Business Highlights

Magazine and Publishing Industry
David walked into United Airlines’ corporate office unannounced, with no appointment. About 40 minutes later, he walked out with a signed agreement to create and publish a brand-new golf magazine for United Airlines. He would retain complete ownership of the magazine, including retail outlet sales and subscriptions. This new publication would replace the world’s second-largest golf magazine in the world and be distributed on 146,000 flights per issue, potentially making it the third most-read golf magazine in the world with its very first edition. 

Complete Benefits Plan

Negotiated an agreement to compile 11 of the most popular benefits in the country into one plan for consumers, providing unprecedented value and annual cost savings. He then built on that plan to add needed benefits for small businesses to provide them with peace of mind and protection.

Sports Industry
David developed a groundbreaking high-speed visual motion analysis system capable of recording simultaneously from 8 cameras. Recognizing its commercial potential, he introduced it as a business opportunity—quickly attracting attention from Entrepreneur Magazine and Small Business Opportunity Magazine. Entrepreneur Magazine went on to put the business in its annual “Franchise and Business Opportunities Startups” special issue. The system was used by several universities, including Notre Dame, as well as top PGA instructors—among them, the National PGA Instructor of the Year. 

Christian Senior Membership Association

Created a national monthly fee-based Christian membership program targeting senior Christian adults, providing an alternative to the giant secular senior membership plan. It provided valuable information, benefits and data to Christian Seniors. Membership grew to the thousands within a few months. 

Golf Industry
Took a struggling start up golf equipment company and strategically developed it into one of the most well-known companies in the industry.  He used a strategic move of doubling the selling price of the clubs to separate it from the competition and creative branding techniques. The company was successfully branded it as one of the finest golf clubs in the world.  Within one year the company was written about by almost every golf magazine in the country.

 Despite having played golf only five times in his life, David spotted a major gap in the industry and quickly developed an innovative product to fill it. Within months, his creation earned the coveted “Top Ten Most Innovative and Beneficial Products in the Golf Industry” award from the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America—outshining some of the sport’s largest and most established companies. Remarkably, the product received this honor before it was ever released to stores, and without a single dollar spent on marketing or advertising. 

eCommerce

In the very early days of the internet, Dave negotiated and created relationships to launch the first licensed NASCAR online store without having an actual brick-and-mortar store front. This provided David with a major advantage over all other retail stores by being able to sell products online before most stores even opened up on Monday morning. 

Launched an online multi-category store with over 1 million products and hundreds of brand-name manufacturers. He then split the website into 6 different categories and offered them as a business opportunity of 6 different predeveloped websites.

Real Estate Agent Benefit Plan

 Dave created an unprecedented Real Estate Agent Benefit Plan, delivering first-of-its-kind benefits to the often-overlooked community of self-employed agents. He paired this with a customized, members-only program that equipped agents with remarkable client closing gifts—such as cruises, resort vacations, VIP sporting event tickets, and more—at just a fraction of their regular cost. 

Move Out and Move Up Home Ownership Program

 David pioneered what is believed to be the first no-money-down, sweat-equity home mortgage program in Chicagoland, and possibly the nation. He successfully negotiated with a major Chicago-area mortgage company to open the door to homeownership for qualified residents in Section 8 housing. Presenting the idea to the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), he was told it was the most unique and unprecedented proposal they had ever received. This innovative program enabled qualified Section 8 families to purchase their own homes with no down payment by leveraging sweat equity, creating life-changing opportunities for families while significantly reducing Section 8 expenditures for the CHA. 

Financial Services Industry
Developed and owned 12 Financial Services offices around Chicagoland with over 200 Representatives, servicing Thousands of Clients.

Music Industry
Created and produced a National Christian Singing Contests partnering with a TV and Radio Station to promote the contest. The winner received a red carpet style experience recording at one of the most respected recording studios in Nashville.

Real Estate Industry
Developed a 98-acre (220 home) subdivision. The project broke ground within 90 days of my first visit to the village to discuss the possibilities. This quick time frame is unprecedented in real estate development. 

Contract Flipping 

Developed a process to get properties and businesses under contract and then sell the contract for a profit, without ever taking ownership or risking money. In most cases it only took $1 to $10 to get the contract. He repeatedly used this strategy with large real estate properties and small businesses. He later created a manual which he teaching others how to do the samething. Je used $1 to secure a contract on a 40 acre parcel of land and sold the contract at a $40,000 profit. I used $10 to secure a large property and turned it into a $1,400,000 profit.

Internet Phone Service

David was brought on as a strategic consultant for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) when dial up internet was still in its infancy to help a company that had expanded too quickly. After prematurely expanding to 8 major cities in the Midwest the ISP struggled to acquire the customer base needed to support the expansion.  David rebranded the service and offered it to a large telephone company to rent the modems as an overflow system. The ISP immediately saw 7 figure revenue the first year.

Fundraising Industry
Created an unprecedented Fundraising program, offering residual revenue to the organizations along with programs that replace the local fundraising concept to a national platform. This has been used by one of the largest Children’s hospitals in the country, schools, churches, organizations.

Water Filtration Industry
Developed a highly respected Residential Water Filtration Company with offices in Illinois and Indiana. This led to David' writing the book "What's in my Water?". David was quickly looked at as an industry expert on water quality and called upon by a major Chicagoland newspaper to review the findings of the Illinois Department of Health test results on a Chicago Suburban water quality issues. 

David has spoken to medical professionals at an annual Illinois Medical conference on the subject of drinking water and contaminants. www.whatsinmywater.com 

Festival and Event
Stepped in to relaunch the 30 year running Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival after it had been retired for 2 years.  After discussions with Warner Brothers Studios he signed their official spokesperson as the festival’s Master of Ceremonies. He then had the Chicago Southland Convention and Tourism Bureau volunteer their marketing, planning and strategic departments to help. David then moved the festival from Indiana to the 

Chicago southland. 

Manufacturing Industry
Identified a way to enhance service and client confidence for a manufacturing company by creating and launching a cutting-edge Web-based tool which established a virtual office for the client, allowing the clients to log into a secure area of the company's computer system and track start date, product runs and all aspects of their order.

Automobile Industry
​​Created an unprecedented automobile emission reduction device lowering carbon emission from vehicles by over 99% at idle and 30% under driving conditions (as tested by an EPA approved emission testing facility) David also received a letter of recognition from the state Lt. Governor and was asked to be part of the state's Biofuels Working Group. www.ReduceCarbon.org 

Counseling Industry
Gained incredible exposure for a Chicago area Counseling Center by developing a very unique approach to their services. He negotiated the usage of a commercial Boeing 737 at no charge to conduct an onboard Fear of Flying program while the aircraft was on the ground.  Media exposure with major newspapers and other outlets was secured at no charge. What makes this so incredible (besides getting it all done at no charge) was it was done after the heightened airport security guidelines were implemented after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

Business Sales Incentive Industry
Created and developed a unique Sale closing incentive program which immediately  increased company's sales by up to 100% and more without having to spend  days, weeks or months improving the sales representatives presentation or closing skills.

Author
Wrote,  self-published, promoted and sold his first book to major national book retailers, such as Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon and more,  including book signing dates at Barnes and Noble.

Speaker
David has spoken to Thousands of people at training seminars, municipal venues, public forums and medical conferences and have been used by a major Chicagoland newspaper as an expert to review information by a state department. 

And more

Dave De John

david@pinnaclebusinessstrategies.com

708-321-4300