My Experience

Fran Biderman-Gross believes that people matter. Showing them how to get what they deserve matters to Fran. Its a role that Fran was born to, and a talent she has sharpened through dealing with lifes challenges.In 1992, Fran and her husband David started Advantages in the basement of their New York home. David dreamed of being an independent businessman, proud to market a quality printing service and building good relationships along the way. In the early years, Fran would do whatever was needed to fund the company, whether that meant selling Tupperware or cell phones or office furniture or even tutoring students after school. Davids commitment and Frans support paid off. In 1997, the company was doing well enough for them to move from the basement to an actual office.Then in June of 1999, the couple had devastating news. David was diagnosed with terminal cancer. David's diagnosis forced Fran to take a more active role in the company, and when he passed away in 2001, Fran became the sole owner and president of Advantages. In her new role, Fran was buoyed by the passion of keeping Davids dream alive and taking care of her two young children Avinoam and D'vora. She soon found herself working three times as hard as she used to, and as Advantages experienced an initial growth spurt, she took on the new title of Fran, Printing Princess.But after a few years, it was clear something was missing. The general feeling among people in the office was a little off. There was also something absent from client relationships. It was work, but not a happy connection.Thats when Fran realized that showing up each day to build a legacy or feed her family was not enough. Fran needed a purpose, a reason that would inspire her and her employees and her clients. And when a young marketing guru asked Fran: Why do you do what you do? she finally discovered the answer. Looking back over her life, Fran realized that she has a remarkable talent for helping people get noticed. She gets completely energized whenever she can guide a client through the process of discovering what makes them stand out from the crowd. Her core values are to guide others, to help people make connections and to validate what matters to them.Purpose and values in hand, Fran found a renewed passion for her company. Now able to find like-minded employees and clients, Fran realized the importance of what was happening. Her business was flourishing because she was getting noticed for why she was doing her work, not what she was doing. The epiphany was confirmed with her clients too. Every time she worked on a project where she started with identifying the clients purpose, the results would be astounding. Soon Fran was choosing to only work with clients who saw the value of purpose. With her passion for guiding others, Fran began to expand her own services to help companies find their purpose, and to show them how to use it to their advantage.In early 2009, Fran teamed up with a purpose strategist to create a special offering that enables her clients to discover their purpose, embrace their possibilities and make changes happen so that their businesses can thrive. She guides clients through the process of finding the beliefs and values that set them apart, and she connects them with the branding and marketing strategies that help them tell their stories authentically. The results: inspired business processes, happier employees, increased customer loyalty, and brands that are purpose-centered.Today Fran is happily remarried to broadway producer, Yeeshai Gross and their family has grown with the addition of a baby daughter, Ariella. Business is also good, with Advantages continuing to grow in a purpose-centered way. The biggest change has been for Fran herself, now a Get Noticed Guru who shares her special talents with other entrepreneurs. Fran is a walking guide to getting good things, an indomitable people connector, and a spirited promoter of the purpose movement. She remains a firm believer that people matter, and it matters to her that she can help them get noticed.