About Dr. Gerald Blumenthal

Dr. Gerald Blumenthal is a global entrepreneur, mechanical engineer, industrial psychologist, author of five books, international speaker, and business mentor. He began his entrepreneurial career in 1970 in the country of South Africa. His first company, Sembel-it, was a ready-made, knock-down pine furniture and shelving manufacturer that rifled to success despite the fact that the furniture retail trade in South Africa was careening toward a recession. From the literal ground up (he financed the start of the company from the sale of his car), Blumenthal’s business grew to 37 locations and more than 500 employees in less than a decade. In 1981, he sold the company at its height of being the largest DIY company in Africa. By the time he moved to the US, he was well-versed in the art of business development and customer service.

From Continent to Continent

In the early 1980s, Blumenthal moved from South Africa to America, settling down his home and business in Houston. In 1987, he launched ESP (Evaluation Systems for Personnel) Shop, a secret shopper service with more than 600,000 shoppers and used in more than 6.5 million businesses across the country. Through Blumenthal’s foresight, the concept of Mystery Shopping was born. As the founder and owner of one of America’s largest mystery shopping companies, Blumenthal provides extensive insight into the field of customer service. Over the past few decades, he has been able to utilize the employee performance data he has accumulated, which has provided business owners and executives with the tools to better prepare their employees and serve their customers.

From the Business World to a World of Fiction

Dr. Blumenthal, while establishing several thriving companies, speaking on the international circuit, and providing valuable insight for businesses, he has written four fiction novels and one nonfiction book. His fiction novels include the thrillers The Monkey Trial: Judgment Day, The Brass Compass, Lauren: Adventures of a Teenage Detective, and Lauren II: Adventures of a Teenage Detective. His lone nonfiction piece is the engaging and incredibly alluring Serial Killers: Their Lives, Their Crimes, and Their Handwriting. Copies are available for purchase.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Natal

B.S. in Industrial Psychology from Derby College of Technology

B.S. in Industrial Administration from Derby College of Technology

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Witwatersrand University

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Witwatersrand University

Professional Member of the National Speakers Association (NSA)