Jeremy Falk and Mom in 2015.

How a morning chat with my Mom inspired the genesis of MacMan.

In late 1993 Mom and I were talking one day about the success I was having helping people with their Apple products. At the time it was mostly just Macintosh computers (SE, Classic, Quadra, etc), printers, some light networking, dial-up internet access, DSL for some, and maybe ISDN if they had the budget

So mom and I talked.. I said I love Macintosh and I could be people’s go-to man for their Mac, like a Mac man. Mom loved it so we got her brother involved (he was a successful ad man back in the 60s) for help..

To me, MacMan started that morning, in Mom’s bedroom in Berkeley, California. I was also attending community college (where I wrote the business plan) and working part-time as a network admin in nearby Pleasanton.

She helped a lot in the beginning! She got me my first branding (thanks and RIP uncle Harvey), handed me clients on a silver platter (her friends and anyone she met), and of course gave lots of advice, which was super helpful at a time when I didn’t have good people skills.

To me, MacMan started that morning, in Mom’s bedroom in Berkeley, California.

In the 25yrs to follow, Mom saw me succeed. She saw me thrive and find fulfillment from my work. I shared with her glowing reviews I received from clients and I told her stories of gigs (and big name clients) that blew my mind. She witnessed me create a lifelong career that began at her bedside.

Jeremy Falk (left) with his brother and Mom in 1986.

In her final days I was again at her bedside. I thanked her for my life, my career, and my mad people skills, among so much more. She trained me and trained me and trained me, and made a man out of me (not easy and I needed loads of other help too). Mom’s training lives in me with every person I work with.

Thank you, mom, for naming me… twice.

Gale Bailey
(May 12, 1945 – Jan. 01, 2019)