About Us - Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton - Serial Entrepreneur
Fran Tarkenton knows better than most what it takes to succeed in a competitive arena. As one of the NFL's all time great competitors, his leadership skills have been tested time and time again. He was inducted into the National Football League and Collegiate Football Halls of Fame. He was an All-American athlete at the University of Georgia. As quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, Fran took his team to the 1973, 1974 and 1976 Super Bowls. He set the all-time NFL passing records for the most touch-downs (342), the most yards gained passing (47,003) and the most completions. Those records stood for 17 years.
Fran is a hands-on entrepreneur. His companies are the result of his ideas and his direct day-to-day involvement. He funds the start-ups, develops the business plans and executes the strategies to build thriving businesses. Fran launched 20 companies over the last 25 years, the largest one reaching revenues of $142 million. He was a founding board member of Coca-Cola Enterprises. He also served on the Board of Directors of Sterling Software, Blimpie International and Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
Since 1996, Fran's mission has been to be the trusted spokesperson for Small Business in America. He founded and still owns GoSmallBiz.com, a leading small business portal and consulting service provider. He also owns StarterSuccess.com, which provides a suite of cloud-based productivity applications for small business. The applications include CRM, HR, Web Builder and Business Plan tools. Fran is also a founding partner in one of the fastest growing conference call companies in the U.S. and is chairman of Tarkenton Financial, which focuses on insurance based retirement planning.
Fran is invited on a regular basis to appear on television news programs as an authority on matters related to small business. He has recently completed a book with co-author Scott Miller, entitled "One More Customer", which deals with the entrepreneurial mindset and sets out straight-forward messaging about the means to success in today's economy.
At age 70, Fran continues to advise and counsel businesses. He helps identify new opportunities in fast changing environments and develop innovative channels of distribution. Above all, he believes his work should embody his vision, values and his passion. His philosophy is that there is only one reason for a business to exist – to provide products and services that enhance and improve the quality of life of its customer.