When Ron Johnson left Target in 2000 to join Apple as senior VP for retail, conventional wisdom held that a computer maker couldn’t sell computers. Johnson tossed out the retailing rule book and, working alongside Steve Jobs, built the Apple Store from scratch. In November 2011 Johnson took the reins as CEO of the venerable J.C. Penney department store where investors and the board hope he’ll work some of his magic. In this edited interview, HBR senior editor Gardiner Morse talked with Johnson about innovation, leadership, and when to trust your gut.
Retail Isn’t Broken. Stores Are
Reprint: R1112D
When Johnson joined Apple, in 2000, as the senior vice president for retail, conventional wisdom held that a computer maker couldn’t sell computers. Johnson promptly tossed out the retailing rule book and built the Apple Store from scratch. “The Apple Store succeeded not because we tweaked the traditional model,” Johnson says. “We reimagined everything.” Today, Apple stores are the highest performing stores in the history of retailing.
In November, Johnson took the reins as CEO of the venerable J.C. Penney department store. Times are tough for many retailers, but Johnson, characteristically, sees the chance to reinvent the department store as a great opportunity. He also understands the challenges ahead. “A store has got to be much more than a place to acquire merchandise,” he says. “It’s got to help people enrich their lives.”
In this edited interview, Johnson discusses his vision of the future of retail and shares insights about innovation, leadership, and why he trusts his gut.