We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jack Brunson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jack, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
When I was a kid, I used to look at all the adults in my life and think “Man, they have got it figured out…they know all the answers.”
At 18, when I moved out of my mom’s house and into a small tenement in the “big city” 3 hours away, something began to smell fishy. The further into the realm of the adult world I went, the more I caught on that these adults who seemed to have all the answers were sure making a lot of mistakes.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that pretty much everybody is “winging it” 80-90% of the time. From your car wash technician and baristas to your surgeons and airline pilots; human beings are all just making small decision after small decision hoping that the next one they make doesn’t come with unintended and/or unwanted consequences.
Since I knew this to be true before I even graduated college, my professional career has been a long series of interactions that go a little something like this:
Employer: “Hey Jack, can you XYZ SKILL? Have you done that before?”
Me: *never having heard of that in my life*“Oh yeah, totally…”
….and then I frantically Google or seek counsel from my incredibly talented friend pool and figure out what needs to be done. It is not so much a lie as a stretching of the truth. Have I heard of XYZ? No. Do I believe in myself to know I can figure it out. Absolutely.
This method, so far, has not failed me. Sure, there have been some close calls and hail marys, but at the end of every workday of my career, I have been able to do what needs to be done.
In my field in particular, imposter syndrome is fairly easy to fall into as there are not a ton of certifications, degrees, etc. you need to be a guitar technician. Sure, there are a few, but largely the field is still staffed by people who apprentice, intern or are employed by larger gear companies until they feel ready to go out on their own. This means, one day you are the little guy sweeping up wood shavings and then the next you are the luthier in charge.
Then, once you have reached a certain point in your career, the body of work you have amassed just starts to speak for itself. For example, there is hardly a vintage Japanese guitar you can Google that won’t land you with at least a few of my past listings. If you find yourself researching Teiscos or Silvertones, my shop is almost unavoidable.
My tip for anyone suffering from imposter syndrome, keep a portfolio of some of your best / toughest work and look over it when you are doubting yourself. I like to do this and remind myself “I got through these projects, and I will get through this one too…”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Jack’s Guitarcheology is much more than just your average used guitar store. We bill ourselves as a “Nashville area purveyor of weirdo and specialty guitars.” This still only really scratches the surface of all of the many things we dabble in. Our primary bread and butter has always been what I call “Classic Guitarcheology” – that is to say, buying broken guitars, fixing them and selling them at a profit.
Since we have opened our store a year and a half ago, we have gotten into a lot of other hustles as well: boutique guitars and effects pedals, partscasters and custom guitars, vinyl, books, rare vintage guitar parts, accessories, locally crafted items and public events at our space.
One niche area of popularity we have had recently is our rubber bridge design, which is a specialty service that only we and a few other shops offer. These rubber bridges deaden the attack and release of a note and make the tone more mellow and bellish. We do not take custom orders, but we make 15-25 rubber bridge models every month and “drop” them like a ticket drop on the last Friday of the month.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I am, and have always been, a people person. My mom used to leave the shopping cart to go get milk and she would come back to a 2 year old me entertaining four strangers who were gathered around our shopping cart. I have always felt a deep connection to my fellow human beings. I think that this, more than anything, has been the crux of my business success. I am able to get to know everyone who comes to my store or buys regularly from me online, and I am able to tailor make their experience for them specifically.
In a modern world where more and more purchasing occurs online, I feel that people are starving for the traditional shopkeep kind of set up. To most of my customers, I am much more than a guitar salesman – I am their friend, their neighbor and their fellow community member.
It is hard to pick another two, so here is a freeform list of other skills that have been invaluable in no particular order: a massive back catalog of inane guitar trivia I have been amassing for the better part of the last 20 years, Photoshop, web development & WordPress, sales experience, photography, eCommerce, woodworking, general shop skills like how to hold a drill; and knowing how to actually play the guitar doesn’t hurt either.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Warning, I could get a little emotional talking about my parents. For my Mom, she has always been supportive of my decisions, even if she knew I was making a bad one. She had a tendency to let me make my own mistakes, but was always encouraging me to take leaps. She would always tell me “I could be anything I wanted to be / do anything I wanted to do.” I know a lot of Moms say that to their kids, but I could always tell she really meant it.
The number of times she could have said something like “do you think that is prudent?” or “shouldn’t you be looking for a stable job?” while I have been embarked on this entrepreneurial journey, but she didn’t. Honestly, the amount of times she could have said something but didn’t could not be counted on two hands. She just always told me how proud she is of me and how proud my later grandfater (her father) would be of what I have built.
….and then there is my Dad, without who, none of this would have been possible. He was also an avid lover of the guitar. My Dad taught me my first chords and was the first person to teach me how to change guitar strings. When he passed away of cystic fibrosis in 2017, it was the inheritance he left me that allowed me to invest in myself and my business.
Without his passing, I would not have had the capital to open the store – though I do sit in the irony of just how much my Dad would have loved it here. I like to think that he would be my best customer if he were still around.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jacksguitarcheology.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksguitarcheology/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacksguitarcheology/
- Other: https://reverb.com/shop/jacks-guitarcheology
Image Credits
All images (c) Jack’s Guitarcheology
