Truly Nolen Book Offers Look into Life of Entrepreneur, Adventurer, Polio Survivor

NAPLES, Fla. – Truly David Nolen is a man who believes in following a passion. Nolen followed his passion, building one of the nation’s largest family-owned pest control companies – a company that bears his name. Nolen tells his story in “Truly Original,” a newly released biography that offers a look at the man behind Truly Nolen of America and its iconic yellow, tails-and-ears mouse cars.

“Truly Original,” shows a man shaped by a bout with polio that left him in an iron lung, as well as the influence of a father obsessed with customer service, and how flying over Central and South America inspired him to franchise his business in 38 countries. The biography shows how Nolen grew his business from a $5,000 shoestring in 1955 into a coast-to-coast company that netted $72 million in revenues in 2004. The book also examines how Nolen lived his philosophies – nicknamed “Trulyisms.”

“What you know the most about is what will interest you the most and in turn will lead to happiness in work and success as defined by each person,” a “Trulyism” that Nolen has lived from his youngest days.

A man with a wide independent streak, Nolen takes readers along when he, as a 16-year-old, and a 13-year-old friend, sailed from Miami to Baltimore, making headlines in the “Baltimore Sun.” He also tells how he made it through his Bar Mitzvah at age 68.

Nolen said friends have long encouraged him to write a book about his life. One was Brian Perrochet, who edited the book. The other was co-author Fielding Epstein, whom Nolen met when he personally followed up on a sales call to Epstein’s office, the Cleveland Clinic at Naples.

While Nolen had gone through many business books, he found most of them to be informative, but dull.

“I know you need to keep up with new ideas in business,” Nolen said. “But I only saw one business book that was interesting. It was by a stockbroker who took a motorcycle trip around the world with his girlfriend. The last paragraph of each chapter would be about the business of the country he was in – and how the stock market worked in Bosnia and places you didn’t even know had a stock market.

“It was an interesting way to have an adventure story with some business mixed in,” he said, which is what he sought in his own book.

“Truly Original” doesn’t shy away from the hard times or setbacks in life, instead presenting them as learning experiences. Nolen is equally up front about his future. Chapter 17, “Truly Nolen After Truly,” lays out his succession plans for his company.

Nolen said the last chapter was a response to rumors about what would happen to the company after him.

“I heard rumors about what people thought would happen to the company after I die, but they didn’t say it to my face,” he said. “In this business, it’s a very common thing to sell out to a large competitor, particularly when you retire. I don’t want to do that and I don’t want the next generation to do that. It’s a good business and I’d like to see it continue. Besides working for money, you work for fun and because you’re loving it.”

Epstein said he appreciated the faith Nolen showed in letting him work on the book.

“The most impressive quality of Truly is his willingness to mentor others and his belief in helping other people achieve their dreams,” he said. “Even though I’d never written a book, Truly never questioned whether I was a writer or not. He knew that I had the desire to do it and he put his trust in me. I talked to him on a Thursday and that Sunday I started interviewing him.”

The book closes with what Nolen calls “Trulyisms,” a collection of Nolen’s philosophies first requested by his son, Scott. They include:

Never say “no” to a customer. Rather, give them better options – You cannot win an argument, but you can reason together with more choices. The customer defines quality – If you think you have done a good job and the customer does not – we lose! New leaders – Do not let your ego get in the way because you have a new title. Be yourself. Once you set your plan in motion, don’t let people try to talk you out of it. Give it a chance to be implemented.

Written by Nolen and Epstein, chief administrator of the Cleveland Clinic in Naples, “Truly Original” is published by Collage Books, Inc. The book can be ordered from the PCT Bookstore.