Apple
In the 2010s Apple Retail was at its peak in setting an example for what tech retail and customer service could be. In particular the Genius Bar and Creative roles stood out as the gold standard for in-person tech support and adult technical education.
My Role
Technical Team Lead (Lead Genius)
Dec 2014 – Sept 2015
I was promoted to Lead Genius in December 2014 after exhibiting deep customer focus, excellent decision quality, interpersonal savvy, and the ability to motivate others — all while dealing with loads of ambiguity. While I originally positioned myself to pursue a more linear promotion to Lead Creative, a lack of open roles and my manager's trust that I could successfully learn on the fly led me down the Genius route.
- Mentored teams of 30+ Mac technicians, 30+ Mobile technicians, and 10+ adult educators.
- Led inspirational team meetings, informing members of goals vs. actual performance across weekly, monthly, and quarterly success metrics.
- Deescalated tense situations that arose between upset customers and technicians.
- Coordinated technician schedules, ensuring appropriate resource allocation between in-house machine repairs and appointment facilitation.
- Facilitated training onboarding for new Geniuses and mobile technicians across the North East market.
- Achieved Apple Mac Technician Certification.
- Oversaw the change management process during a significant transformation of Genius Bar workflows, ensuring the team adapted smoothly to the new model. 9to5Mac coverage →
Adult Education Specialist (Creative)
Nov 2011 – Dec 2014
I came to Apple retail directly into the Creative role — an uncommon path, as most employees worked through sales roles before being considered. I brought deep knowledge of Apple's consumer and professional software suite and perfected Lead Learning Out while in role.
- Facilitated thousands of one-on-one training sessions for diverse users, building confidence in their computer skills.
- Created custom curriculums for small business and enterprise cohorts switching to Apple products at work.
- Delivered educational outreach programs on behalf of Apple, instructing local students in the use of Apple technology.
- Mentored new instructors and sales associates, fostering a culture of continuous learning at Apple.
- Achieved Apple certification in Lead Learning Out, demonstrating expertise in adult training methodologies.