And no, Tim Cook, Apple’s current CEO, is not Jobs, his predecessor.
(Am I the only one who thinks that it would be weird if Tim were some sort of Steve clone, like a Stepford executive? I could riff here on Stepford-like executives I’ve met over my 20+ years at Apple and years since in education, but… I digress.)
Chuck Jones agrees with me in his article, “Apple’s Tim Cook Does Not Get The…
Yes, Apple has a sales team.
Once people know that I was at Apple for 22 years, they’re fascinated. Everyone wants the inside scoop on the most creative company in the world. And I’ll be honest: Half the time, they don’t want to believe the true secrets behind Apple’s success. (It’s a big part of what compelled me to share those secrets in my book Live from Cupertino, coming out later this month).
Case in point: “Apple products sell themselves.”
The number one fact that shocks people about Apple, over and over, is that they have a sales department. …
I was tempted to write something about the recent Apple keynote address; how could I not be? In fact, I tuned in, assuming I’d get some blog fodder out of it, but mostly what I got was the sinking realization that, well… the Apple keynotes just aren’t the same as they used to be.
I know, I know; it sounds like I’m romanticizing the Steve Jobs era. But here’s the thing: When I was at Apple, it really felt like being part of the world’s greatest rock and roll band. Now, Apple has lost their Mick Jagger, their Freddie Mercury…
