J.C. Penney CEO, Ron Johnson, has seen the movie before and he loves the way it ends. You know which movie we’re talking about—the one about the underdog who nobody believes in. In 2001, the protagonist was played by the Apple Store with Ron Johnson as its director....

Apple CEO Tim Cook was the first to appear on stage for the launch of the new iPhone on Wednesday, September 12, but he was far from the only person to speak. Eleven other individuals—Apple executives, partners, and developers—shared the stage in person or on video....

I had one of those ‘pinch-me’ moments thanks to a friend who invited me to dinner with Neil Armstrong who passed away at the age of 82. For three hours I sat across from Armstrong as he regaled us with stories of the first moon landing. Remember, Armstrong was one of...

When was the last time you shopped at Best Buy for the experience? If you’re like me you go to Best Buy for the selection of consumer electronics devices and reasonably low prices. The experience is the last thing on my mind. In fact, a trip to the giant electronics...

This week Apple became America’s most valuable company—ever. Remarkably, Apple is worth more than Microsoft and Google combined. As the author of several books on Steve Jobs as well as the Apple retail store, I’m often asked about applying Apple’s techniques to...

If you use a digital camera to capture, share, and enjoy your life’s most cherished memories, then you should thank SanDisk co-founder Eli Harari. Do you listen to music on an MP3 player? Store digital files to a USB drive? Take videos with your smartphone and upload...

Paul Ryan shares the same skill that propelled Barack Obama to the White House: public speaking. Whether you love Paul Ryan’s ideas or hate them, there’s no question one skill makes him hard to ignore—he’s an exceptional communicator. As a leader in any field you can...

If you want to unleash your creative potential, spend less time in the office and more time pursuing your passion even if your interest has nothing to do with your job. That’s the conclusion reached by neuroscientists, champions, and successful entrepreneurs. Although...

Intel co-founder Robert Noyce once said that optimism is “an essential ingredient of innovation. How else can the individual welcome change over security, adventure over staying in safe places?” Noyce and his partners started Intel in 1968, a year when the U.S economy...

Thanks to exceptional customer service, Apple Retail continues to be one of the most profitable stores on the planet. Apple’s 373 retail stores generated just over $4 billion in revenue for its fiscal third quarter ending June 30, 2012, a 17 percent increase over the...

You can learn a lot from a coffee shop, especially one like Funnel Mill, a popular location among the Hollywood elite. I love coffee shops—major chains like Starbucks and Peet’s— as well as smaller, unique, quirky places off the beaten path. I discovered one hundred...

If you can’t tell me what you do in 15 seconds, I’m not buying, I’m not investing, and I’m not interested. Few technologies are as complicated to explain as 4G LTE. Last year I worked with a group of leaders for the division of a global, publicly traded company who...

I interviewed Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s new chief executive, several years ago for one of my books. My research for Fire Them Up led me to discover the qualities that all inspiring leaders share. Inspiration simply means to “elicit a fervent enthusiasm.” In other words,...

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs demanded excellence from himself and others. He refused to sugarcoat his comments and he expected “fearless feedback” in return. Could you have gone toe-to-toe with Steve Jobs? If not, you probably won’t get hired at an Apple Store and...

The most inspiring and memorable presentations are marked by one moment that leaves people in awe. I call it the “wow moment”—the one part of the presentation that brings it all together. It’s the moment when a person thinks, “I want to business with that company” or...

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer used a refined PowerPoint technique in his presentation to introduce a new tablet called Surface. Many observers call it technically impressive because of a built in ‘kickstand’ so customers can prop it up to watch movies and a thin cover...

I enjoy meeting true innovators in any field. They are uncomfortable with the status quo and passionate about moving the world forward. Innovators also make for great interview subjects since their passion and enthusiasm is contagious. Any journalist will tell you—the...

In a city with the finest restaurants in the world, a hamburger joint stands out among them: The Shake Shack. Customers will stand in line for an hour or more to taste some of the best burgers in town. Famed New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer owns Shake Shack and...

Update:  Today POM launched an advertising campaign called You be the Judge," to "illuminate the facts" about the ruling. POM took out a full-page ad in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times to clarify what the administrative law judge said in his ruling about the...

“People don’t just want to buy personal computers anymore. They want to know what they can do with them and we’re going to show them exactly that.” With those words Steve Jobs launched the store that would revolutionize retail and introduce his products to millions of...