We recently connected with David Neely and have shared our conversation below.

David , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

So many people ask me how I got into this business. I simply say “I didn’t get into it, I was born into it….Nashville Tennessee, St Thomas Hospital, 1950.

David , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I knew when I was 4 yo, I was built for adventure. I didn’t think about how to do it but it became perfectly clear later on. Everything moved in stages…one at a time…step by step.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

About the age of 7, I wanted to be a Chemist. I studied on my own and in the second grade I was tested out at 11th grade comprehension. I skipped the 3rd grade and was put in with the 4th graders. They were mean to me but I told them I was smarter than them they were stupid to call me names….wasn’t my idea….talk to the Principal. I started playing the guitar when I was 12 and started professionally when I was 15. When I graduated High School at 17, our manager put us on tour playing in Mafia clubs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. That’s when I realized the adventure was real and I was doing what I was built for….staying in Hotels and eating in restaurants. I came to California on tour in 1976 and soon realized I had outgrown Nashville. I moved here in 1984….the next adventure

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I never needed funding. I had my own money but I was surprised at how it drained away quicker than I thought it would. It took almost 3 years to start breaking even. When I moved to Sunset Blvd with my neon sign on The Sunset Strip, I paid myself back in about 8 months.

Contact Info:

• Website: neelyguitars.com
• Instagram: Neely Guitars
• Facebook: Neely Guitars. and David Neely
• Yelp: Neely Guitar Repairs