The Accidental Entrepreneur

by Janine Allis

  Research is key: Research is critical before moving into markets. For example, our market at Boost in Australia is mostly a ‘grab and go' one, but when we researched the Asian market, we discovered they are more of a ‘buy and sit' market. Every market has its nuances, and you need to know what they are before you invest heavily into those markets. Some countries are difficult to get money out of — for example, South Africa. Trademark laws are different in every country. Franchising laws are very different — in some countries, you need to be approved to be a franchisor and other countries have very few rules to follow. The most important research you should be doing here and overseas is always (did I say always?) talk to your customers and ask them about your product, price and promotions. Whatever the differences, it is best to know before you enter into the market — rather than when you have already invested. The government body Austrade is also a great resource — it exists solely to help you grow your business overseas. And the Export Market Development Grants scheme (EMDG) is also well worth investigating if you are looking at exporting your business or product.

  You need to understand what you are prepared to give to achieve this goal: We decided as a business that we would start to research the US market. Jeff and I flew to the United States and stayed there to see how we could make this work. We actually stayed so long doing the research that I gave birth to my fourth child there. After a full review, we decided that our concept should work. We met with all of our competitors and reviewed our options: do we acquire an existing juice bar and convert, for example, or do we start fresh? We did the numbers and looked at every shopping centre in California, and eventually made an offer on a great site in Century City in Los Angeles. We were excited with the prospect of growing the brand into the US market. What we forgot to ask ourselves was, what do we want as people, not as businesspeople? We knew on paper what to do, but we realised the only way we believed it would be successful was if Jeff and I moved our family to the United States for at least a year to really drive this business forward. The truth was that neither of us wanted to live in the United States. We didn't want to uproot the kids. So, we were torn between wanting to expand to the United States and our personal needs. In the end, the site was given to another brand, which gave us some time to review how we could make this work. It was all very well to have the idea, and the funds, but we also knew if we or other key executives were taken out of the Australian market at that stage, it may affect the core business. The plan was to regroup and work at growing a team to be able to grow overseas. Timing can be everything, as just after this the United States went into meltdown with the global financial crisis (GFC) and so any plans of going into the United States were put on hold. The United States is still a market we will enter, but we will do so when we are ready.

  Still loving life

  Like any baby, a business eventually grows up and becomes more independent and Boost is no exception. As we began to expand into more overseas territories and our team grew stronger and more experienced, I began to realise, hey, I can take a holiday and the sky doesn't fall in. And my phone is ringing less often at strange times of the day and night! That's when I began to realise that the great team we'd hired was doing exactly what we hired them to do and our little business was getting to be all grown up. But when you've been in the thick of the action for so long it can be hard to switch off. That's when I realised it had been quite a while since I properly took care of me.

  Ever feel like a mouse on a wheel? You know, running and running and going nowhere … fast. Sometimes you need to get off that wheel, for the sake of your mental and physical health. As entrepreneurs, we are so driven by our own passion for our project that we can be our own worst enemies. This section is all about ensuring you're happy with your work–life balance, and taking care of you — regardless of what stage of the journey you're on.

  There's more to life

  Do you feel like there just never seems to be enough time in the day to fit in everything you want to get done? If you're anything like me — a parent, with a business to run or a job you're passionate about, and a partner whom you love to spend time with — the days probably fly by. Sometimes the pace of my life is enough to make me wonder whether somebody has actually dropped an hour or two out of the standard 24-hour day without telling me.

  In the early days, you give everything to your business to ensure it succeeds. But as the business matures and you start to get more experience and more people in the business, you need to start letting go of certain areas. Often entrepreneurs are ‘Jacks of all trades' — and you have to be — but as you grow, you can get specialists into the business to do the job ten times better than you can do it yourself. Your plan should always be to do yourself out of a job. Although this may take years, a great business is one you can go away from and know it will still run smoothly. This is what we all need to aim for to achieve that elusive work–life balance.

  Work–life balance is something that's talked about a lot these days. But what does it mean? To me, it is all about finding happiness and contentment; getting enormous stimulation from my work, yet being equally happy to sit down and play Monopoly with my 17-year-old for two hours. Sometimes I do find it hard to drag myself away from work — when you're really passionate about your job, it can be all-encompassing — but I'm getting better. I'm learning to switch myself off from the office and enjoy the other aspects of my life as well. I think that we will all be better wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, employees, leaders and friends if we find that happy medium.

  Work–life balance is about prioritising what's important to you, and having equal space in your life for your job and your family. Unfortunately, a lot of employers only pay lip-service to flexible work hours and ‘family time'. The reality is that you get paid to do a job and the job has to get done. Having said that, work–life balance is becoming recognised as an important strategy in creating a healthy corporate culture. The best companies are certainly making great steps in that direction and they're finding great improvements in productivity in the process.

  When Boost Juice first started I worked from home, juggling my three sons and a growing company: the two little ones were still at home, and the oldest was at primary school. It was important to me to be home when my oldest son walked in at 3.30 pm. Eventually, my business baby (Boost) began taking over room after room of my home, and more and more hours in the day. I ended up despising my house, and particularly the rooms used for workspace, because I never got away from work. It was a relief to everyone when Boost moved out of the family home and into corporate offices. Things became much easier for me once I had a definite demarcation between work and my personal life. The advantage was that home became my sanctuary again. The disadvantage was that the kids couldn't see me when they walked in after school. So I made sure my kids also felt at home at the Boost offices. One of the first things I did when the business moved was to buy a large toy box and a television for the premises, and I also made sure there was a spare computer so the boys could come in and do their homework.

  Another step I've taken is to set up ‘non-negotiable' dates. These include dates such as school sports days and concerts — if it's important to the kids, I'll be there, no matter what's going on at the office. I'll walk into one of these events and see my son scanning the room for me. When he catches my eye, his face lights up. It means everything to my children that I'm there for these events, and that matters to me.

  You may be thinking, That's great Janine, but you live within two minutes of your work and you have your own business. My work won't allow me to do that. You're right, I do have a lot of freedom, but that's because I've created my freedom and I've done it through hard work. It's only now that my business has the executives in place that I do not need to be there 24/7.

  I'm not stepping away from the business; I love it too much. But I have realised that I cannot allow it to consume my life forever. Any good businessperson should be constantly hiring people to do the
mselves out of a job.

  Remember: being organised and setting yourself up to succeed with good support around you will get you the life that you want. But — and this is a big but — do not fool yourself or have unrealistic expectations when just starting out. Very little work–life balance is possible in the early days of growing a business. As you have read through this book, you have to make sacrifices to grow a business, and you will likely spend some time getting the pendulum just right.

  What I have found is that your thirties to forties are really the years to be focused on making your mark. It was only when I was well into my forties that I truly could say I had genuine life balance — but I wouldn't change one thing.

  Whatever choices you make, ensure they are working towards you having a full life. While I'm no expert in this area, having made many mistakes, the following are a few things I've learned along the way.

  Prioritise

  You will never get what you want if you don't know what that is.

  It's time to stop seeing work or your business as something that finances the rest of your life, and start thinking about doing what you love and making money from it. I know I've reiterated the idea of passion several times in this book, but that's because I feel so … well … passionately about it. If you're still not sure how to define your goals and dreams, find a mentor to help.

  My kids are my priority, but I believe that children are in your life; you're not in theirs. Admittedly, this gets easier as kids get older. I work killer hours, there's no doubt, but I fit them in around quality time with my children. When I'm at home with them in the evening, it's their time. We do normal things such as reading and watching television until they have to go to bed. Then it's my time again, the laptop comes out and I do what I need to do. Yes, it's a long day, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it.

  Of course, I would like to say that there's no way I ever compromised family life by letting my work take over completely but, honestly, work did sometimes take a front and centre position. None of us is perfect and life forever is a balance — trying to keep all the plates spinning in the air at the same time does not always work. I have taken my children to school when no school is on, and they have gone in the wrong uniform many times, but mostly I did get it right — and, hey, that is life.

  It takes two

  Jeff and I are both passionately involved in Boost and Retail Zoo. Do we ever see each other? Do we ever talk about anything other than business? The answers are yes and yes. I must admit we do have corporate meetings over dinner, but both of us are aware of the importance of letting each other switch off. We understand when one of us arrives home from work and simply doesn't want to talk about business. We also make time to go away together. We have a good, open relationship (which is vital) and enormous respect for each other. Even with that kind of partnership as a base, you will have your ups and downs; Jeff and I always talk through our differences — sometimes at a loud volume.

  I am very lucky that, 20 years on, I am madly in love with the man I married. Like with any marriage, he drives me mad and at times I could throw him under a bus, but that only lasts an hour or so and then we are laughing again.

  Get help

  Who said that you have to do everything? Women in particular suffer badly from the ‘I must' syndrome: ‘I must put in a full day's work, organise the family, clean the bathroom, collect the dry cleaning, bake for the school fete' and so on. Get over it! Terrific people are working hard to make a living doing those things you don't want to do. Let them. Whether it's a cleaner, a gardener or a caterer you need, call in the professionals and save your energy for chasing your goals — and do not feel guilty. A happy woman is a happy mother and wife, and if we are happy we are so much better at both.

  Work out how much you need

  There's a tendency today for us all to be working at making as much money as possible — without really knowing how much we need. You don't have to curtail your financial ambitions, but if it's money that's driving your workaholic tendencies, it might help to sit down and cost your ultimate lifestyle. Once it's written down, you may find you don't need as much cash as you think. Or you may find the motivation you need to start overachieving!

  Enjoy extracurricular activities

  It is healthy to have a hobby or social activity outside of work that helps you relax and forget the problems of the day. I feel very strongly about this. I do yoga five days a week, and this is a time where I can focus on nothing else but me. Whether it's dinner with your mates, a visit to the gym or whatever — don't get too busy for something that helps you cope with life's pressures. You can always find time for the things that are really important, so make this important.

  Ramping up

  Here's how to really focus on improving your work–life balance:

  Know that at times in your life your work–life balance will be out of whack, and that is okay. Do the best you can to juggle and create coping mechanisms along the way. But, in order to achieve, you will very likely need to have the balance that is not ideal.

  Find a weekly or regular activity you enjoy — join a running club or organise a regular get-together with friends. Or perhaps join a book club — not everything has to be related to business.

  Create some boundaries between your work and home life, and put some emphasis back on health, social life and relationships.

  Clean up your desk. You know where everything is, but do you really need everything? It sounds simple, but you will feel much better when you're not working in chaos!

  Hire a great PA and support people such as cleaners so you actually do have time to do the things you love.

  Taking care of yourself and your health

  I am 50 and I have never been fitter and healthier. I believe taking care of you is taking care of business. You can't win in business, or in life, unless you look after yourself first. When you're chasing a goal it can be easy to overlook simple things such as sleeping, exercising and eating right. All I can say is don't. Working around the clock makes you inefficient and unfocused. Sitting on your backside all day makes you sluggish and, let's face it, overweight. A diet of caffeine and fast food will leave you low in energy and not looking or feeling your best. It does not matter how financially successful you are; if you do not have your health, you have nothing.

  As I've said before, I'm passionate about eating right and I don't miss my yoga for anything. I also do my best to get a decent sleep every night. But I am human — I understand what it's like to be so stressed that you physically can't eat. The key is balance.

  We all have heard the saying, ‘You are what you eat — and drink'. Boost defines ‘eating for success' as eating naturally, and avoiding artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. The emphasis is on fresh and nutritious. It's a theme repeated in one of my favourite books on the topic: Laugh with Health, by Manfred Urs Koch, which focuses on health, diet and natural foods. Of course, I'm not suggesting you suddenly adopt a macrobiotic diet — it's more about doing what you can do within the confines of your busy life.

  What do I do? I eat as much unprocessed food as possible — I eat a lot of fruit and veggies. If I pick up a packet of food and the ingredients label has numbers and words I cannot pronounce, then to me this is not food. Yes, I have a smoothie or juice (sometimes both) every morning. I'm a big fan of all our juices; the simple ginger, carrot and apple juice is my ‘go to' juice. Lunch is usually a big sandwich packed with chicken and salad. We try not to eat a big meal at night, because the body simply cannot digest the food quickly enough before bed and, if I eat anything too big, I find myself tossing and turning. So our big meal is during the day and we go light at night. (The kids are different — they need the calories and the carbs to grow into healthy, strong adults — so we tend to cook a meal for them and something light for Jeff and myself.)

  This is how I eat most of the time; however, life sometimes gets in the way and I find myself not eating the way I should. When this happens, I
cannot sleep and feel and look lousy — and I know I need to get myself back on the health wagon. I could not do what I do if I did not eat healthily.

  I'm very conscious that what I put into my body is the only fuel it has to run on. Given the pace of my life, I do my best to make sure it's efficient. I could always do better, but I do what I can with what I've got. I'm lucky that juices and smoothies are such a fast, nutritionally packed option! (I know it sounds like a sell job, but it really is true.)

  The power of fresh juice!

  Ask me what my secret weapon is and you'll only get one answer: juice, of course! Why am I so passionate about juices and smoothies? Because they work! There are no short cuts to good health, but there are steps you can take to help you on the journey. If you're anything like me, there aren't enough hours in the day to plan and cook the right meals to fit five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit into your diet every day. That's before you even consider the raft of vitamins and minerals that are essential to efficiently run the human body, and the veritable mountain of food you need to get through to ensure you get your quota of each.

  Every year Boost Juice uses over 3 million bananas, 6 million oranges, 5 million apples, 8 million carrots, 2 million sticks of celery, 600 000 pineapples, 2000 tonnes of watermelon, 20 million strawberries, 1 million mangoes, 21 million raspberries, 49 million blueberries and 3 million passionfruit in our smoothies and juices. (These figures are based on 2014 Boost statistics.) That's an enormous amount of fresh fruit and vegetables! A glass of juice can be considered an excellent snack — it's healthy and it will fill you up. An average glass of orange juice contains about five oranges — and there is no doubt that it is a great way to mainline a cocktail of vitamins in minutes. Imagine sitting down to eat five oranges. You'd need a whole soccer team to get through them! It always puzzles me that people only turn to fresh food when they have a health problem. Why wait?