To some, this may come as a huge shock. Robert has been synonymous with the Geek Squad. He’s our high-profile founder and “Chief Inspector” – a man known for his incredible charisma and drive. And anyone who has heard him speak has experienced the “Reality Distortion Field” that follows – his words draw you in, reshape reality around you, and make you see the impossible as… well, frankly… possible.
That’s Robert’s gift. He dreams – and then makes those dreams happen. Which is why the announcement didn’t catch me as much by surprise as others.
Why?
Simple: At heart, Robert is an entrepreneur. He loves to create things. Taking a dream, crafting it with precision, winding it up and showing it to the world is Robert’s forte. He’s a visionary with aspirations as wide as the tech industry, and as such, he simply could not be contained to one section of it for long.
I’ve known Robert for over 10 years. When I started with Geek Squad, it had 20-25 employees, and was run out of a converted hardware store in the warehouse district of Minneapolis. Now, it spans the globe, with tens of thousands of “Agents” (Geek Squad employees), and is synonymous with the words “service” and “tech support.”
Back in the old days, we toyed with dreams of greatness. Robert even coined “Worldwide Domination of the Computer Support Industry” as our catchphrase. Sure, we joked about it then – we saw the potential of Geek Squad to grow, but never imagined the heights to which it would climb in the years that followed. But you know what? Robert did – and that is what sets him apart.
Bill Gates once said that the key to success is being in the right place at the right time, recognizing you are there, and then taking massive and immediate action. It’s a common trait in the world of the movers and the shakers – those who leave a lasting impact on the world. And that’s Robert, to a T. He stepped into the tech support world back when it consisted mostly of mom and pop shops, and brought common sense, old-fashioned customer service into the 20th (and 21st) century – and all dressed up in a snappy black (clip-on) tie, white short-sleeved shirt, and black pants. (Oh, and don’t forget the white socks.)
Robert has left a lasting legacy at Best Buy, and it is with deep sadness that we see him move on. Yet we know that his boundless passion, entrepreneurial spirit, and incredible drive will leave a bigger impact as he moves into the larger technology world.
But the spirit of Geek Squad lives on, and continues to grow, in the hearts of its Agents. And while Robert may have built the brand and created the environment in which it could grow, the true culture of Geek Squad has come from its Agents. So it is only fitting that we give them a forum to express their thoughts on Robert’s departure:
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These are just a small portion of the outpouring of thoughts and feelings coming in today as the message spreads. There are more… and will be even more as the days go by.
Geek Squad will always remember our founder (and Chief Inspector Emeritus) with fondness and respect, and continue to blaze the trail that he started us on 18 years ago. And so (on a personal note), I will add my own thoughts in closing:
“Robert: you’ve brought out the best in us. You’ve taken the term “geek” and turned it into a badge of honor. You gave us something to believe in, and fostered our growth. From a small group of crazy guys and gals fixing computers (and having fun at it!) you created a worldwide juggernaut of technical service – all with trademarked Geek Squad humor, pride and style.
You’ve made us believe in something: the power of an individual to change the world; that greatness lies within us all, and we need only be fearless enough to dream, reach out, and work tirelessly to make it a reality.
You’ve walked the path that giants walked. Your legacy will endure. And we look forward with great anticipation to the new ways you will shake the pillars of the industry, as we continue to uphold your dream, and carry on the Geek Squad mission of “Serving the Public, Policing Technology, and Protecting the World.”
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