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SuperBusiness: How I Started SuperJam from My Gran's Kitchen

SuperBusiness: How I Started SuperJam from My Gran's Kitchen

by Fraser Doherty
Publisher: Capstone
Release Date: June 2011
ISBN: 9780857081421
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Book Description

'Fraser gives hope to anyone who ever dreamed of selling to a wider market'

Lorraine Kelly

'You have a great story to tell'

Gordon Brown

'Fraser is an exciting young entrepreneur with an amazing story. His jams taste really fantastic too!'

Duncan Bannatyne

At just 14 years old, Fraser Doherty was selling jars of homemade jam to his neighbours. A few years later, SuperJam was flying off the shelves of the world's largest supermarket chains.

SuperBusiness tells how he transformed a hobby into a much-loved brand, selling millions of jars along the way. Fraser explains how he did it – from his own kitchen table, without huge investment – and how you too, can come up with a killer idea, build a brand, make money, and do good in your community.

Those crazy business ideas really can grow into something amazing and life changing. If this story doesn't inspire you to start your adventure, nothing will.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. About the ‘Jam Boy’
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. My Adventures in Jam
  8. Chapter 1: Why Start a Business?
    1. Family Influences
    2. Being Your Own Boss
    3. Being an Entrepreneur
    4. What Do You Want from Life?
  9. Chapter 2: Eureka! Super Idea
    1. Finding Inspiration
    2. Be Interested in Everything
    3. Gaps in the Market
    4. Being Inspired by Other Companies
    5. Finding Ideas from Other Countries
    6. Road Test It
    7. Keep It Super Simple
    8. What Is a Good Idea?
    9. My ‘Eureka’ Moment
  10. Chapter 3: Finding Support
    1. Slowly Building Up
    2. Taking the Leap
    3. Finding a Mentor
    4. Creating a Board
    5. Raising Finance
  11. Chapter 4: Researching and Pitching Your Idea
    1. Getting to Know the Competition
    2. Understanding Your Customers
    3. Getting the Pricing Right
    4. Finding Outlets for Your Product
    5. Researching My Super Idea
    6. Getting Your Brand Out There
    7. Writing a Business Plan
    8. Pitching Your Product
    9. Pitching to Waitrose
    10. Creating the Brand
    11. Super Heroes
    12. Finding a Factory
    13. Pitching Again
    14. Picking Myself Up to Try Again
    15. Solving the Branding Problem
    16. Finding a New Factory
    17. The Final Pitch
  12. Chapter 5: Launch!
    1. Start Small
    2. Building a Website
    3. The SuperJam Website
    4. Beta Launch
    5. Trade Fairs
    6. Launch Party!
    7. Announcing the Launch
  13. Chapter 6: Telling a Story
    1. Knowing What Your Message Is
    2. Talking to the Press
    3. Writing Articles
    4. Giving Good Interviews
    5. Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year
    6. Speaking at Events
  14. Chapter 7: Sell, Sell, Sell
    1. Afraid of Selling
    2. Finding Customers
    3. Knowing Who You Are Selling To
    4. Building a Relationship
    5. Print Advertising
    6. Giving It All Away
    7. Direct Mail
    8. Online Advertising
    9. Television Advertising
    10. SuperJam in the Spotlight
    11. Events and Trade Fairs
    12. Partnerships with Other Brands
  15. Chapter 8: Love Your Customers
    1. Encouraging Loyalty
    2. Talk to Your Customers
    3. The Lovers and the Haters
    4. Acting on Feedback
    5. Replying to Every Letter
    6. Creating a Sense of Community
  16. Chapter 9: Do Good
    1. Your Chance to Change the World
    2. The Business of Doing Good
    3. Business as Protest
    4. Ben & Jerry's
    5. Selling out
    6. Three Bottom Lines
    7. A Cup of Tea and a Laugh
    8. Remember Why You're Doing This
  17. Chapter 10: Building a Team
    1. Attracting the Right People
    2. SuperJam's Recruits
    3. Flexible Working
    4. Outsourcing
    5. SuperJam's Manufacturing Partners
    6. Chinese Production
    7. Crowdsourcing
  18. Chapter 11: Diversify and Grow
    1. Finding New Markets
    2. Diversifying the SuperJam Range
    3. Don't Stretch Your Brand too Far
    4. Going International
    5. The Future and Beyond
  19. A Handful of Places to Go for Inspiration
    1. Support Organizations
    2. Websites
    3. Books
  20. Index