T H E FINAL NOTE
CESAR GUEIKIAN
BRAND PRESIDENT, GIBSON BRANDS INC.
By Brian Berk The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why? Cesar Gueikian: My biggest learnings were from my father. I started working with him at about 11 years old. I would go to the showrooms of his business and sell, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays. Getting exposed to that experience and work ethic was great. My great-grandparents came from Armenia to Argentina, escaping from genocide. When they came to Argentina, they started from scratch. All they had when they landed was their clothes. The work ethic in my family was passed down each generation. I was exposed to that, growing up in a fairly humble environment. I saw my dad’s work ethic and the success he had. The Retailer: What was the best advice you ever received? Gueikian: “Work a little harder, a little longer and a little smarter.” My father also always said, no matter a meeting or interview, “If you are early, you are on time; if you’re on time, you are late; and if you are late, you are fired.” The Retailer: What was your first experience with a musical instrument? Gueikian: It was a guitar when I was about nine years old. We had a Spanish guitar at home, as well as an Epiphone acoustic. At the time, I was interested in the vinyl records my father had. I actually started to listen to the things he did not listen to often, like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. He had this record that was unopened. It had the wrapping still on it. It was Black Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath.” I pulled it out, put it on and I heard the song “Black Sabbath.” That was the first time I thought, Oh my gosh, I need to play this. I wanted to master the guitar because of that song. The Retailer: What instrument do you most enjoy playing? Gueikian: Definitely the guitar. I now have about 120 guitars in my collection. The guitar is my obsession. And it’s not just the guitar. It has always been Gibson guitars for me. That is why it is such an amazing privilege to be in this position. The Retailer: Tell us something about yourself that others do not know or would be surprised to learn. Gueikian: Not many people know I played competitvely on the tennis tour. I am also a semi-competitive (continued on page 39) 46
MAY 2021
