"If you think you can do it, you probably can."
Daniel Jarrett, founder of Queensland Solar and Lighting, enjoyed working in retail from a very young age. He started at Go-Lo as a 15-year-old, which he enjoyed as he was able to work closely with customers. After Year 12, he moved to Canberra where he completed an Advanced Diploma of Management in 2006.
In 2008 Daniel started a job at ActewAGL and Transact selling as a Door2Door salesman for years. Moved on to real estate for a few more years and has since found his home in the Green Energy Sector.
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Thank you for accepting my interview invitation! I’d love to know how you ended up becoming an entrepreneur? Tell me your story.
Daniel Jarrett: As a High School student I was always playing around with Ebay, and making money there. It was fun but I had no one to guide me or assist with my development. I then knuckled down and went on to study further education, found myself employed at various Bars and Clubs before I loved the challenge of selling for commission Door 2 Door.
Seeing the way things were being handled for my customers by the Director, and thinking back on my previous experience in other roles where I was selling gave me the confidence to say “I could do things better than how they are being done here!”
Tell our readers what your company does differently than your peers and why that difference is so important to your audience?
Daniel Jarrett: The company I am a C.E.O of is nearly 10 years in business where the average life of a company would be around 4 years. We are honest people amongst many fly-by-nighters. The difference with us is that the customer is getting after-sales support too.
Running a business, your’s or on behalf of someone requires great leadership skills. What are some of the biggest challenges you faced as you took on a leader’s role and what did you learn?
Daniel Jarrett: The biggest challenge I have faced when running a business is simply that, running the business. Having no one to tell you what to do or guide you on your next move is not only daunting but it can be quite a dangerous position to be in. Care must be exercised at all times, also the ability to learn and listen to advice from others within your industry.
Success is not an accident. What are some routines and habits you learned to master that contributed to your current success?
Daniel Jarrett: Surrounding myself with a bunch of like-minded people in my industry who are committed to growth and greatness definitely makes things easier. If the people around you are successful, and are willing to teach, and you’re willing to learn. Success and Greatness will rub off onto you as well.
Can you share with us defining moments in your journey, please give us details and stories to illustrate?
Daniel Jarrett: A defining moment in my journey would have been when I have seen more success in the business by not just employing everyone that applies for a job. Something that I was doing quite a lot of early-on trying to grow the company.
I had some really bad installers doing jobs for us, but when I learned that not everyone can be trained up to the company’s standards, things got easier and more pleasant around the place. Realising not everyone can work at such standards, and letting them go can actually increase productivity and morale.
What are the five things you wish someone had told you before you became an entrepreneur?
Daniel Jarrett: My answer would be:
- If you think you can do it, you probably can.
- Not having a boss can be harder than you imagine
- You will forever be working ‘unpaid hours’
- You will need to learn how to manage money
- Take time hiring staff.
Oftentimes we hear: “Your network is your net worth”, please share your thoughts on that adage and illustrate your experience.
Daniel Jarrett: I always joke that it’s “My Net Worth that makes people want to network” – and while that isn’t true of me, it is, for example, for people like Elon Musk. The ultimate Entrepreneur. Everyone is always trying to level up.
I’ve witnessed people change with a bit of success. They realise the value of being surrounded by commercially successful people, the business relationships made there can be incredible. However, many people don’t like forgetting where they came from.
What are some professional or even personal goals you plan on tackling during the 2022 year? Share the battles you expect to face.
Daniel Jarrett: A goal I have for this year is to get the business back on track since the pandemic. Being able to market and advertise again, confidently employ more staff. Ultimately not being afraid to spend money on the business.
Personally, I’m excited to go on an aeroplane and take my family on an international holiday for the first time.
With all the social media platforms available, it’s increasingly difficult to be present everywhere. Which ones do you favor for your company and why?
Daniel Jarrett: I come on to websites such as this one frequently as I ask myself the same thing, trying to get advice too. I was one of those people that shunned Instagram, Tik Tok, and all that stuff. “They’re all just another fad, they will pass”, I’d tell myself. However, every year they keep growing and growing. At the moment we only use Facebook, but have just recently fired up LinkediN, and are keen to learn some more Instagram
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Daniel Jarrett for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Daniel Jarrett or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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