Habitual Fix's accidental entrepreneur
Nothing replaces hard work for James Tucker.
Monday, December 05 2011 || News || BY Jenny Keown, Businessday.co.nz
He comes from a family of five children, where from an early age if he wanted something of value like a bike, he had to find a job and earn the money himself.
At the age of 12 he had two paper runs, and, at 14, he was a dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant. It was a great lesson in life, he said. "I feel privileged to have been born into that."
Fast-forward to today and the 31-year- old Aucklander, in partnership with Tim Benest, has opened 10 sandwich bars around the country.
The Habitual Fix stores offer fresh sandwiches, wraps, pita pockets, salads and smoothies - for between $5 and $10.
Tucker is not new to this game, which has been a huge advantage, he said.
He founded the first Hell Pizza franchise on the North Shore and within 18 months had opened a further six stores.
Benest is a chef by trade and manages the kitchen development and training of staff.
The ambitious duo opened their first Habitual Fix store in Auckland's Viaduct in 2008, just before the global financial crisis.
"Not the best timing," Tucker admits.
But people still forked out for fresh lunches, and the business pushed through.
Now the pair have their eyes on the developing economies of Brazil, Korea, Singapore and the Middle East as areas to expand Habitual Fix.
Why did you become an entrepreneur?
It wasn't ever a conscious decision, I guess it just happened. I came from a big family and it was always survival of the fittest, so to speak. If we wanted something we had to work for it and get it ourselves. From an early age I knew I was the master of my own destiny.
What have been the biggest obstacles in running your company?
Cashflow for a fast-growth company and bank lending through the recent economic environment has been challenging, but we've managed to get through. No doubt we'd have grown a lot faster if we'd started the business three to five years ago.
Name one thing you've learnt from while in business and from whom?
My late business partner, Warren Williams, taught me that nothing will ever replace hard work. He always said the harder you work, the luckier you get.
What are your business and personal goals?
Our goal is to expand to 50 stores in five countries in the next five years. We are also focused on establishing a further two to four brands in the New Zealand market in the next five years, to give us scale to build a 200-plus empire of stores over the longer term.
Do you have any tips for budding entrepreneurs?
Just get stuck in and do it. Don't analyse it forever and don't listen to all the naysayers. Do your homework and, if it stacks up, back yourself. See it through, don't give up. Every new business goes through difficult times.
