Live Q&A: Apple Store pioneer Ron Johnson talks retail strategy, careers, and lessons from Steve Jobs

Retail veteran Ron Johnson joins BI Live. Bloomberg / Getty Apple Stores have been a huge win for the brand. What's the secret of their success? Former Apple exec Ron Johnson explains, and shares what's working — and what's not — in retail today. Scroll down to join our live Q&A on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET. When Ron Johnson joined Apple in 2000, conventional wisdom said the internet would soon make physical stores obsolete. Johnson thought otherwise. In partnership with Apple CEO Steve Jobs , he opened hundreds of Apple Stores, generating millions for the company and introducing Apple products to a new swath of consumers.