Description:
The store you know. The story you don't.
When Steve Jobs hired Ron Johnson to create the Apple Store in 2000, conventional wisdom said that the internet would put stores out of business. By the time he left Apple in 2011, Johnson and his team had created the most respected and profitable retail stores in the world. And even then, skeptics were still predicting the death of physical retail.
In Shop Different, Johnson reveals how it happened: how he earned Jobs's trust, how they developed a vision for a store that would win not by selling but by serving, and how he convinced Jobs that the store's service philosophy should be rooted in something as intangible as love. Johnson then gives readers a new look at Apple's ascent to the most valuable company in the world; offers an inspiring vision for a future in which retailers win on connection, service, and experience; and shares an honest look at what leads to success--and what can follow.
Shop Different is not a traditional business book. It is an insider account of one of the most important retail successes of our time, a guide for anyone trying to lead through technological change, and, in the age of artificial intelligence, a profound reminder of what it means to be human.
Brief description:
Zander Nethercutt is a Chicago-based writer. Since 2016, he has written over fifty essays as a paid columnist for Medium. His most popular, "People Don't Buy Products, They Buy Better Versions of Themselves," has earned over a million views and been translated into multiple languages. His work has also been cited in dozens of academic papers on topics ranging from marketing to burnout.
Review Quotes:
"When Steve Jobs hired Ron Johnson, history had made its point: Computer stores fail. Yet the Apple Stores brought in $1 billion a year faster than any chain in history. In this beautifully written book, Ron explains why."-- David Pogue, author of Apple: The First 50 Years
"Ron's moving book is not simply about retail, but about care, intention, and building in a way that truly serves people. Apple's focus on human connection changed stores and how people relate to technology. Shop Different is about the relationships and sense of community that physical spaces can inspire."-- Laurene Powell, founder of Emerson Collective
"This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the decade that transformed Apple into the most admired and valuable company in the world."-- Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management
"Steve made the bold decision to open Apple's own retail stores, an idea many questioned. He searched for a young, creative merchant and hired Ron Johnson to lead the effort. This book tells the inside story of how that conviction, paired with disciplined execution, created the most successful retail model in the world. It's a thoughtful, personal, and engaging account of a pivotal chapter in Apple's history."-- Fred Anderson, former Apple CFO and board member
"In a world that often separates performance from purpose, Ron Johnson shows they are inseparable. Shop Different is a fascinating look inside the beginning of Apple Retail. It also shows how leading with love, kindness, and values is a powerful model for building teams, serving customers, and creating lasting impact."-- Pat Gelsinger, executive chair and head of technology at Gloo, general partner at Playground Global, and former CEO of Intel