Raj Jana

How to Make Millions Selling One Simple Thing

31 March 2021 by Raj Jana

Entrepreneurs are a special breed. The risk is tremendous, but the reward is whatever you can imagine… that is, if you can make it. A lot of businesses don’t, and I think one of those reasons is that there is a lot of gray area. That’s why I love this column. It’s a way for me to share actual business lessons that I’ve lived through, to connect with entrepreneurs who are in it to win it. There are so many things you just don’t know, until you know it because you’ve learned the hard way. But we don’t all have to learn the hard way, and that’s why sharing is where it’s at.

Sticking with our recent articles on Amazon private label selling and market traction, I thought I would talk with an actual million dollar private label brand, who is finding success, through methods like developing original products, and share that with you.I talked with Raj Jana, the Founder of JavaPresse Coffee Company, who is building a brand that creates meaningful products and experiences that help people make the most of the moments they love, which starts with the ritual of making and drinking one perfect cup of coffee every single day.

Your company has a very clear purpose/mission . How has this helped you find your core audience and stay “on brand” with what you deliver?

“I think more than anything, our mission statement has united our team to deliver messages, products, and designs with an air of consistency. Our core values are built around a desire to help customers stay grounded and the energy we put out to achieve our mission returns itself 10x with the right customers who are passionate and excited to be a part of our family.”

How do you approach improvements to your products and additions to your product line? Do you look to competitors or within first? Why?

“When we were first starting out, I paid very close attention to what our target customers wanted, which included paying attention to every product and competitor on the market. By making a strong effort to understand who was out there and what their customers wanted, we were able to deliver products that were popular very quickly. And now that we’ve attained a bit of success, I still keep a very close eye on market trends and competitors, but no one has a bigger voice than our customers.”

Anything Else?

“I trust our ability to know what our customers want as we engage with them on a daily basis. By studying reviews, collecting feedback, and making our customers a part of the product improvement/selection process, we are able to continuously deliver value in a way that makes all parties feel good. We deliver products that have demand and fix a problem in the market, and customers feel more connected to the product since they’ve essentially had a hand in creating it.”

It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than That

There you have it, right from the source. Coffee, as with any other business or brand, is about more than the coffee. There is so much involved from the moment you start, which means more and more ways to get it wrong. That’s why interviews like this are so important and meaningful. So we can talk, connect, and share what it is that makes our businesses thrive… with the hopes of inspiring one another with new knowledge and wisdom to be applied.

Kickstarter to Shark Tank in 5 Months: Plus Other Shark Success Stories

31 March 2021 by Raj Jana

What you can learn about success inventing and launching products from the people who “swim” with the Sharks.

Since 2009, the television phenomenon that is Shark Tank has had innovators and dreamers clamoring for a chance to “be seen”, to share their brilliant ideas, and to leave the studio with a brighter future than which they arrived. The show is gritty, sometimes unfortunate, and always entertaining. The popularity is no surprise to me, given the rise in entrepreneurship and people starting their own part-time or full-time businesses over the past decade. And there is definitely a Shark Tank effect, where being associated with the show or one of the Sharks, provides businesses with massive sales boosts and opportunities of a lifetime.

Everyone Doesn’t Win

Sometimes when watching the show, I cringe, when I know a good business has been passed up. But I also secretly love the gritty aspect of the show. In a world where everyone expects to win, it’s a breath of fresh air to see business acumen and honesty pouring over one another. Speaking of winning and “losing”, I wanted to profile a few businesses who went on the show or worked directly with Sharks. Buckle up for the juicy details, real numbers, and challenges entrepreneurs have faced as a result of Business + Sharks.

Case Study #1: Third Wave Water on Shark Tank

Coffee shop owners Taylor Minor and Charles Nick of Third Wave Water wished they could make a concentrated version of the water Minor perfected, after extensive research and experimentation. His coffee customers weren’t having the same experience he was, and Nick knew water was the only changing variable. That’s when the idea of “dehydrated water” was born. Shark Tank sought these guys out, offering them the opportunity to be on the show, something they quickly jumped at.

They were asking for $100,000 for 10%, giving Third Wave Water a million-dollar valuation. They had a successful Kickstarter, $80,000 in sales, and were seeing 20-30% growth each month. For Shark Tank, they were a good deal. Once they made it on the show, they struck a deal with Barbara Corcoran, an entrepreneurs dream come true. Unfortunately, the deal fell through after the show because the limitations of the contract would hinder their business rather than help it with such a small deal. But they did not walk away empty handed. After the show aired, in the weeks to follow, they saw a sales boost that was five times their total sales-to-date. And each time their episode re-airs, they experience a similar boost.

Case Study #2: Marketing Partners with Kevin Harrington

Seth Greene of Market Domination found himself in a position to team up with original Shark Kevin Harrington. Teaming up with a Shark validates names and businesses, or in this case podcasts. Greene said, “My business has gone up 227% since working with Kevin. Social media following has increased 1,100%.” Those numbers definitely fall under the category of a Shark Effect of the best kind.

Case Study #3: One on One Mentorship with Daymond John

Raj Jana, a past Inc. feature, had the opportunity, by way of winning a competition, to experience a one-on-one mentorship with Daymond John. And while Jana didn’t experience the incredible sales boost that is synonymous with being on the show, his starstruck experience left him an even bigger fan. “Daymond John’s guidance was invaluable and the credibility of being associated with him has opened partner doors and made the work I’ve been doing faster and more effective. It has been helping me have an amplified impact.”

Is Shark Tank an absolute dream come true?

While I admittedly watch the show, and see the results of value each Shark brings to an entrepreneurs life when they make contact, viewers beware. For every single one of these business owners who found themselves reaping the benefits of swimming with Sharks, they have put in uncountable hours and immeasurable effort prior to the opportunity. It’s one thing to get a marketing, or sales, or connection boost… but it is still up to you to make something of it. The hard work puts you where the dreams + luck, and maybe a Shark or too, can find you.

5 Podcasts to Eliminate Negative Self-Talk

31 March 2021 by Raj Jana

Talking to yourself isn’t a bad thing — but the fact that up to 70 percent of your words are negative is a very bad thing. Getting other voices into the mix can dilute the negativity and add motivation.

People talk to themselves — a lot. With studies showing that our internal dialogue clips along at a pace of 4,000 words per minute, we cram a lot of thoughts into our day. And the person listening on the other end is us.

That would be great if those 4,000 words were full of self-affirmation and motivating talk, but they’re not: Up to 70 percent of our “mental chatter” is negative. Because we believe our self-talk, that negativity can overwhelm our positive, energizing thoughts and put a damper on our motivation.

That’s why getting others’ voices into our heads can sometimes be a very good thing. By absorbing others’ encouraging words and exposing ourselves to different ideas, we can put ourselves in a much more positive headspace. Here are five podcasts whose hosts will help you do just that.

1. “Happier Podcast” with Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin, the author of “The Happiness Project” and several other books on seeking happiness and improving oneself, hosts “Happier.” Founded on the idea that life is a project in which we are all experimenting to find what makes us most fulfilled, Rubin and her co-host, Elizabeth Craft, discuss habits and triggers to help adopt new perspectives. The podcast has covered a range of topics, including how to quit an addictive app, why examples carry more power than good advice, and how our happiness intersects with others’.

2. “The Stay Grounded Podcast” with Raj Jana

Raj Jana, the Chief Brewing Officer at JavaPresse Coffee Company, runs the “Stay Grounded” podcast. JavaPresse’s mission is to transform ordinary coffee rituals into extraordinary daily experiences, ensuring they offer a moment for people to pause, center themselves, and fuel the rest of their day, and Jana’s podcast follows the same theme. He invites people from a variety of backgrounds to ruminate on happiness, success, and how our daily rituals and routines can tie into creating both. His episodes run the gamut, featuring reflections inspired by entrepreneurs like Daymond John from “Shark Tank” and focusing on topics as diverse as putting yourself first and using fear to fuel happiness.

3. “The Lively Show” with Jess Lively

Jess Lively, a business coach-turned-wellness guru, uses online classes, as well as “The Lively Show,” to fulfill her quest of helping others live their dream lives. Based on the belief that listening to our intuition and focusing on our values and intentions can influence what’s to come, Lively aims to offer uplifting insights and goal-driven looks into the business world. The show features interviews with guests like Elizabeth Gilbert of “Eat, Pray, Love” fame; in recent episodes, the podcast has covered everything from self-love to cryptocurrency.

4. “Good Life Project Podcast” with Jonathan Fields

Jonathan Fields manages Good Life Project, a mission- and education-based effort that includes classes, summer camps, and the “Good Life Project” podcast. Designed to share ideas about living a “fully engaged, fiercely connected and purpose-drenched life,” the podcast pledges to follow a real-world approach that leads to long-lasting change and happiness within the lives listeners have already built. Offering tools and strategies, the podcast interviews well-known names like Seth Godin and Brené Brown and discusses subjects ranging from reclaiming one’s identity to learning the art of good conversation.

5. “The School of Greatness Podcast” with Lewis Howes

Lewis Howes, a former professional Arena League football player, is a lifestyle entrepreneur, a current member of the USA men’s Olympic handball team, and the host of “The School of Greatness.” The podcast aims to inspire listeners by sharing the experiences of leading athletes, business people, and celebrities to underscore “what makes great people great.” The show has hosted a variety of guests, including Gary Vaynerchuk, Ray Lewis, and Andy Grammer; it’s touched on topics ranging from setting boundaries for healthy relationships to choosing what creates a spark in us.

It’s not a bad thing that we talk to ourselves a lot — but the words we choose to say to ourselves can be defeating. By taking the time to listen to podcasts designed to motivate and invigorate us, we can start filling our heads with more positive phrases. If we push ourselves toward success, not away from failure, we may truly find success — and that will really give us something to talk about.

The Best Company Culture Isn’t Elusive — It Just Takes Work

31 March 2021 by Raj Jana

“Company culture” has received a lot of lip service over the past few years, with businesses striving to land on “Best Companies to Work For” lists and obsessively monitoring their Glassdoor reviews. As Millennials bypassed Generation X to become the largest segment of the U.S. workforce, Millennials’ valuing of company culture above everything else made creating an appealing company culture even more important.

Many companies, however, have continued to treat brand and company culture as something beyond their control, something established by “the powers that be.” What they fail to realize is that they are the powers that be — their efforts are what directly establish the very culture being created within their walls and beyond.

Developing the best company culture possible doesn’t require magic, and it isn’t something that belongs to the masses, independent of the C-suite’s mission or influence. What it takes is work and intentionality, two things any leader can invest in starting today.

Think Through Your End Goal

Raj Jana, the founder of JavaPresse Coffee Company, graduated from college and immediately began working long hours in pursuit of each promotion needed to climb the corporate ladder. Then, one of his mentors died three months prior to retirement. Realizing his mentor would never get to spend endless days woodturning, as he’d dreamed of, Jana was motivated to reverse this ladder-climbing mentality.

Rather than envision happiness as something he’d get around to “someday,” Jana founded his coffee company on the idea that happiness is an intentional choice made every single day. Inspired to help others appreciate — and stay in — the present, JavaPresse’s mission became to transform everyday coffee rituals into “extraordinary daily experiences.”

“I think, more than anything, our company vision has united our team to deliver messages, products, and designs with an air of consistency,” Jana explains. “Our core values are built around a desire to help customers stay grounded, and the energy we put out to achieve our mission returns itself 10 times with the right customers who are passionate and excited to be a part of our family.”

Mortality is a good reminder of what’s truly worthwhile, and it’s good for every leader to ask a simple question: Why should our employees spend a third of their day here versus somewhere else? Defining what makes your specific company the one that deserves people’s time and attention — whether it’s making coffee, building engines, or developing marketing campaigns — is the first step in creating a strong company culture.

Ask What Employees Want — and Need

The next step is going beyond the C-suite to consider what employees want — and need — from your company. As leaders acquire more and more resources, it can be easy to forget that employees often don’t have the money, time, or assistance leaders do. The next question they should ask: What can we do to make it possible for our employees to spend a third of their day here?

Grocery chain H-E-B was named one of Indeed’s “Best Places to Work: Culture,” and its achievement stems, in its employees’ eyes, from the brand’s ability to make every employee feel valued and receive help from people at all levels of the organization. “I love that the managers, all the way up to the store managers, are actually doing something,” one employee said. “They don’t just stand around and watch you work.”

And part of making employees feel valued meant making the work setting more flexible than in a traditional retail environment. Also named the top retail place to work by Indeed, H-E-B earned accolades from employees for offering flexibility in scheduling, generous bonuses, and employee development. The company has clearly considered what will make its employees stay for more than a season.

As every employer knows, employee needs can change with the stages of their lives as well. Affiliate marketing firm Acceleration Partners crafted a parental leave policy to ensure that its employees’ new circumstances didn’t impact their ability to contribute. The organization offers flexible re-entry for new parents in recognition of the fact that almost 75 percent of unemployed mothers would have returned to the workforce with a more flexible schedule in hand.

Find Ways to Spread the Love

The third question leaders need to ask themselves is simple but often overlooked: How can we ensure that our employees help each other while they spend a third of their day here?

One smart way companies have locked down employees who are devoted to each other’s success is through referral programs. Boutique app development company Appstem realized it needed a way to compete with bigger tech companies in San Francisco and implemented an employee referral program. The program has enabled the company to spread the word about its benefits, like a flexible work setup, and it’s helped with employee retention, too: Employees who refer friends and former colleagues are more invested in staying, and these close-knit relationships lead to more internal collaboration.

Other companies have done the opposite and cleaned house to ensure their highest-performing employees aren’t held back by those who refuse to engage in hard work. “Top performers want to work with other top performers,” explains Bill Sanders, managing director of consultancy Roebling Strauss, Inc. “Keeping low performers around directly lowers the moral[e] of everyone else, even average performers.”

Company culture is increasingly important in attracting — and keeping — the best talent, but it’s not elusive. If leaders ask themselves these three questions, they’ll create a culture that people will happily and successfully spend a third of their day in for a long time to come.

You’ll See Greater Success In Scaling Your Business If You Prioritize This One Thing

31 March 2021 by Raj Jana

A competitive edge — every company itching to scale wants to find it. But few realize it’s as close as diversification: not of finances or products and services, but of high-level and midrange staff.

McKinsey & Company recently revealed just how great an impact diversity can have on an organization’s bottom line, especially in the long term. In “Delivering through diversity,” a study of more than 1,000 companies in 12 countries, the firm found that businesses whose C-suite executives represented a variety of minority members were 21 percent more likely to financially outperform their less diverse counterparts in the short term. In the long run, that figure rose to 27 percent.

What makes a diverse population of leaders and other employees such a boon to business? Not only do diverse team members bring a broad range of knowledge to the table, but they open doors for collaboration with new audiences — which you can leverage to break into new markets as you grow your business. In addition, businesses with diverse teams are better able to attract top employees and improve employee satisfaction. The more diversified the people running a company, the greater the company’s reach, depth, and scope.

While the data shows a diverse team is imperative, the McKinsey research also revealed that women and minorities continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles that directly advance a company’s core work. In a report published in March, software company Atlassian found that “diversity fatigue” has set in. Progress in the diversity and inclusion realm has stalled during the past year, with the number of companies working on diversity initiatives having reached a plateau.

Business leaders and entrepreneurs seem to recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion but appear to be hitting a wall when it comes to turning good intentions into actions that make a difference. I asked five entrepreneurs and business leaders what tactics they’ve found successful in building a diverse team and at what point in the scaling process they made diversity a focus:

1. Zeynep Ilgaz, President and Founder, Confirm Biosciences

At Confirm Biosciences, an immigrant-, woman-owned business, diversity begins at the point of recruitment. As Zeynep Ilgaz sees it, diverse candidate pools become stepping stones to diverse business cores, although attracting applicants from broad backgrounds may take patience and work. “At the beginning stages of our recruiting process, it was a challenge. We were getting a lot of applications for our job openings, but also wanted to make sure it was a diverse group of applicants. That wasn’t happening, so we started looking at our internal processes to make sure we are recruiting in places that would give us a bigger pool of diverse applicants.”

Looking for diverse résumés? Have conversations about your resolve to hire diverse work teams from the beginning. Ilgaz noted that such discussions can feel awkward at first but become streamlined and more organic over time. “It was time well spent,” she explained when talking about how her organization built a recruitment process that prioritizes diversity. Ilgaz further observed that Confirm Biosciences, which sells diagnostic products for human wellness, gains another valuable benefit from its diverse team: employees act as a built-in focus group when the company launches or brainstorms new products.

2. Raj Jana, Founder and Chief Brewing Officer, JavaPresse Coffee Company

To build his company, Raj Jana amassed a group of non-like-minded thinkers and over time used that value to better connect with the audiences that JavaPresse Coffee wanted to reach. “I think scaling and diversity should go hand in hand if you want to make a lasting impact that weathers the test of time,” he noted. “The world is becoming more and more connected — and being able to translate your core offerings through different lenses and connect with audiences beyond pure transactional value is key to winning in today’s market.”

Having a diverse team has opened doors to exciting thought processes and quashed the idea of a one-size-fits-all corporate perspective. Both are powerful reasons to make diversity a central part of your scaling strategy, too. Over time, your culture will reflect this inclusive philosophy, and you’ll earn the loyalty of customers who value your message of authenticity and acceptance of differing points of view.

3. Carrie Santos, CEO, Entrepreneurs’ Organization

With members around the planet, Carrie Santos’ company must speak the language of a variety of cultures, both literally and figuratively. Consequently, she has peppered her organization with personnel who bring deep understandings of various backgrounds, educations, and experiences. “We have to be flexible and adapt to the local market,” Santos said. “The only way to scale to new markets is to diversify your thinking, and a diverse workforce is critical to achieving diversity of thought.”

If expanding outside of your current geographic location is part of your scaling efforts, a diverse workforce and a global team are must-haves. As Santos discovered, without local buy-in and ownership, your startup cannot scale successfully. She attributes EO’s success in scaling to the team’s diversity.

4. Justin Gignac, Co-Founder, Working Not Working

Much like a professional athletic coach, Justin Gignac considers diversity a means of increasing everyone’s performance. “Hiring a team who pushes you to raise your game and think about things differently should always be a goal,” he explained. “The more panoramic the perspective, the more likely we are to creatively consider all the important decisions that keep our company on track.” Rather than hiring look-alikes, he gives his company an advantage by bringing in new players with novel skill sets.

Look around your own business. Do all your employees look more or less the same and have similar educational paths? For your upcoming hires, consider breaking that mold. Instead of hiring Gignac clones, Working Not Working looks for candidates who can add flavor and a little shake-up to the status quo.

5. LaShana Lewis, Founder and CEO, L. M. Lewis Consulting

For L. M. Lewis Consulting leader LaShana Lewis, the secret to diversity is prioritization: “Make diversity as integral a part of your everyday business tactics as your highest-selling products.” Lewis emphasized the need to think from a human viewpoint at all levels to equalize the playing field internally before moving to external processes.

She recommends that businesses keep a diversity leader at every regional office. Problems may come up, but they’re easier to fix quickly if diversity is handled at the local level. Plus, it allows the diversity leader to ensure that the team understands not only that diversity is important for the business itself, but for the customers as well. “How can you sell to a demographic that you have no idea about? At least having a diverse team upfront will allow your product to sell better, faster, and latch on to its desired audience quicker than stumbling around, cleaning up PR messes, and then spending millions trying to recoup.”

While it may seem like a daunting task, diversifying your team can give your business the foundation it needs for long-term success and growth. Take advice from those who have witnessed firsthand the benefits of a diverse team when scaling their businesses and focus on diversity and inclusion from your venture’s beginning.