I have been playing with the Apples iTune Genius feature this morning. I spent about 15 minutes listening to songs and albums that were recommended to me because I had purchased or downloaded songs from other artists that were considered to have a high correlation with the recommended artists. I could quickly listen to 30 seconds or less of a song or a handful of tunes from an artist and the select “already have it” or “don’t like it” and another recommendation would appear. From Apple’s perspective I was buying a couple songs along the way- dipping into my song credits (a very nice gift from my sister). I quickly sorted through a dozen artists and twenty albums, many of whom I would not have searched for on my own.

The reality is that we all serve as walking versions of the iTunes Genius in our daily lives. We recommend restaurants, places to visit, airlines to avoid, after-school programs for kids, articles to read, and websites. Conversations turn into the audio version of a Zagat review. A couple years ago I rode the chairlift at an Idaho ski area with a gentleman who had skied all over the world. He asked me my favorite ski run at the resort. Once I answered him, he spent the remainder of the lift ride telling me that which runs across the world’s ski areas I needed to ski. He should have created a website with the wealth of information he shared in seven minutes (and I left the lift trying to remember just one).

I volunteer with a nonprofit organization that runs a significant charitable wine auction as its central fundraising event every year. Due to the importance of the special event and the critical funding the auction provides, a committee from the nonprofit organization travels to different wine regions in the United States (the committee pays its own way) to personally thank vintners who have donated in the past and network with wineries that are considering participating. I know enough about wine to have a reasonable conversation but I am easily lost in the science and nuances of the production. What I do know is that when I go out to dinner and choose a bottle of wine, I lean towards the labels I recognized because I know the individuals behind the wine and more importantly their story. When I bring a bottle of wine to a friends house as I gift I can offer a little detail to why I selected that particular bottle. In that moment I am a genius, at least for a second.

Perhaps I will listen a little more closely the next time a friends says ‘if you like that then you should really consider this.’ The value of getting information from a trusted individual, especially a source that has had a personal experience is powerful. Interesting how quickly I go to the customer review section when considering an online purchase. I do not get very far into the static details listed by the manufacturer. I want to know the opinion of the people who already paid and had a personal experience.

Go forth geniuses and share your information.