How I Got Started
For several years I searched for a time management system that would help me stay on top of my schedule and my contacts. I used many types of paper planners before I found the Franklin planner system.
The Franklin Planner is not just a calendar and address book, it is a system built on goals and a way of setting your goals based on your foundational values.
At the time, the Franklin Planner met all my needs and I became very enthusiastic about the system. I took every course available from Franklin at that time and I started telling other people about this great system and teaching them how to use it.
In 1984 I was hired as Sales Manager for a large taxi company here in Seattle. At that time they had an account customer base of about 2600 commercial accounts. There was no compiled list and very few contact names, mostly Shipping Dept. or Accounting. No one had ever called on any of these people; they were designers, printers, hospitals, lawyers and just about any type of business that had a need to transport small packages or customers. I set out armed with my Franklin Planner; a stack of 5x7 cards and a goal to organize a card based follow-up system and get to know who our customers were and what they did.
This turned out to be a huge undertaking. While there were only 2600 accounts, it turned out that most of these companies had several people who were contacts. The Boeing company had over 35 department heads, shipping clerks, etc, I needed to make cards for and keep them current. This task was ambitious, but impossible for one person.
I was lamenting the problem to a good friend of mine, Anna Moody, who owned Interface Communications, (I had designed her company logo) which was a software training company. In those days she was a real pioneer. The personal computer was just beginning to find its way into corporate America and most small businesses couldn't easily afford hardware, software and training too. Anna said, "Bob you need a computer!"
Little did I know what a life changing statement that would be.
When I proposed that idea to the board of directors, they said, "just get more cards".
With no support from the taxi company, I started looking at computers and talking to people about software. I knew I couldn't afford Anna's rates even though we could have worked something out. Another friend of mine said, "If you get a computer, I'll help you" (little did he know what he was in for).
I bought a KayPro 2 computer. When I got it home, I set it up, turned it on and panicked. I started reading the books and didn't understand what I was reading. In those days the computer books were really bad. I called my friend who said he would help me and he said, "Read the book!"
He really did me a favor. I struggled through every step. He would occasionally answer a question, but usually the answer was "Read the book!"
After getting everybody into a crude database, I went to work. I was fortunate, the company had a lot of patience with me trying to figure out how to use the computer and they were happy with the results.
Keeping the contact information current was more efficient than the 5x7 cards, but it was not what I wanted. I looked at several calendar programs and so-called PIMs (Personal Information Manager), they all have different emphasis and flexibility, and none of them met all my needs until I found ACT!.
ACT! changed my life. Finally I found a program that would handle scheduling appointments, calls, to-dos, letters, customer history and reports. ACT! did everything.
The only problem was I didn’t know how to incorporate my Franklin Planner system into ACT!
Franklin’s emphasis is on goal fulfillment and planning and ACT!’s emphasis is on contact management and contact related tasks. (Apples and oranges)
It was when I read “Time Management for Dummies” by Jeffrey Mayer, I realized how to marry the two systems.
A business was born
In 1994 another good friend of mine, Dee Ossinger, told me she had taken a course at the community college and bought a computer. When she got it home, she didn't have a clue what she could do on it that would help her in their very large successful Amway business. I offered to help her. No, I didn't tell her to read the book. I listened to her and figured out the best way to get her using her computer. I knew once she got over her fear, she would grasp it.
She did!
She knew I had helped several people in the past and she said, "You ought to do this as a business". (More life changing words)
She referred me to a few of her friends; they referred me to their friends and on and on. A business was born.
I have a good understanding of what a company or individual really needs to grow their business and stay in touch with their customers.
Today I help people all over the country and in Canada and I love what I do.
For several years I searched for a time management system that would help me stay on top of my schedule and my contacts. I used many types of paper planners before I found the Franklin planner system.
The Franklin Planner is not just a calendar and address book, it is a system built on goals and a way of setting your goals based on your foundational values.
At the time, the Franklin Planner met all my needs and I became very enthusiastic about the system. I took every course available from Franklin at that time and I started telling other people about this great system and teaching them how to use it.
In 1984 I was hired as Sales Manager for a large taxi company here in Seattle. At that time they had an account customer base of about 2600 commercial accounts. There was no compiled list and very few contact names, mostly Shipping Dept. or Accounting. No one had ever called on any of these people; they were designers, printers, hospitals, lawyers and just about any type of business that had a need to transport small packages or customers. I set out armed with my Franklin Planner; a stack of 5x7 cards and a goal to organize a card based follow-up system and get to know who our customers were and what they did.
This turned out to be a huge undertaking. While there were only 2600 accounts, it turned out that most of these companies had several people who were contacts. The Boeing company had over 35 department heads, shipping clerks, etc, I needed to make cards for and keep them current. This task was ambitious, but impossible for one person.
I was lamenting the problem to a good friend of mine, Anna Moody, who owned Interface Communications, (I had designed her company logo) which was a software training company. In those days she was a real pioneer. The personal computer was just beginning to find its way into corporate America and most small businesses couldn't easily afford hardware, software and training too. Anna said, "Bob you need a computer!"
Little did I know what a life changing statement that would be.
When I proposed that idea to the board of directors, they said, "just get more cards".
With no support from the taxi company, I started looking at computers and talking to people about software. I knew I couldn't afford Anna's rates even though we could have worked something out. Another friend of mine said, "If you get a computer, I'll help you" (little did he know what he was in for).
I bought a KayPro 2 computer. When I got it home, I set it up, turned it on and panicked. I started reading the books and didn't understand what I was reading. In those days the computer books were really bad. I called my friend who said he would help me and he said, "Read the book!"
He really did me a favor. I struggled through every step. He would occasionally answer a question, but usually the answer was "Read the book!"
After getting everybody into a crude database, I went to work. I was fortunate, the company had a lot of patience with me trying to figure out how to use the computer and they were happy with the results.
Keeping the contact information current was more efficient than the 5x7 cards, but it was not what I wanted. I looked at several calendar programs and so-called PIMs (Personal Information Manager), they all have different emphasis and flexibility, and none of them met all my needs until I found ACT!.
ACT! changed my life. Finally I found a program that would handle scheduling appointments, calls, to-dos, letters, customer history and reports. ACT! did everything.
The only problem was I didn’t know how to incorporate my Franklin Planner system into ACT!
Franklin’s emphasis is on goal fulfillment and planning and ACT!’s emphasis is on contact management and contact related tasks. (Apples and oranges)
It was when I read “Time Management for Dummies” by Jeffrey Mayer, I realized how to marry the two systems.
A business was born
In 1994 another good friend of mine, Dee Ossinger, told me she had taken a course at the community college and bought a computer. When she got it home, she didn't have a clue what she could do on it that would help her in their very large successful Amway business. I offered to help her. No, I didn't tell her to read the book. I listened to her and figured out the best way to get her using her computer. I knew once she got over her fear, she would grasp it.
She did!
She knew I had helped several people in the past and she said, "You ought to do this as a business". (More life changing words)
She referred me to a few of her friends; they referred me to their friends and on and on. A business was born.
I have a good understanding of what a company or individual really needs to grow their business and stay in touch with their customers.
Today I help people all over the country and in Canada and I love what I do.
