BJB
Bill J.
Bonnstetter
Bill J Bonnstetter
“We’re in the business of transforming people’s way of thinking.”
An
Original
Vision
When looking at the farms surrounding Corwith, Iowa, most people saw livestock, crops, and the grittiness that comes from honest work.
Bill J. Bonnstetter saw potential.
Born and raised in rural middle America, Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to study business and marketing. After earning several degrees and exploring all kinds of work, like teaching, policing, and military service, Bill encountered a new universal language that changed his perception of everyday life: DISC. This behavioral assessment gave him the framework for understanding others and the idea for TTI Success Insights.
Bill’s
Discovery
More than anything, Bill was passionate about human behavior. No matter their path or profession, he knew every person just wanted to be understood. If someone could create the right tool to facilitate that understanding, communication could blossom, and business would thrive.
Through his Farmer Buying Sales Study, he conceptualized a revolutionary new approach to sales. He found a significant relationship between how farms were maintained and farmers’ DISC behavioral styles, which he used to create a sales training program called Buyer Profile Blending.
The program used the DISC concept to develop a sales process tailored to the individual, focusing on their behavior and preferences rather than the preferences of the salesperson.
It didn’t have to stop there. Bill was determined that it wouldn’t.
“There were hollyhocks lining the drive all the way up. And then we got into the art. Everything was meticulous. It was all ‘white picket fence.’ He said, ‘Meticulous. When we deal with a sale with this person, we’re going to have to answer all their questions, be very precise, and make sure that we listen to meet their needs.'”
The
Founder’s
Mission
Bill’s son, David Bonnstetter, an accomplished software developer, began computerizing the DISC assessment, and together the two founded Target Training International, Ltd., in 1984. Their assessments quickly became essential for the businesses of thousands of independent business consultants and coaches.
TTI developed and marketed personalized reports based on the DISC model and introduced customized software for sales and executives the following year. While improving sales was still at the forefront, they quickly realized that these theories could enhance communication, foster team building, and develop leadership for top performance.
Bill made key alliances through like-minded consultants with global connections. People around the world saw the value that the tools he developed could deliver. TTI expanded internationally, translated reports into different languages, and developed an Internet Delivery System®, an industry first, for their assessments. TTI was awarded four U.S. patents, including one for brain research, which validates self-reporting assessments as being highly consistent with brain responses.
Over time, Bill, Dave, and the team at TTI added more assessments to their portfolio, eventually combining tools to generate a more holistic view for those taking their assessments. These assessment combinations became what TTI termed a multi-science approach, and set the stage for growing a network of like-minded consultants, coaches, and trainers whose expertise was enhanced by what TTI had to offer.
Into
the
Future
The legacy Bill J. Bonnstetter left behind is undeniable. It’s incredible how one entrepreneur’s passion has impacted, influenced, and improved the careers of ambitious people like him worldwide.
Today,
TTI continues to be dedicated to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power of self-awareness. The tools and sciences they develop, the network they nurture, and the transformative experiences they spark in the lives of others speak to Bill’s vision and impact.
Be Like Bill