San Diego’s own Taylor Guitars started in 1974 as the dream of Bob Taylor (age 19) and Kurt Listug (age 21) on a loan of $10,000. In its short 37-year history, the company has gone on to be the leading maker and seller of acoustic guitars in the United States.

As cofounder and President of the world’s premier manufacturer of high-end acoustic, acoustic-electric and electric guitars, Bob Taylor knew from the moment he made his first guitar during his junior year of high school this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He experienced that “aha!” moment that so many dream of, but few achieve.

It wasn’t easy for the young entrepreneur to turn his passion into a profitable business. For the past 37 years, Taylor and business partner Kurt Listug have weathered economic storms, seen the rise, decline, and reemergence of the acoustic guitar industry, and have gone on to build the top-selling acoustic guitar brand in the United States.