Janine Allis started Boost Juice from her kitchen bench and has grown it into to a global business with more than two billion dollars of sales. Speaking at the 2016 Viva Lunch Session, Janine shares her tips for how to start your own business. Plus, keep an eye out for 2017's Viva Lunch Session, coming in October.
Naivety can help
"I had no idea what I was doing when we started; often naivety can play the best part. I think sometimes getting into business with just the thought of 'What if? Could I?' is the way to go."
Focus on your customers
"We had more competitors than we knew what to do with when we started. So why are we the ones still left standing? We just kept focusing on the customer. We didn't care about competitors."
Be petrified
"Normally in business you talk about all the Ps … People, planning and productivity. But probably the biggest P that has helped me be as successful as I am and is just one, and that is be petrified. You need to have a bee in your bonnet, a big hairy audacious goal. If your goals aren't scary enough, then maybe they aren't big enough."
Be a yes person
"I am a 'yes' person. I think everyone in this room will have five or six different opportunities in their lifetime that will land in their laps and it's so easy to say no. Because when you say no, you don't have to think about it, it can just go away and you can live your life and you can have your whine about things that aren't working but if we say yes, when we normally say no – extraordinary things happen."
Choose to SOAR
"I think there are two types of people in the world and we can all fit into these two categories. You can be a VERB: V – Victim E– Entitled R– Rescue B– Blame or you can choose to SOAR: S– Solutions O– Ownership A– Accountability R– Responsibility. The VERBs are the people who are victims, the people who are entitled, they need to be rescued and more importantly they blame the world for their woes and sometimes they have valid excuses. But I have come across people who have been dealt the worst hands in the world and they choose to SOAR, they look for solutions, they take ownership for their whole life and success, their accountability and responsibility."
Women in business
"I've never found being a woman in business a challenge. I've actually found it an advantage and I honestly believe the only glass ceiling is the one we create ourselves. I think we are in an era where we can really do whatever we want and I think if we start to say the glass ceiling is a limitation, that's a limitation that we are putting on ourselves."
Planning is important
"I think of myself when I first started with zero business experience — but I still had a business plan. Stop every six months and relook at your business plan."
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"It's really difficult. You can sometimes think, 'I'm the greatest hirer of people' and then you hire someone and they end up stealing from you. But the reality is they have to have the X factor. Yes, what's on their resume is important – particularly if they are going to be a brain surgeon, cutting into your head – but other than that what you're looking for is that drive, that they are prepared to go above and beyond."
