Bob,

Let me first say that i have been reading your emails for years and, although you sometimes make me second guess my life choices, i respect your perspective and think, for the most part, you are spot on. For years i have been wondering not only what i would write you but when the perfect time to do so would arise. Although there have been some moments when i wanted to immediately hit reply since the subject matter you were discussing made me either want to scream, laugh or just jump on the wagon, i have restrained because i wanted to really have something to say. Or maybe i wanted to have a great fucking record put together so you knew i wasn’t full of shit. Or maybe when i finally secured funding for my indie music ideas/endeavors i could talk about how artists now have to avoid 360 deals by becoming 360 degrees themselves… But nope it was a damn email about the apple store on 5th Ave that forces me to write you perhaps prematurely, but maybe not. You see I work at that store 5 days a week to pay my obnoxious New York City rent while i write, record and perform. Of course the damn weekend i leave for my cousins wedding is when fucking bob lefsetz was in my store and i missed him.

I have been working for Apple for a little over 2 years now, in fact i am part of the original team that opened the Fifth Ave store. I can honestly say that for a job that i thought was just to pay rent, it has changed the way i look at not only the future of the music industry and my decisions as an artist, but the way future business models and commerce will effect our world. Like Google, this company is changing the world and I see it everyday as I take appointments and consult New Yorkers, Europeans, parents, college kids, the list goes on and the people are flowing into the store as if they’re about to miss out on something if they don’t make it down the glass stairs fast enough. I am part of a new initiative that Apple is implementing in their retail stores; it’s called Personal Shopping. Essentially, as a potential new or old customer of Apple you can get online and make an appointment to have a private consultation with a personal shopping specialist that is waiting for you upon your arrival. I listen to their needs case by case and consult them on the best possible solution. i do not work on commission so my approach is real and honest- and best of all this service is FREE for the customer. Yes, you do have to give it away.

I have learned this along with the idea of REAL fans. Well over half of the hundreds of computers i have sold were sold because those people who know nothing about computers, except that their PC is SO SLOW NOW, were there to buy because their friends were telling them to. Their friends wouldn’t shut up about their Mac actually. They were sold the Mac before they even got to me. All i did is make sure they got the right one for what they want to do. Music is the same. Seth Godin was dead on. We listen to our friends. When you love something you force it on your friends. You make them listen and they have no choice because well, they’re your friends and frankly, with all the choices out there now, people trust their friends before a company.

regards,

jerry fuentes
www.myspace.com/jfjmusic
www.jfjmusic.com