CBT Systems was Internet Time Group's first client. CBT Systems had about 250 employees in early 1999, but aside from the Board and a few Senior Officers, only a handful of us knew that we were preparing to re-orient and re-name the company. We drew the drapes in the conference room when we met and used code-words. I was writing white papers, FAQs, and positioning statements.  We wrote and re-wrote brochure copy. I converted Greg’s initial vision paper into a customer-ready overview of eLearning.  

In October 1999, we announced that CBT Systems would henceforth be known as SmartForce, The eLearning Company. At the Online Learning Conference in Los Angeles, I signaled the master of ceremonies, Gloria Gery, who read the news to two thousand participants. We distributed carton after carton of brochures and gave demos from CBT Systems’ tiny 10x10 booth in the exhibit hall. For six months, SmartForce was the only eLearning game in town.