In May 2003, Apple invited me to their headquarters to discuss getting CD Baby‘s catalog into the iTunes Music Store.

iTunes had just launched two weeks before, with only some music from the major labels. Many of us in the music biz were not sure this idea was going to work. Especially those who had seen companies like eMusic do this exact same model for years without big success.

I flew to Cupertino thinking I’d be meeting with one of their marketing or tech people. When I arrived, I found out that about a hundred people from small record labels and distributors had also been invited.

We all went into a little presentation room, not knowing what to expect.

Then out comes Steve Jobs. Whoa! Wow.  

Read the article in full – it’s downhill from here

Which just goes to show how big corporations live in a different world to small companies – they don’t even speak the same language or use the same currency. Small business live on their wits and their cashflow – big ones like Apple carve out their progress like a supertanker – and supertankers are not known for being able to sidestep a small dingy – sadly it has to be the dingy owner who gives way.