BizTrek's History

The Launch (1994)

BizTrek was formed in 1994 by Gil Gerretsen after he noticed the consistent successful impact of his 12 "Marketing Triggers" when he shared them with friends who owned small businesses.  (Actually, his wife pointed out to him that his friends were getting wealthy from his advice and ideas ... and he wasn't!)

But Gil had some other insights too! In the years leading up to the launch of BizTrek, Gil had started to recognize and believe that the only way for someone to achieve sustained economic freedom in their small business was to develop, test and master their own marketing efforts, rather than relying on consultants, advertising agencies or media sales reps!

He felt that nobody understands the heart of their business better than the owner ... so nobody can communicate that heart to the customers better than the owner!

Unfortunately, few affordable resources existed where small business owners could become proficient in the practical aspects of day-to-day marketing, resulting in needless suffering and countless lost opportunities.  (Far too many people have been teaching fancy theories that rarely translate to reality.)

The Early Years (1994-1999)

The company was originally launched in South Carolina as ListenUp! Communications, but Gil changed it to ListenUp! Marketing when he discovered another company by a similar name in Colorado (it was a music store). 

When Gil decided that it was time to trademark and protect a name with global opportunities for branding, he created a new name that was more unique. One of the company products at the time was a weekly subscriber-based fax newsletter called "BizFax". The company had subscribers from coast-to-coast as was becoming a recognized resource for the small business community. A simple name shift reflecting to the "journey mentality" led to the BizTrek brand and trademark.

BizTrek initially worked with small business owners solely in a 1-to-1 mentoring relationship (back then few small business owners had ever thought of using outside coaches or mentors). He would meet with them twice per month for an hour each time, in exchange for a modest monthly retainer. He would typically work with 40-60 business owners during any given month (his wife was happy that he was finally making a nice income too ).

During the course of the next 1 - 2 years, he would teach his clients about the 12 Triggers while also helping them create and implement corresponding tactics.  The businesses he worked with realized amazing results. At one point, Gil was able to identify over 20 local entrepreneurs who had gone on to reach millionaire status and who attributed a significant part of their success to Gil and the BizTrek process.

The First Book (1999)

Gil's approach to small business marketing caught on and word about him spread. People from other communities (and many more locals too) started contacting him for help in growing their small businesses.  He became so busy that people often had to wait over four months just to have an exploratory cup of coffee with him! That was good AND bad!

So ... it was time to take BizTrek to another level.  He decided to write a book about his principles, hire some more help and begin the process of expanding BizTrek to other communities through people he would train.

The first step, was a limited-edition book published in 1999. The Giraffe Principles was a pithy and practical book that was praised for cutting through the fluff and focusing on the practical insights that really mattered.  Exactly 2000 copies were printed in celebration of the approaching millennium (Get it? 2000 copies - the year 2000?).

The book sold out in just a few months, but he stuck with the original promise and no more were ever printed. Almost all were sold online, at $17.95 per copy, using a relatively new (at the time) marketing channel called the internet.

The First Expansion And Cancer Wars (2000-2006)

Given the interest in his ideas from outside Greenville, Gil began the process of recruiting and training other mentors. Using a territory based model and a materials license, the BizTrek process eventually became available through select mentors in 20 different cities in the eastern half of the USA.

Things were looking good and then, the unthinkable happened ...

In 2003, Gil's wife Susan was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer.  Although her oncologists held out hope for some promising experimental treatments, they estimated her chances of survival at 80% for the first year and less than 20% for five years!  Suddenly, the needs of his wife trumped the needs of BizTrek. 

Facing numerous surgeries and tiring chemotherapy sessions, Susan needed his attention and love. So, he made the decision to terminate BizTrek's expansion efforts and cut back his personal clientele as well.  For the next four years, he focused on serving a loyal cluster of private clients while providing most of his energy to the home front. 

Susan passed away from her disease in January of 2007!  If you would like to read about her journey, it is available as a free eBook. It will touch your heart. To access it, go to Susan's Song (SusansSong.com)

Out of necessity during the four years he was taking care of Susan, Gil began working with some small business owners using a small group format. 

He began by walking his clients through an orientation seminar about the 12 Triggers. After the seminar, he invited graduates into a roundtable-style mastermind "think tank" (called a Guild) with up to four other small business owners.  Each month, the members of the Guild discussed their implementation of a specific Trigger, what was working, what wasn't, and what changes were needed going forward.

As this new Guild process unfolded, Gil noticed that it was actually a superior solution for his trained clients. Not only was Gil able to still provide his personal counsel and mentoring, but other business owners were able to share as well. Often the Guild members generated even better solutions than Gil might have given on his own. Members were starting to use their understanding of the 12 Triggers to reach even greater heights!

The Second Expansion (2007 - Now)

With the emergence of the Great Recession in 2008, business owners began looking in earnest for productive marketing counsel that they could afford, given the new economic realities facing the entire world.

At the same time, BizTrek had begun building tools and processes that allowed businesses owners anywhere to learn and plug into the 12 Triggers system. Through piomeering and powerful emerging technologies, our members can now learn the 12 Triggers at their convenience online ... coupled to direct interaction with a skilled BizTrek Marketing Mentor. 

Once they have completed their training, members can now participate in BizTrek's Think Tanks (still called Guilds) with a broad cross-section of like-minded peers to boost their marketing performance.

We are excited to see what the future holds!