39:13
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, business, wine, buying, apple, brian, talk, sell, iphone, started, awesome, passionate, passion, ebay, apple products, tedx talk, grew, mac, early, products
SPEAKERS
Damon Pistulka, Brian burke
Damon Pistulka 00:04
All right, everyone. I just took a drink of water. Sorry about that. Welcome once again to the faces of business. I’m your host, Damon Pistulka. And I am so jack. Excuse me. With me today, I’ve got Brian Burke from sell your Mac. Brian, welcome.
Brian burke 00:22
Hey, thanks for having me, Damon. Glad to be here and represent Brian the Mac man, talk to your audience and hopefully share some stories and good tidbits they can learn from.
Damon Pistulka 00:31
I think it’s gonna be awesome, dude. You know, like we said, when we were talking before this, I’ve heard you on with with IRA Bowman and Joseph Steph key before and it was just a hoot watching you guys and and then as we started talking about having you on here, because of your business and what you’re doing and stuff like that I then I realized a lot other cool stuff that maybe even want to talk with you more which is, which is just awesome.
And I think it shows two things. It’s the power of LinkedIn and the networking and how that can really allow you to meet interesting and quite honestly, just cool and fun people. And and then how as we’re going to talk about today, how enter entrepreneurship can really empower you to make positive change in the world.
Brian burke 01:23
And my biggest goals, I always want to give back as I’ve been growing this company, so I’ve been hanging out Max, you know, from the beginning just couldn’t do quite as much back then. And been fortunate to grow it over time. Yeah, now we’re given that max very frequently.
Damon Pistulka 01:37
Yeah, that’s just it’s friggin awesome. So So first of all, let’s let’s back up a wage. And let’s talk about your background. Because how the heck do you get into a business where you’re going to be buying and selling Mac products?
Brian burke 01:55
Well, I wasn’t born of entrepreneurial blood by develop that pretty early. You know, I was doing sales on the sidewalk by age 10. And doing a lot of arbitrage sales in high school, I always had a knack for that love stock trading, been buying selling tech stocks. Since I was a teenager. And in college, I started buying a lot of my friends cell phones, everyone was too lazy to sell them on their own when they’re upgrading. And I had a lot of experience doing eBay. So I use that as my channel.
And I was going around the frats and sororities that I knew Yeah, like in their phones on a monthly basis. And I made a little business out of it to make some side income during college. Yeah. So college, I just basically start an eBay company buying Apple products and technology, cell phones, everything. And I quickly kind of pivoted to focus on Apple. That’s my true passion. So yeah, I’ve been doing all Apple’s since about 2008 when the iPhone launched.
Damon Pistulka 02:55
Wow. So so I didn’t even realize this until we started talking. So you’ve been on eBay a long time? Is that one of your main sales channels right now.
Brian burke 03:06
It still is unbelievable. We’re able to sell so many Apple products on eBay.
Damon Pistulka 03:12
That’s freaking awesome, dude. Because I this is this is why I love having these conversations. Because you know, a lot of my work is in e commerce. And obviously eBay Is that too. And it’s just interesting how it intertwines with so many businesses. So when you’re when you’re doing this, so you started out, let’s back up first of all, because you’re said, you said in high school, you’re doing arbitrage. So what were you buying and reselling and high school, I always think of that, that’s kind of a lot
Brian burke 03:37
of car parts. And I A lot of times I didn’t touch on, I would buy them online and just blind ship them to someone on the forum. And I’d sell them to
Damon Pistulka 03:46
really, because I that’s, that’s it’s so interesting, because you know, I’m a bit older than you. And those kind of opportunities. Were not really there for us at that at my age. And it’s interesting, my son’s got friends, my friends got my son’s got friends that he was a big car buff in high school. And he would do the same thing. He would buy car parts that he knew or for certain kinds of Subarus, and he would buy him, refurbish them and resell them. And he he paid for a lot of his college doing that my full healthy business there. Yeah, yeah. So it’s interesting.
Brian burke 04:24
Well, now I want to tell people as you got to be passionate about it, you know, I loved Audi cars at the time. So that’s why I picked it and I knew about it. And the reason I’ve been you know, done well and successful my current business is I’m so passionate about Apple, that I’m learning and reading about it every day so I can be able to be knowledgeable about it and you know, learn learn why I should be doing certain things or not.
Damon Pistulka 04:46
Yeah, yeah. Because for people that don’t know, I mean, you you’ve sold a you’ve bought over $44 million worth of Apple products and you’re in the top 1% in your industry of Apple product resellers. Correct
Brian burke 04:59
Yeah, definitely are definitely one of the top in the world. Yeah, you know, we’re certainly a number one when it comes to service and support. If you look at their ratings, we do ranked number one in the world, you know, so we’d say that we’re the most trusted Apple trading partner.
Damon Pistulka 05:16
Awesome, dude. That’s great. And you know, like you said, it’s my team for that. It’s your Mac. Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely your it’s not a one person, one person deal. But oh, start it starts with your passion about when you look at what you were doing back early in your, you said from age 10 on doing that, and learning it. And then ultimately, as you were in college, seeing that opportunity, and then just developing it further as you got out. That’s so cool. Because
Brian burke 05:46
I actually I wanted to get a job. And I graduated college in finance. And I was on trying to get a job on wall street for about a month and didn’t get what I was looking for. So I just came home and started my eBay business. So I kind of fell into it.
Damon Pistulka 05:58
Wow. Wow. And so that was what what year was that? 2006. So that that’s like, I’m thinking back in time in time. That’s early ecommerce kind of a time frame, though, really, because eBay was one of the early ones obviously be they’ve been around for a little while. But
Brian burke 06:19
yeah, not everyone knew about econ. Yeah, back then. No, no one was running Shopify stores. And well, yeah.
Damon Pistulka 06:25
Yeah. Yeah. Shopify was a was a dream to be at that point. But that’s
Brian burke 06:31
competition. There weren’t many Apple trading sites. You know, we were one of the very few out there that were trusted at the time.
Damon Pistulka 06:36
Yeah. Wow. That’s cool. So what have you seen? I mean, so this kind of just kind of changes things a little bit. And we’ll talk about this part of your business a little bit later, because I do want to talk about some of the other stuff that you do. And it’s cool to hear your background and and where we’re at today with your business. But let’s talk a little bit about some some of your your hobbies. You’re a wine Somali A. So tell me what it takes. I
Brian burke 07:02
love wine. All right. I’ve been passionate about wind my whole life and decided I should learn more and get a certification. I guess you could say yeah, I’m a level one Somali a and the quartermaster Somalis. So basically, you need to learn a lot about it. And you could take it Yes. They get the test, you know, once a month in a different state. So I waited till it came to Cincinnati and I studied for about three months, and I passed the test. Wow, it’s pretty funny. I didn’t room of all these people, you know, from these super fine dining restaurants? And yeah, no mean like, why are you here? You’re the computer guy. Yeah, cuz I like it.
Damon Pistulka 07:42
So what did that teach you about wine studying for that, that you’d never really understood before? That because you liked wine before that, obviously. But what do you think things that they taught you?
Brian burke 07:56
I think a lot of it’s using the right words to describe it. And it helps with the enjoyment of it, when you can run through your head and really think about the wine at a deeper level, you know, the different characteristics of it and stuff like that, and you actually can remember it better. So when you go to look for wine in the future, you can speak to it, you know, you’re at a restaurant or at a wine store, you can tell them exactly what you’re looking for. For any certain type of line. That’s I find that very helpful, because most of those people are extremely knowledgeable as well. And they can give you good feedback on something that you also enjoy.
Damon Pistulka 08:28
Yeah, yeah, cuz I mean, I enjoy wine. But I could not explain why I enjoy it. And I think that’s a that’s a really cool thing that you learned is Yeah, how to explain specifically why you enjoy this particular wine.
Brian burke 08:45
So a good tip for you then one of my friends on LinkedIn, Nicholas, he launched a business called the palette club, and you can blind taste his wines. And from there, you rate them on his app. And the rhythm will tell you what wines you’ll enjoy. And if you don’t like the wines, they’re they’re simply free. Oh, I guarantee you like the wine.
Damon Pistulka 09:09
So what’s Nicholas’s last name? So I can write that down.
Brian burke 09:12
It’s really hard to say I’m happy to send it to you. And then I gotta
09:15
- There we go. Yeah, so I have to
Damon Pistulka 09:20
say, I understand hard to say with Pistulka. As a last name, it’s been mispronounced a few times. So let’s say your name either. Yeah. So that’s awesome. Yeah, exactly. They actually do. They do so the that’s that’s awesome, though, because I never thought about that as as part of what you would learn going through that process. Because you know, even my wife and I talking about wines, she talks about them and and I kind of understand but I really don’t understand, but I know what I like.
Brian burke 09:50
So I mean, you’re in the same camp as most people. I think that person just says you know, I really enjoy wine that’s fruity and red or you know, dry dry rosae and Yeah, but once you can just drive a deeper, you’ll find more enjoyment out of it too. And it really helps at dinner parties. Oh, no doubt. Yeah. Wine dinner party. It’s fun to be a little knowledgeable and give a little history.
Damon Pistulka 10:12
Exactly. That’s awesome. That’s awesome. Well, that’s that was kind of a side note, because I saw that I was like, what’s it take to do it? And what do you really learn from it? But that’s, that’s interesting to know. And I’m sure a lot of people appreciate understanding that because it is it is a hobby for a lot of people. And, and a passion. I mean, we we do we’re, I’m fortunate living in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve got the Willamette Valley, and we’ve got that
Brian burke 10:39
they’re moving out of Oregon winds up there in the Washington lines.
Damon Pistulka 10:44
Yep. And, you know, we we go to Walla Walla, once in a while and go down. And I’ve actually had clients that were winemakers. So so it’s a, it’s close to what I do, obviously,
Brian burke 10:53
have you had k k serraj. From Walla Walla? Yes, I have. So good.
Damon Pistulka 11:00
Yeah. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. So there
Brian burke 11:05
there, I know, you want to get into some of the charitable stuff I’m doing later. And I also want to mention, I do do charitable wine tastings. There we go. I started a business called party song. So I can help people, you know, pair wines for their dinner parties and their events. But I’m also very passionate about doing some of these charitable events now, and fortunately, none during COVID. But that did a few and you can raise a lot of money and have a lot of fun.
Damon Pistulka 11:29
Oh, yeah. So that’s awesome. So so people want to talk to talk to you about terrible wine tasting in the Cincinnati area. That’s that we just need to make sure to bring that up here so they can talk to you. There you go. Wine Tasting still. There you go. You can do that virtually. Oh, yeah, I know that. You can do it just easily that way too. I have a glass of wine right now. You know?
Yeah. Yeah, we could. Yeah. Awesome. So that’s, that’s great to know. And when we were talking about this, and I was researching more, you did a TEDx talk earlier this year. Correct? Yep, it was the end of last year down in Atlanta, the end of last year you did it. So tell me a little bit about the TEDx process and why you wanted to do a talk, a TEDx talk.
Brian burke 12:20
All the process was I absolutely love TED Talks my entire life. So I’ve been very intrigued by the knowledge that these people share. And I actually made it a goal of mine to do a TEDx talk at the beginning of the year. And I thought the best topic would be around gifting Apple computers. So I kind of put the vibe out there to some people I knew. And through some connections, I was able to get an opportunity to audition for a couple of different cities.
The Cincinnati one I did not get selected for but I made it Yeah, the Atlanta one. So that was super cool. And man, the amount of prep I did before TEDx talk. It was the most nerve wracking experience of my entire life. Really, I did no prep to talk to you today. I can go on any podcast and yeah, have have at it. But this TED talk was another level.
So you have practice for weeks, and, you know, delivered a very passionate talk on stage down there, to a very small audience due to COVID. Yeah, but it was really fun, I would definitely do it again. And I want to get my message out there to the world. I felt that the TED platform really legitimised it, because it is so hard to be a TED or TEDx speaker. Yeah, that that would you know, then allow me to share that with people that would, you know, respect what I was doing? And you know, see it as a real thing.
Damon Pistulka 13:45
Yeah. Yeah. So so I don’t I didn’t write down the number of views. But if I remember, right, you got a fair amount of views on it. So So hopefully, that that, at least on YouTube anyway,
Brian burke 13:56
started starting to spread the message on there. Yeah, I can get more views in a LinkedIn post, though.
Damon Pistulka 14:01
Yeah. Well, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s kind of the way it is, but So, you’ve you, your gift gifting computers, I think this is a cool way that and if people haven’t listened to your TED Talks, go on YouTube. Look up, Brian Burke, TEDx, and you will listen, you’ll hear what I’m saying. very passionate, and I’m going to probably choke up this talk, I was shouting with passion, that thing I mean, you were you were and I know if there’s if there’s one thing, the two things
Brian burke 14:36
we do to give Max, you either can send max directly to us, and we’ll give them and or you can just use our promo code, trading for a purpose. And we’ll add $20 to the pool of funds we use to get max. That’s a really easy way that you can trade in your Mac and get paid and do it all at the same time. And I call it trading for purpose. So
Damon Pistulka 14:55
So if people wanted to just send their back to you to gifts, they can do that. And then if they want to donate, they can do that. And you’ve got it set up online. So you can do that really easy. For everybody, I’m gonna make sure everybody’s cool. So go to sell your back comm donate your Mac products, your Apple products, your old iPhones that that’s still you know all Lavelle, you want to give it away, then do to sell your Mac calm.
And there’s an easy way to donate your products there. And it will be given to someone that can use them. Because listen to your listening to your TED Talk. And this is where it really is gonna hit me, but I’ll try to get through it. You take these products and you give them to kids that are underserved kids that need these probably don’t have a computer probably don’t think they’re going to get a computer.
And that’s their free advice. Yeah. That’s, I mean, that’s so cool. Because when we’re sitting here today, you and I are talking, we’ve got wonderful computer products around us and we’re we’re blessed, blessed. There’s a lot of kids in art. And there’s a lot of families that aren’t in those are the kinds of people that that by what you’re doing that piece of technology that device is, is something that can make the difference, it can literally make the difference to open the internet, that’s the
Brian burke 16:17
story that one that one device to change the world. You never know what someone’s gonna do with it. They can, you know, future robotics, you know, astronaut launching these people the to the stars, you know, they could be creating a new company, you know, being LinkedIn influencer, you know, you don’t know until you have the products to help you get there. Yeah,
Damon Pistulka 16:35
yeah, I just it just, it gets me man. Because this is this is really literally something that opens a world up to them. And it might give them that spark to think I can do what ever I want to do because they can they can and and give them those opportunities and putting that in their hands to does that see a lot of these kids really do need that spark to
Brian burke 16:59
get ignited. You know, one of the charities that I’m on the board of called adopt the class here in Cincinnati, we talk about giving these kids the spark to ignite them. And it’s showing them different ways of business. It’s like a group business mentoring we do with students, and a lot of times they don’t even understand that you can have all these different careers, they don’t see it, they see what’s going on in their neighborhood, which isn’t good. Yeah. And you know, they think the next thing to do is to be a drug dealer or an NBA star. And, you know, unfortunately, neither one’s going to work.
Damon Pistulka 17:27
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that’s, that’s awesome. Well, I just wanted to say a quick shout out Sam Gupta. Hey, Sam, how’s it going today, Sam, glad that you’re on today and appreciate listening. If anyone else is listening to that wants to drop their their where they’re listening from in the comments, drop something for Brian, give us a shout out or, or just go right to sell your Mac calm, and shift them your Apple products, so he can give it away, you’re going to listen to more about how he’s giving these away and making a difference in kids lives.
We want to make sure that we get that out to as many people as we can. Because, dude, it is cool as hell, I’m just gonna say it. I’m gonna use kind of bad language in it, but I’m good. But it is. It is cool what you’re doing because it I can’t tell you, man.
Because I think about myself and I didn’t grow up in a horrible environment. And nearly I was blessed in a lot of ways. I didn’t have a family. I grew up on a farm in the Midwest, and my family did not know much about business. They knew about farming, right? And I look at that in my career and how much people are different that grew up in business and then went into business, comparatively having that early influence of it. For these kids, and having that technology early is so critical. Because if you look at the if
Brian burke 18:47
they can’t miss a minute, it’s too late. Kind of Yeah. Yeah. Because you’re getting it in their hands early enough.
Damon Pistulka 18:53
Yeah. Cuz if you’re if you’re too old, I mean, because I look at my nephews and stuff that are, you know, they’re 1012 years old, and they’ve had they’ve had an iPad in their hand forever. You know, they know tax paid for Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they know, technology, they know how to get on the internet, finding the YouTube videos or learning about stuff online, and what they can do, Bill, you know, just from a simple standpoint of of a kid being able to do one of those on YouTube and Google, yeah, just you just research stuff for the whole project. It’s a man it’s phenomenal. So
Brian burke 19:33
I mean, I love hearing the stories about you know, these kids and how they’re putting the use and and just just hearing how some of these people couldn’t had to go to the library have read a paper before and stuff like that. And how, how trying that is on them. You You can’t do as good of a work because it’s almost too much effort to you know, spend enough time there. Yeah, so I guess it really is a tool. So I’ll Pop and Lock now there as
Damon Pistulka 19:55
well. Yeah, you’re right, because I never even really thought about that aspect of it though, too. Because now it’s They don’t have the device, they still need to write the papers. They still have to go to the library to do it or or stay after school and do it there. So it’s in the Midwest or northeast, and it’s snowing, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen.
Well, Midwest, South Dakota, South Dakota. Yeah, yeah. So I was blessed. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah, I grew up with some people think people think they grew up in the country. I grew up 60 miles from the nearest Walmart. So that’s that’s how far in the country I will Oh, there you go. Yeah. But it’s but there’s there’s a lot of things that were good about it too. And, but we learned
Brian burke 20:40
hard work, right, growing up on a farm. I mean, there’s no slide off. It’s every day at 4am. Right.
Damon Pistulka 20:45
Now, not that early. But it but it was good. And that standpoint, it was it was good. And there are a lot of different things. So what what, even in business a while now, you know, you got 12 years, 13 years now with your business close to 14? What? What really have you learned over time to spend kind of this consistent thing through business, it’s like, if I focus on this, it will, it will drive success in the long run.
Brian burke 21:16
For me, it’s passion and perseverance. You know, there’s been so many times that I have hit a wall mentally or physically. If I wasn’t passionate, it’d be so hard to push through. And having that perseverance to fight in the worst of times. Yeah, when you think you’re going to go bankrupt, or you have a huge legal issue or some employee burns you.
I mean, there’s this big crazy times, and we we got hit with a quarter million dollar fraud one time, and I had a while back with, you know, no money. That’s, it was the first three, four years of my business. I was everything that I made, and I lost it all overnight. Yeah. And I didn’t have the passion. I mean, I probably would have folded, you know, obviously, I have, you know, friends and family help, you know, rally behind me that, you know, keep me going.
But it’s that it’s that mindset that, you know, keeps you top of your game every day. Yeah, but you kind of work around the clock. I, I don’t work quite the hours I used to anymore, but I used to be 14 to 16 hour days. And six, seven years. And that is hard work. There’s the key to success it Yeah, there isn’t, you know, these one hour, people say that you can work, you know, four hour weeks. I mean, yeah, there’s businesses, it’s possible to do that. But that’s not normal. So it’s, it’s a grind. And if you don’t have the battery in you to keep it going, probably going to fail ultimately. So that’s how we’ve been able to stay around so long.
Damon Pistulka 22:55
That’s awesome. Because you hit two things. It was not rehearsed, passionate. Perseverance, I talk about those two things a lot in my posts. And in my own life. I think that because it is, when you look about it, I always think that if you’re going to do something, as an entrepreneur, you better be passionate, because it’s gonna, like you said, it’s gonna take a grind, it’s going to take you getting out of bed when you feel like there’s no damn way I want to get out of or not going to bed. We’re not going to be there you go.
Yeah, because I got to get this done. And it’s got to persevere when you’re getting kicked in the teeth, like you talked about it. And because you know what you’re doing is right. And he know what you’re doing is, is your calling and what you should be doing. And, exactly. I think that is great advice. And I hope people listen and take that in deep because I have so many times we see people that I’m going to go out and be an entrepreneur or in in our culture now allow for everyone. If you’re
23:57
no, it’s not don’t have the don’t have the bandwidth. It’s not going to be good. And then No, not at all. Not at all.
Damon Pistulka 24:06
That I’m glad you said that, because it’s not for everyone. And even when we you know, we see some startup companies and we sell their people. And if you look about the angel community where they’re getting funded by investors or VC backed firms, and I do get to talk to a fair amount of those people, and some of those people drastically under estimate the effort is going to be even with money. And that’s the thing, is it harder and you have the money then now you got to make it happen.
Yeah, exactly. It’s not like bootstrapping, you bootstrap your company, I’m sure and when you’re bootstrapping, as you’re on it, but when you when you add an investor’s money into it, you add another level of complexity because you’re they’re, they’re essentially writing on you to make sure that you know, to to hopefully grow their investment and it adds to the pressure of that so yeah,
Brian burke 24:57
I’ve got I have no outside investors, but my Yeah, even my board of advisors helps push me. But yeah, definitely in the internal drive is what’s needed.
Damon Pistulka 25:07
Yeah, that’s, that’s for sure. And that’s good. So when you see the Apple products now this is so so have you been in 2008? What was the cool Apple product in 2008?
Brian burke 25:18
The iPhone iPhone one and just launched? Right? Oh, right over here. Yeah.
Damon Pistulka 25:25
So the iPhone one. I mean Wow. Now the the iPhone one’s hard to believe that was 12 years ago. I know I because I I actually use I actually, I use the iPhone as an example in I do talks on the changing demographics of buyers in manufacturing because the the fallacy by many manufacturing executives, people that got the gray hair like I do, they think that, you know, they need their salespeople out on the road and selling like that and now to meeting people. But one of the things that allowed them forget is that the buyers today grew up with that iPhone in their hand.
And they don’t want to do like the buyers of my day when I was when I was selling and out in the field doing that where you did they couldn’t find you. You had to call them and try to solve their problems that way and go meet with them. Now the only one? Yeah, exactly what yeah, that’s even that’s even weirder, right? That’s that’s still I text for business to me is still in shows my age is still kind of like look, I do it. But but the the minefield everyone
Brian burke 26:40
wants to WhatsApp and I don’t really WhatsApp. But yeah, it seems like I haven’t gone that direction in the IT business.
Damon Pistulka 26:48
You’re right, you’re right. And that it’s just, there’s a lot of other things. And and that is what I think we really as, as humans need to understand is when you’re talking about from in 2008. That person today, if if they were 16 years old is 30 years old now are close to it. That person is a decision maker in a lot of companies.
Now. They’re not the entry level person anymore. They’re they’re their decision makers. And that person is, as you mentioned, they’re used to the iPhone, they’re used to information at their thing at their fingertips, and being able to move much farther down the buying process than the generation before where there used to be more of the but the sellers come to them. Not they go to the sellers. And it’s amazing how that iPhone, I think
Brian burke 27:42
it’s helped kind of push everyone in that direction. Yeah, it really has you kind of had to pivot or pivot or fail.
Damon Pistulka 27:49
Yeah, yeah. And and you know, you starting off in eBay, like you did you bypass that, for the vast majority of what you do, because it’s, you know, the ecommerce platform and starting at early and the type of products you sell. That’s, that’s a great way to do that. So
Brian burke 28:08
it’s crazy. We’re still on eBay still working. But we have our own store now, too. We, we also sell them renewed Mac’s calm. Okay,
Damon Pistulka 28:15
that’s awesome, then, because it is that’s one of the things that we see in a lot of e commerce clients is kind of their maturation journey, is they’ll start out on a platform, they can be on Amazon or Walmart or wherever they’re wherever it is. It’s there’s so many platforms now. But they eventually when you can move back to your own website, and control a portion of your own loyal customer that will start to drive that brand recognition, that brand loyalty and you can build that community. That’s where you can, you know, those are more valuable for the long run for you. The other ones are great, they’re great. I like to bring the customer
Brian burke 28:52
experience as much as we can say,
Damon Pistulka 28:54
Yeah, Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So that’s cool that you’re doing that. And so, now we’re moving into a so where do you think we’re sitting here? Now? I’ve got What the What’s this? It’s an 11 something with the three cameras on it. But uh, oh, yeah, there you go. So so what what do you think is 11? I mean, what are you doing? Damon? We got to get you on the 12 Yeah, I will. I don’t care. I mean, mine does but I upgraded from Android. I told you this when we got on man, I was an Android. I think you’re fine.
Keep the 11 You’re good. Yeah. See, this is my first step into it. So but I honestly I but honestly, I came from more of an IT techie background and a lot of the stuff that we had to do and some apps were not actually available on the apple. When I when I was back and doing a lot of that stuff. And I just stayed with the Android But really, the reason I switched to Apple is because my parents, I wanted a video call with my parents during khoja.
They couldn’t figure it out. So Much easier on an iPhone. Exactly. So I so I just I basically threw my android in the drawer went and bought an iPhone. And now we’re, you know, FaceTime and all my mom’s tablet and an iPad and away we go. And that’s what I think if Apple has done one thing, right? They make the connectivity so much easier.
Brian burke 30:22
It’s easy for everyone to use. I mean, the little kids, the grandparents, doesn’t matter. I mean, I don’t think I can get my kid to Android phone and tell them how to call someone. I can give my two year old an iPad and she can she can call her grandpa. Good boy, you’re you’re correct. It’s pretty. It’s pretty fun to watch.
Damon Pistulka 30:39
Yeah, yeah. So what do you think is been one of the coolest things that you buy? By being so close to that technology? What do you think one of the coolest things is about what you do? What am I enjoying work most about the Apple products? Yeah, you’re quite Yeah, just being that close to that technology all the time and seeing it, what I think
Brian burke 31:00
for me is being able to use it. I mean, I am on my phone all the time. So I’m also taking photos all the time, I love photos of my family, food, wine, whatever it is, and be able to capture all those memories on the latest devices is really important to me. It’s you know, I’m very fortunate that I can upgrade, you know, every product cycle, because that’s part of my business. Yeah. But by staying on that forefront of the technology, my devices are, you know, as fast as possible. And also, you know, taking the best photos, which I care more about than almost anything else. Yeah, that’s always been fun for me got 80,000 photos on my phone, I think
Damon Pistulka 31:40
it’s so funny, you’re talking about that, because my wife and I were talking about it last night. And she goes, Well, you’ve only got I don’t know, I don’t even know what the number was that I’ve got on mine. And she’s in the 1000s. You know, so I think that is one of the things that’s really cool. I’m just looking at pictures that I do I take what I think is a lot of pictures. And people look at me, because they think I’m funny.
But I started on Google Maps many years ago taking pictures of places that I’m at and uploading them on Google Map. And for whatever reason one is, yeah, it is. And I’ve got like 20 plus million views on my photos on Google Maps, which a lot or not, but but it just keeps building over time. And I could do a kind of like fun. So I do take a lot of pictures. But not I guess not reviews. How you doing? Well. Yeah, I do Google reviews, but I just like but on Google, you can just upload pictures to just geotag right. Everything’s geo tagged, or you know, just a little bit you put it in where you’re at. And sure. It’s really Google knows where you are. Yeah. All the time.
And people talk about turn that stuff off. And like even though doesn’t do me any good. So like it matters. Yeah, yeah. So we got a I had to look at my other thing, but Derek is on here. Thanks, Derek for for weighing in here. Thanks so much for that appreciate your your your feedback and for saying it’s awesome. Yeah, yeah. Thanks so much. But yeah, I think that the the iPhone when you think about what it did, to bring in, just as you said, the camera into your hand, the video camera, the still shot. And and you think about how that has changed. The the amount of pictures we take the type of pictures we take, Oh, I can’t
Brian burke 33:25
imagine trying to edit, you know, edit photos after I got them on a camera roll from 20 years ago. I mean, that’s Yeah, unheard of. Yeah. Now I edit my pictures and you know, three seconds to make them look amazing. So yeah, it’s really fun. You could geotag on a, you know, Polaroid?
Damon Pistulka 33:42
No, no, well, and I’m just thinking about normal everyday situations like you, you’ve got younger children. If you’re younger children sitting there doing something cute. First thing you do is pull your phone off snap a picture, because you want to remember that right? And yours years ago, even when it was digital cameras, that camera were someplace else and you didn’t have that opportunity. And it’s just us
Brian burke 34:03
girls today I’m getting my little kids. You know, one yes. Another one’s hair.
Damon Pistulka 34:10
Yeah, it’s like that. And then you look at the the ease that Apple made that for people to upload to the cloud and save those and share those photos across all your Apple devices. You got to commend them for it, whether you like the apple ecosystem or not, because they change the way we look at documenting our lives. And it really is something it really is something
Brian burke 34:36
I find it pay to develop my 70,000 80,000 photos. I’m not sure what that would cost would not be fun. Yeah,
Damon Pistulka 34:42
that’s for sure. That’s for sure. So it’s it’s just been incredible. Getting to know you a little bit better, Brian, and if there’s I want to let you kind of explain to people if there’s one more thing, point you could leave with them before we finish About your philanthropic or how they can help like that or Apple or anything, I just like to share your thoughts there.
Brian burke 35:10
From a business side I would love to help everyone you know buying seller Apple products so definitely check us out at sell your Mac COMM And you can use my personal promo code Mac man that will give you a bonus if you’re selling or discount if you’re buying nice and I want everyone to follow their passion. So find your passion, focus on doing that it’ll make you much happier in life and you’ll be way more successful when you’ve truly found your passion.
Damon Pistulka 35:40
Oh man, that’s awesome. And I just want to go back in this one more time before we get off go to sell your Mac comm you can donate your Apple products so that Brian can gift them to a deserving young person to help them get a better start in life. And man if you can do that, I just want to say sell your Mac comm donate your Apple products so Brian can can get them ready to go and give them to deserving
Brian burke 36:10
your serve kids have a better life and I think this is one of the best ways we can do it. So I really appreciate all the support it means a lot. Yeah,
Damon Pistulka 36:17
yeah, cuz I just think it’s it’s an awesome cause dude, and and I’m just I’m so glad that we could talk about this a little bit more. We’re
Brian burke 36:24
gonna donate a Mac tomorrow. Awesome. Michael Raven redlink Dan’s Communist Party and weird and make some kid have an amazing day. Awesome. Awesome.
Damon Pistulka 36:36
And and another thing I saw and I hate to digress But recently, you know you you are trading your trademark is the is the blue jacket. And the blue bow tie. I can’t help it. I’m all blue head to toe baby. Yep. And I think I think you are you actually put a jacket up for auction here. If I remember your you actually one offer charity. So So that’s it for $500.
37:06
Awesome.
Brian burke 37:06
I had five I figured Eleni four will be okay. I was getting lots of trade shows. This is the perfect time to donate one and raise some money.
Damon Pistulka 37:15
Yes. That’s so awesome. I I’m glad I remembered that and we could. But I mean, it is. Yeah. Oh, no doubt. No doubt. It’s, it’s fun. It’s fun. And, you know, I can see your passion for helping people. And again, if you haven’t seen Brian’s TEDx talk, get on YouTube, Brian Burke TEDx, it will come up. You’ll notice the blue jacket. Listen to it. You will get into fire and blue bow tie. Yeah, you can’t you can’t and and and the passion behind your behind your speech. Is is incredible. Thank you so much for being here today. Brian, thank you are in your Yeah, I just I just I’m just gushing because I just I’m so happy that I could have you on and and you’re helping kids in ways that makes a difference.
Brian burke 38:06
Well, thank you for highlighting that because I know we’re gonna get at least a few more trainings that we can donate just just from this talk and podcast. So that makes me very happy. Yes. If
Damon Pistulka 38:16
you get one, it’ll be freakin good day for me. Let’s do one. You bet. Well, everybody, thanks so much. Thanks, Brian. for being here. We will have Brian’s contact information in the comments on this the show notes on YouTube on our blog every place else on the podcast.
Also, don’t forget to donate your Apple products at sell your Mac COMM And Brian will refurbish them and give them to a deserving young person that will use them, you can help them make their lives better. So thanks again. Can’t wait to help. You bet everybody this is this is Damon Pistulka with the faces of business. We will talk soon. Oh, I got to highlight this one last thing. Brian is an amazing human. I can’t see who it is. But I’m sure it’s someone we know. Thanks so much for your comment. You bet. And we’re gonna be out until Thursday of this week. Thank you.
