Entrepreneur Of The Year Finalist: Simply Mac, Steven Bain

Steven Bain

If there's one thing for which Apple Computer products are known, it's that nebulous concept of "positive user experience." People who use Apple computers, iPads, iPhones and iPods rave about their ease of use, their intuitive controls, their high level of "cool."

Retail experiences with Apple products, however, often have been another story.

In the early 2000s, the Apple retail experience was limited mostly to a few company-owned stores, CompUSA and the Apple website. There were independent Apple dealers, but most focused on service work rather than a "positive user experience" with sales.

Steve Bain wanted to change that. So he co-founded Simply Mac to offer consumers a fun, customer-friendly window into the "Apple revolution."

From two temporary, holiday-season kiosks in Fashion Place and University malls, the company has grown to seven permanent stores, nearly 100 employees and thousands of computers sold.

Bain's business plan for Simply Mac involved creating a chain of stores to sell and repair Apple computers, hardware and accessories. As the stores grew, he and his staff paid attention to feedback from customers in crafting growth strategies.

The company added a line of custom, directly imported Simply Mac-branded accessories. They introduced "Simply Answers," a personalized training program for new Apple users — because, unlike many older Apple-authorized stores, more than half of Simply Mac's sales are to people who have never before owned an Apple computer.

The company also offers a used-computer trade-in program, an on-site repair program where technicians travel to homes and businesses and a computer rental program — all designed to create a positive user experience.