The Accidental Entrepreneur

by Janine Allis

  If you're having a personality clash with one or two other people in a company of 100, well, that probably just makes you normal.

  On the other hand, if you find it tough to name even one or two colleagues who you actually like, you probably need to take a hard look at your current position. Most people spend more time with their work colleagues than their family, so it is important that you enjoy your co-workers.

  Solution

  Find a job (or start a business) that suits your personality. Remember, if you're passionate about something, you'll be good at it! Passion can be quiet, but you need to be in a position where you feel confident about getting your point across. When you go for job interviews, ask a lot of questions about the ‘culture' of the company — you want to make sure it's right for you.

  Setting realistic expectations

  When was the last time you woke up and thought, I'm going to wow them at work today! A lot of people trudge off to work (or even their own businesses) and sit down at their desks, prepared to do nothing more than what's necessary to get through the day. Low expectations like those could be killing your career or your business. To get ahead you need to be more positive! I go to work every day determined to learn something new — and every day, I manage to do just that. There's always something you don't know.

  If you've been killing time at your desk for a while now, you may find that other people have fallen into line with your low expectations. Has your boss given you any interesting new projects of late or suggested you attend a training course? If your answer is no, chances are your boss has noted your attitude. We get back the energy that we put out — if you're giving off bad vibes, nobody is going to go out of their way to give you opportunities.

  Solution

  It's time for an attitude change. Try surrounding yourself with positive mantras — write them down and put them where you'll see them in the morning.

  Go to work with a smile on your face and a can-do attitude. If you lift the expectations of yourself, you'll find that others will too. If you look ready to receive more, you'll be given more. Yes, that might mean a heavier workload but, really, aren't you bored just sitting there watching the clock?

  Also consider whether you're expecting too much too quickly. We live in a ‘now' era. You only have to look at the spiralling credit card debt in our society to see that this is not a generation of people willing to wait patiently for things to happen. Too often young people sabotage their positions by demanding too much, too soon. Ask yourself if you're being realistic in your expectations. So you're not managing a department at 22 — very few people are. Having said that, many of my employees may be considered young for the roles they hold, but they've worked very hard for their success.

  I have never been a fan of those who believe they're entitled to things. Yet I've seen people take entry-level positions and then, within what feels like three minutes, demand pay rises or ask for promotions just because ‘I have a degree', ‘My friend gets x dollars' or ‘I've been here three months'. I encourage ambition in my staff, but progression within a company has to be earned.

  Some people manage to progress very quickly; for others it takes longer. If you feel you've been passed over several times, it may be time to speak to your boss, but overall you need to look at your career as a long-term prospect. Promotion may not happen overnight, but if you put in the hard yards and aim for respect from management and your colleagues, it will happen. Remember that respect and reputation are very difficult to earn and incredibly easy to lose. Don't forget about the big picture in a fit of pique about what's happening now.

  Learning to say no

  Do you find yourself saying yes to everything? A last-minute report needs doing, the photocopier needs fixing, you're loaded down with a big project, but you can't turn down the new recruit when she asks for help with her expense sheet. Every office has someone like you. Good old dependable you. The need to control (and ‘fix') everything can be even stronger when it's your own business.

  The trouble is that it's very difficult to remain dependable when you're being stretched in every direction. Sooner or later all those balls that you're juggling will start to fall — and you'll be too busy doing something else to catch them.

  If you've found yourself in this role, you know wiggling out of it can be difficult, particularly if the word ‘no' rarely passes your lips. You must assert yourself better. Taking up the slack in your office, department or business is not helping anyone — either someone else is letting you pull their weight or you're simply understaffed. Whatever the reason, your boss (or you) will never be able to manage resources if they can't get a clear picture of what's going on. It's time to stop working those incalculable hours; let others in the office stand on their own two feet. You don't have to be everything to everyone to be a valuable member of the team.

  Solution

  Learn how to say no. If you find that you're being piled up with work, under the assumption that you always find a way, it's time to sit down with your boss and discuss your deadlines. If your colleagues are taking advantage of your good nature, help them find the solutions for which they should be responsible by suggesting they put their own ideas together and discuss them when you get some time. There is always a way to let people down gently. If you don't start to do this, the only person heading for a fall is you.

  Respecting others

  You may call it being cool, or creative. Maybe you simply don't think about it at all. I'm talking about the little things that show a lack of respect — like being consistently late for work or not ready for meetings, throwing things together at the last minute, and passing the buck to others because you've got ‘other things to do'.

  What these things add up to is a big lack of respect for your colleagues — and never imagine for a second that they won't notice. They may not say anything at the time, but those slights are being filed away and will count against you in the future.

  At Boost and Retail Zoo, we value respect immensely, but it has to be earned. It also has to be given. When you wander in late, fail to give 100 per cent or let others pick up your slack, you send a message to the rest of the team that they don't count. That doesn't make for a very happy workplace. I believe that happy teams make the best teams, and I do my best to weed out any negative influences. Any smart boss will do the same.

  Solution

  The old adage ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' has never held truer than in today's workplace. The best way to get ahead is to show your colleagues respect. They will not help you or make you look good unless you show them that you value their contributions. If one person performs badly, it lets down the whole team — don't be that person!

  By the way, if you happen to be the person who's picking up the slack for someone — that is, having a heap of stuff dumped on you because your colleague ‘doesn't have time', you're not doing yourself or your colleague any favours (refer to the preceding section).

  Acting the part

  You only need to read some of the chapters in this book to realise that I'm the last person who will ever judge people on their appearance. I don't believe that you need to present any other image than your own to be successful. But — yes, there's always a but — that's within reason.

  Most workplaces or business types have a dress code and it makes sense to work within this code as best you can. Advertising agencies and other creative environments may seem to be freer with their fashion, but their unspoken rules of cool can be as set in stone as rules on attire in a corporate accountant's office.

  Why would you bother with these rules? Two words: your comfort. If you're uncomfortable, you can't be at your best. If you stand out in your workplace or with investors, like Lindsay Lohan at an IBM convention, your fabulous ideas may never get the audience they truly deserve.

  Which brings me to my next and most important point: actions speak louder than words. You can be the best talker in the office, full of amazing plans and strategie
s, but if you never get past the talking, you won't get far.

  Solution

  It can be difficult trying to sell your ideas and solutions to people who aren't looking past your belly-button piercing. You'll find it's easier if you take the time to work out the best way to express your personality within the boundaries that are acceptable in your workplace.

  Also, once you've sold your ideas, don't forget the most important part of the equation — the follow-up. I don't want to hear about how well you can do something, or how quickly — show me. Very few people talk their way to the top (no matter how things may sometimes look). The truth is that solid hard work needs to follow up any burst of hot air.

  Eliminating the fear

  Whether you have a fear of failure or success, drop it! Everybody makes mistakes. There — the truth is out. Unfortunately, some people would rather not make any impact at all than risk making an error. You only need to watch an episode of a reality television show to see these people in action. In this situation, they're hoping to go unnoticed so they don't get voted out; however, even in this example you can see this tactic only works for so long. Soon the numbers get so few that those hiding in the shadows are forced into the spotlight.

  In a work or investment environment, those people who never speak up, never volunteer and never commit will also never get ahead. They may get by without making waves for a while, but sooner or later their workmates will notice a certain void where that person should be. Nobody ever said that every member of a team has to be an extroverted leader. However, every member of a team does need to commit to the group. If you're too afraid of failure to even have a go, you create imbalance within the team.

  Making an error will not be the end of your career or your business; write that down in your diary if you must. You need to step up to the plate and have a swing if you hope to hit a home run. The key to learning is having a go. As far as I'm concerned, learning something new every day is the key to a successful career. If you make a mistake, fine — own up to it and do your best to rectify it. I have more respect for people who do this than for those who skate through their working life, never really making an impact. After all, how can your boss see what you can really do if you never take a swing?

  On the opposite side of the coin, many people seem frightened of the changes that success might bring to their lives. They feel they are imposters — that somehow the opportunities that have come their way were not really meant for them. They sit waiting for someone else to uncover the awful truth. I've seen talented staff who haven't gone for promotions because they're worried about ending up as the boss of one of their friends. Others are concerned about how their lives might change, and whether their partner will be able to handle their success. Many people go about their ordinary lives, ignoring great opportunities because they don't fit into the scheme of those ordinary lives. It's the few people willing to take a chance who find that success comes their way.

  Solution

  Face your fear. Try my ‘worst-case scenario' approach: what's the absolute worst thing that might happen should you take a chance on success? Perhaps the partner you have right now won't make the jump with you — if that's the case, is that person really right for you? Perhaps you will end up your friend's boss — have you talked to them about it? How close is your friendship anyway? The point is this: can you live with the ‘worst case'? Once you've identified the absolute worst that can happen, it usually just doesn't look as scary.

  We can use a million reasons to convince ourselves that we shouldn't do something. We can use just one reason to convince ourselves we should: ‘Why not?'

  As for feeling like an imposter — and I've seen it with so many people — never underestimate the effort you put in, and accept that you deserve everything you've achieved. At times I think, How did I get here? Me, who knew nothing about business? Then I remember — Oh yes, I'm here from a lot of bloody hard work!

  Avoiding burnout

  Not so long ago, I had days when I started to wonder what the hell I was doing. I'd spend ten hours in the office, go home to spend a few hours with my family, then sit down at my computer to do another five hours' work. Of course, I'm not the only one who has worked that hard at some time in their life. The workplace is full of people spending way too much time in front of their computers and under fluorescent lights. Unfortunately, if we don't see the warning signs and put the brakes on in time, we will burn out. The fastest way to derail your career is to lose track of the importance of downtime.

  Burnout is what happens when we don't get our work–life balance right. If you focus on just one area of your life, to the detriment of all else, it's no wonder things begin to go pear-shaped.

  Stress can only be endured for so long. Long hours can only be tolerated for a little while. Being the first into the office and the last to go home will only get you brownie points with management for a short period. Once that wears off, they will simply begin to question your time-management skills.

  In short, if you're beginning to feel that your workplace simply couldn't function without your presence, it's probably time to take a break. Holidays are a vital part of working life — we need them to refresh our minds and re-energise our bodies. Never underestimate the importance of taking a breather, and stopping to do nothing.

  Solution

  When was the last time you had a break — a proper one, without the laptop and the mobile phone? Trust me — the office will not fall apart in your absence. This may be a little deflating for the ego, but the health benefits will more than make up for it. When you return from your holiday, rested and rejuvenated, you'll be able to make that charge up the corporate ladder at full speed.

  Are you ready for an investor?

  Before you launch into seeking investors and setting up pitch meetings, ask yourself the following:

  Have I thoroughly researched my market and my customer?

  Have I proven that customers want my product?

  Do I know my business's finances inside out?

  Is my business scalable?

  Do I know what I have to offer an investor?

  When can the investor expect a return?

  PART V

  WORLD DOMINATION

  Being lucky enough to live in such an amazing country like Australia, there are many things we can take for granted; from our standard of living, to our relaxed culture, to our relatively egalitarian corporate structure by comparison to world standards. Travelling the world as I opened new markets for Boost gave me a chance to experience a huge variety of cultural practices I would never have been exposed to had I not ventured into a foreign boardroom, and it was truly fascinating.

  Opening these new markets, as well as making some changes at Boost and Retail Zoo, meant I was able to focus on what I was best at.

  9

  LEAPING INTO NEW MARKETS

  Travelling for Boost took me back to those early years wandering the world before Boost began — and between missed flights, lost luggage and stumbling straight into meetings without sleep, it sometimes felt like I hadn't advanced much on my backpacker days! Definitely those early years as a traveller helped to prepare me for the rigours and surprises of working in new environments overseas.

  I have always been good at solving problems and thinking on my feet, and learning the language of cross-cultural business relations was a new and exciting challenge.

  To allow me to focus more on these challenges, however, we first needed to make some big changes at Boost and Retail Zoo.

  Pausing to reflect

  The birth of Tahlia gave Jeff and me time to reflect on what was important in our lives. After riding this incredible 50-foot wave of business, we asked ourselves, ‘What do we really want out of life and what does the future look like?' We were over 14 years into starting Boost and, even after creating Retail Zoo, we still really had all of our eggs in one basket. We were also aware that we needed more expertise in the international markets — although we were ha
ving some success overseas, we knew we could do it better.

  Since the beginning of Boost, we have owned various percentages of the business during different times. I had never been overly concerned about the percentage we held — I focused more on the value of that percentage, and having enough percentage to ensure that we maintained control of the direction of Boost (which is an important lesson — know your shareholders agreement). Other than that, having the right partners was always the more important aspect of this balance, and making certain that all partners could contribute within their field of expertise.

  Throughout the whole journey of Boost Juice, we had talked about the many ways of growth, and going public was discussed a number of times. We spoke to a friend of mine who was an expert in the field and who described the various options. One was private equity (PE). We had never considered PE before, because we had heard some horror stories from people who had gone down that path. If you have an open mind, however, you never know where this can lead, and that is what we adopted. We began to research all of our options and realised the right PE partner would provide us with capital out of the business for personal use and put capital into the business for growth, and we could also find someone with strong experience in the international marketplace.