Business Book Review: The Secrets of My Success by Janine Allis
Allis delivers a refreshingly real read. A delicious mix of personal stories and business prowess. It’s a juicy tell-all on the reality of business.
My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 216 pages
Publisher: Wiley
Released: 2013
Key Takeaways for Personal Branding
The Secrets of My Success tells the story of Janine Allis and Boost Juice, which she founded with her husband. It recounts how a young mum in her twenties led one of Australia’s fastest-growing businesses. One with more than 6,000 employees and $160 million in global sales (at the time of writing in 2013, ten years ago).
The book takes an honest look at the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, professionally and personally.
The Person Behind the Business
From a personal branding perspective, what’s most notable is the shift the business made when it started to highlight Allis (at her husband’s suggestion) as the face of the business. Its founding story is the reason why so many Australians know what Boost Juice represents. It tells the story of a young mum looking for a healthy alternative for her children in the marketplace.
The Boost Guarantee
Allis highlights the ‘Boost Juice Guarantee’. Which, at the time of writing, every store still had. It covers ingredients, a focus on service and a healthy lifestyle, giving people a reason to smile, and more.
This is also what some in branding might call a ‘brand promise’ and is as relevant when it comes to personal branding. What is the guarantee you want to give those who experience your personal brand?
Branding
Somewhat counterintuitively for such a vibrant brand, the book shares that Boost Juice’s true mastery is in the ‘boring back-end’. This includes franchising, IT, design and development, legal and finance. But, it would be remiss not to discuss the Boost Juice brand. Which the book covers at length.
What many might not know is that Allis and her husband’s first business in juice bars was with another brand. With other partners, they founded Sejuice, which folded sometime after the Allises left the business. On the ground, Allis led the opening. But, struggled with the power dynamics of others who didn’t take her leadership seriously. The Allises were also overruled with the branding, which Allis now describes as horrible. It was with Boost Juice, that Allis could execute her vision without the pitfalls of decision-making by committee (which despite clearly being a team player, she frequently criticises in the book).
Through both simplicity and meaning, Boost Juice seemed to nail its brand from the get-go. Three-meter-high illuminated fruit imagery in stores. Vibrant colours and a logo that picks up on the key natural ingredients of the fruits of their juices.
Delegation
Allis’ discussion on delegation is a refreshingly blunt one:
“Once upon a time, people who worked long hours and spent most of their weekends in the office were seen as dedicated - great examples to other employees. Not anymore. An extreme working day is no longer seen as a badge of honour. Now it’s more likely to be thought of as showing poor time-management skills, a lack of organisation or a poor approach to delegation. For a leader, a lack of delegation shows bad management skills.”
Favourite Quotes
“When you have only yourself to rely on, you learn to trust your instincts and find resources within yourself you never knew existed.”
“With every single complaint, it became my personal challenge to convert that customer into a raving fan.”
“The bigger your purpose, the more fulfilled you’ll be at the end of every day.”
“Find out everything you can about whatever you’re passionate about. As you discover more and your knowledge grows, so too does your passion. Passion means that learning is no longer a chore but, instead, it becomes a joy and something that fulfils your soul."
“How did I overcome my concerns? With common sense, a clear vision and by looking at the people who believed in me. I realised these people weren’t stupid — and if they backed me all the way, who was I to question their judgement?"
“Confidence is everything. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too.”
“The presenter is more important than the presentation, the messenger more important than the message. If you have a good reputation, guard it with your life.”
“Remember, to be incredible you must be credible.”
The Secrets of My Success lives up to the hype as a juicy tell-all. Allis shares the Boost Juice story with the perfect blend of humour and powerhouse business leadership. Through her recount of events, Allis shows the power of storytelling in leadership at work. Effectively communicating her brand and Boost Juice’s through carefully selected memories.
Entirely in-keeping with Boost Juice’s marketing prowess, the book is delightfully on brand. Each section is skilfully positioned. The wordplay is perhaps the best I’ve seen. It masters the balance between cleverness and clarity.
This book is for entrepreneurs and business professionals alike. Allis shares the secret recipes many business leaders should drink up.
The Secrets of My Success by Janine Allis: Available on Amazon.
