About Burke Franklin

Burke Franklin (49) is the Founder and CEO of JIAN (jee'-on), and the inventor of BizPlan Builder (the most popular software package for producing a comprehensive business plan) as well as many other JIAN products. He has continuously led JIAN since 1988. Under his leadership, JIAN has historically funded business development internally through profits, with ongoing product line expansion and entry into new markets.

Burke graduated from the University of California in 1979 with a degree in business, plus a minor in electrical engineering—while there he started “The Auto Exchange,” a do-it-yourself used car business he ran from his apartment. He took his first corporate job as a field sales rep for Texas Instruments selling electronic components in Orange County, CA. Besides working in sales and management for mostly high-tech companies, he was a leading sales rep for CPT (word-processors) in Silicon Valley, CA. Burke's career also includes a position as the Electronics Buyer and a copywriter for the Sharper Image Catalog in San Francisco, CA. Just prior to founding JIAN, Mr. Franklin worked independently as a marketing expert under “Tools For Sales.”

Burke's management & marketing experience spans 27+ years .

With an extensive background in sales, marketing and management, Burke brings a very practical approach to everything he does. In 1995 Burke was elected to the White House Conference on Small Business and in 1996 he was nominated for Ernst & Young's “ Entrepreneur of the Year .”

Mr. Franklin regularly speaks and participates in seminars, conferences, and panels, and has been interviewed on radio and television shows for entrepreneurs throughout the United States.

A second-degree black belt in TaeKwonDo, Mr. Franklin authored Business Black Belt , a book rapidly gaining popularity because it draws parallels from the martial arts and teaches you about building and running a business by using the disciplines of a karate master. Burke is also an instrument-rated pilot.

JIAN's products draw on the experience of successful business professionals crossing nearly every industry and business model imaginable, as well as feedback from thousands of customers. Mr. Franklin used an early version of BizPlanBuilder to get a $210,000 SBA loan, then used it again to establish a $750,000 line of credit. Burke insists that JIAN uses its own products(!). “That way we're the first to know how well they work.” JIAN has sold more than 800,000 copies of its software worldwide since 1988, and every day they receive success stories and input from customers who tell them they've done it right.

“What do I want to do when I grow up?”

“I'm very much turned on by people who have taken life into their own hands and want to create / build / introduce something new into the world. I'm always fascinated by what might be developed if these people were empowered. Personally, I'm looking for a larger role to play. How could I help globalize things that would enable people everywhere to work/play together? Become a spokesperson/evangelist for small business owners and entrepreneurs—like Tom Peters, but for small business—promote JIAN (and our partnership network)… seek out more business partners to connect to the JIAN/BusinessPowerTools network. Write another book (Business Black Belt 2 nd Degree?!) Give speeches/presentations around the world to inspire people about business and promote our BusinessPowerTools products and services.”