Ep 8. Jo Burston on fast growth, product extension and inspiring Rare Birds. #ifshecanican

Jo's an Australian powerhouse in entrepreneurship. Her original business Job Capital went from zero to $40 million in six years (with less than 14 team). BRW's Fast 100 lists, Private Company of the Year under $100 million, EY Entrepreneur of the year (Finalist 2012) to name a few, Jo's using her influence to change the way women globally approach business.

In her latest venture, Inspiring Rare Birds, Jo aims to inspire a million female entrepreneurs by 2020.

After hearing young female school students declare "entrepreneur's are always men" a switch went off in her head and heart and there's no going back.

That's an attitude she's already shifting. As this show goes to air, Jo's running the largest conference showcasing women entrepreneurs Australia has ever seen, Rare Birds Con 2016.

Oh and if that wasn't enough, Jo is also the author of two books.

In this episode we delve into:

• Product extension and providing products and services for the same market and then also different markets.

• How Jo refined her pitch as her business grew and it provided a huge gear shift.

• Selling one-to-one verses one-to-many.

• Mapping the customer's life journey and how to disrupt their problems with automation and technology.

• Her freak-out moments and dark days – what she calls "cash-flow nightmares"

Plus…

• How Jo made her first dollar and learned the value of money.

• Who she wants to become as she grows.

• How she solves the problems of people she's never going to meet.

• Why she's a socialist with a capitalistic head today and not driven by money as she once was.

• Why the vision or mission has to be about the customer and not the money.

• The big focus around a rewards program that absolutely took off.

• The remarkable chronology of her career and the context of what drives this powerhouse woman.

• The power of partnerships where everyone gets a cut.

• Why cash is king and cash is growth.

• What Jo would do differently with bad debtors.

• Her number one tip when it comes to getting people to pay their invoices.

• Why she's always reverse engineering and why you need a team that's passionate about your business.

• How Jo solved three major cash crises – then what she did differently after those cash crises to build a more robust business.

• Why she needed to keep reinventing the products for her customers and discovering her point of difference.

• Building a business brand and personal brand – her top tip

• The strategy around winning awards and opportunities that happen as a result.

• The difference between a business and personal brand, and how to leverage both – Jo's biggest piece of advice.

• The sexy business model and strategy of Inspiring Rare Birds and what makes her get out of bed in the morning.

• Why she set out to change the way the world perceived Australian female entrepreneurs.

• "You can't be what you can't see": The AHA moment around this statement.

• Her massive dent in making money and social change, and coining the phrase "profitable smart heart".

• The power of partnerships – such as Sir Richard Branson and other major brands from around the world and how she has gathered the biggest line-up of speakers for Rare Birds Con 2016.

• What's happening at the Inspiring Rare Birds HQ – mentoring and ambassador programs, Rare Birds Con 2016 and the new Rare Birds Academy launching into schools help students innovate and think differently.

• Discover Jo's parting words if it was her last minute on Earth to all little girls.