Peta Buttfield is leading the pack when it comes to young, female entrepreneurship as a Jamaica Blue franchisee in Toowoomba. At just 23, Peta and her business partner took on the exciting task of owning the store. She’s now 27, and things are going pretty well – she runs not one but two stores, and they’re among the most successful Jamaica Blue stores in the state.
After working for several years in the industry and reaching management level, Peta decided to take the next step in her career. Trevor, her boss from a previous job, heard about a great price on the Toowoomba location, and so the pair decided to pool their funds.
Of course, these kinds of decisions don’t happen overnight, and the purchase of the store was hardly an impulse buy. After working up to three jobs for several years, Peta had saved enough to jump on board, and when the opportunity presented, it became clear that this is exactly what she wanted to do with her time. It helped that Trevor had years of experience and the right contacts, and that she had access to a wealth of support. This gave her the confidence boost to give it a go!
So, why a franchise? And why Jamaica Blue? According to Peta, it’s simply the best way to go, and as a long-time customer, Jamaica Blue was the best choice. Things are made easy for first-time business owners thanks to the provision of a checklist of everything you possibly need to think about, plus there’s an added level of safety and security that comes from having existing policies, procedures and relationships with existing suppliers. Oh, and there’s always someone on hand to help with training or any issues, thanks to regular meetings with a consultant.
Does she have any advice for other aspiring business owners? Learn how to work with a range of different people. If you want something, work hard. Be prepared to go without a lot of days off. If you have passion, you can achieve your dreams. Perhaps the most inspirational advice? “Care what people think. Once you stop caring, you’ll stop making money”.
- As for young people who might want to follow in Peta’s footsteps, Peta says you might have to prove yourself a little more. And the same goes for women too – Peta says that sometimes in life, people take her a little less seriously because of her gender. But if you know your stuff, demonstrate that you’re not a pushover and show people respect, your passion will show and any perceived limitations won’t matter. Persistence and sticking to your guns is key.
There are currently a number of Jamaica Blue opportunities available across Australia. Enquire today about joining the family!
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