In 1991, as a teenager, Justin landed his first and only full-time role at McDonald’s. It was here that he noticed the regular malfunctioning of the company’s machines. Instead of simply complaining or ignoring this issue, he saw it as a learning opportunity. He dedicated countless hours to teaching himself the intricacies of machine servicing and repair. This skill earned him recognition at work but later served as a stepping stone to a bigger venture. After years of harnessing his expertise, Justin boldly quit his job and established an independent business servicing the very machines he had come to know so well during his tenure at McDonald’s. This leap of faith, founded on an unwavering self-belief and a robust skillset, was the beginning of Justin’s journey as a successful CEO, demonstrating that perseverance can transform small beginnings into formidable achievements. Justin’s story is evidence that success is not exclusively reserved for those born with a silver spoon but can be a reality for anyone willing to spot opportunities, continuously learn, and never give up. Today, despite the highs and lows that characterize the world of business, Justin stands tall as a beacon of entrepreneurial success, testament to the power of determination, resourcefulness, and relentless ambition. The Ice Cream Revolution: Redefining Quality and Savings in the Food Industry In the competitive landscape of the restaurant industry, with its razor-thin margins and continuous demands for innovation, business proprietors are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve efficiency, quality, and profits. Unbeknownst to many, a significant factor that can contribute to these goals lies in an industry staple - the soft serve ice cream machine. Enter Justin, an ordinary man with the extraordinary vision of revolutionizing an overlooked area. Justin tirelessly worked three temporary jobs, seven days a week, for an astonishing eighteen hours on average each day. This relentless pursuit was not just for his entrepreneurial aspiration, but also towards a selfless goal - providing a service, that he adamantly believed was essential for the industry, absolutely free to begin with to prove his point. This was no ordinary service though. Justin meticulously cleaned and serviced soft serve ice cream machines, elevating not just the performance and cleanliness, but also reducing downtime and improving their sanitary conditions. Restaurants that availed Justin’s service observed an impressive reduction of up to 30% or more in their maintenance and repair costs for the equipment alone. Word quickly spread across Queensland about Justin’s exceptional services. This dedication began to yield results, and his business took off, growing at an exponential rate. At its peak, his business had more than 100 people on payroll, providing services to the largest food chains in the world. Unraveling the Lessons from a Failed Venture: The Hell Pizza Story Justin took a daring leap of faith when he purchased a New Zealand franchise named Hell Pizza, with the ambition to introduce it to the Australian marketplace. Located in the heart of Brisbane, this marked one of the first franchise stores for the brand in Australia. However, this journey wasn’t paved with gold as one might anticipate. The venture struggled to gain traction, failing to establish more than ten restaurants before it succumbed to the pressures of the sector and collapsed within a short span of two years. Justin’s experience offered a wealth of insights into the critical aspects that determine the success or failure of a franchise. The key takeaways revolve around understanding the market, aligning the business model to the local context, and maintaining a customer-centric approach. The closure of Hell Pizza’s Australian operations, while a blow, presented invaluable lessons. It highlighted that expanding a brand into new territory requires more than just capital; it demands thorough research, meticulous planning, and an understanding of the consumers’ preferences and behavior. All the ten Hell Pizza franchises suffered significant losses, providing a stark reminder of the thin line between success and failure in the realm of business. Yet, Justin’s story is far from a tale of defeat. Instead, it’s a narrative of resilience and learning, reminding us that every failure is but a stepping stone to success. Failure did not shatter Justin’s entrepreneurial spirit but rather strengthened it. His experience serves as a powerful lesson for every entrepreneur out there, shedding light on the dynamics of running a successful franchise and illuminating the path that some of the biggest business triumphs often follow - one that is paved with the lessons learned from failure. After drifting for a short time, including taking a car sales job at which he lasted just one day before quitting, Justin’s future was severely lacking in direction, and he felt it time to take a second crack at getting a soft serve machine service company off the ground, this time in a new area with a fresh client base. However, a chance encounter with his brother, Scott ultimately resulted in the pair deciding that a much better investment would be to create frozen dessert machines of their own, products that would exude manufacturing prowess, consistency, and reliability in equal measure. Thus, Brüllen Pty Ltd was born to fulfil these very obligations. Aside from their reliability, the company’s machines are incredibly easy to use, and a series of online training videos cover the areas of assembly, cleaning, set-up, and configuration. Training with a technician is available either online or at a customer’s place of business, too. The exemplary nature of Brüllen’s machines and services have caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the worldwide hospitality space, and Justin has personally overseen the supply, service, and installation of a wide range of equipment in parts of the world for such iconic brands as Burger King, Wendy’s, IKEA, Subway, Oakberry, Wendy’s, Donut King, Gloria Jeans, Hilton Hotels, Ritz Carlton, Pizza Hut, and countless others. Justin spending quality time with his daughter. Justin with David Mackintosh the Founder of Peach Melbourne at the Australian Open 2024.
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