News
Dovetail Organizer featured in Fanshawe College Alumni News, Spring 2007
A sudden death or illness comes out of the blue. Loved ones are left sorting through a lifetime of paperwork to find the deed to the house, investment statements, insurance, a will and all the other important details.
In the face of tragedy, most people would be reeling, but there is a new way that you can plan better for the unexpected: a software product launched in London, Ontario called the Dovetail Organizer.
No one wants to think about tragedy striking close to home, but in my previous career path, I saw it all too often: family members left wondering where to begin,” explains Gayle White-Malloy (Law Clerk 74), owner of Dovetail Inc. “I saw a need for a product that could be set up in advance, during someone’s life, and it would be a lifesaver to those left behind. Final wishes would be clear; assets identified; paperwork gathered and accessible – it seemed like a great concept.
A great concept – yes – and it’s been an exciting five years in development, production, testing and launch. Drawing on her background as a law clerk and mediator, and her experiences as a Human Resources professional, Gayle has created a unique do-it-yourself kit. All you need is a P.C. compatible computer and access to a scanner if you want, and you’re ready to go.
Do you know where the deed to your house is?
Imagine a safety deposit box that fits on a CD disk with all your personal, professional and financial documentation in one safe place? Thanks to technology and Dovetail Inc., you too can be ultra-organized and ready for anything – courtesy of Gayle White-Malloy who visualized and developed this useful tool.
The software walks you through each aspect of your life that you should document: personal, business, medical, financial, property and estate. “My main concerns were to make it user-friendly, affordable and secure,” explains Gayle. “It’s a product that is for any adult, any age, so it had to be really flexible.”
Since the product launch in 2006, Gayle finds the market continues to expand. “My first purchasers were older adults with investments and wills, and of course adult children who were interested in it for their parents,” says Gayle.
Estate planners were also keen to see it. But now I’m meeting recent college graduates who view it as a way to start out getting their lives organized while they’re young. The versatility is definitely there.
Gayle has also had recent success with the product being sold by Chapters stores in London and she is making inroads setting up partnerships with large financial companies like Great West Life whereby the company introduces the Dovetail product to their clients through their network of financial advisors.
