Janni Sjostrand, Chairperson and Co-Founder of Imagine Sporthorses and Janni Bars
Janni Sjostrand, Swedish. Living in Ireland for over ten years. She moved to Ireland because she thought Ireland was the best place for her to follow her passion, horses.
In 2016 Imagine Sporthorses was founded, and it has since sold and exported hundreds of horses. They are also breeders and active within Showjumping in Ireland.
Janni is well aware of the importance of having horses looking clean and shiny, but also keeping fungus and rashes to a minimum, so these are important things for her when picking shampoo for the yard, but she was getting a little tired of all the plastic waste lying around the house in the yard.
“Regardless if you are trying to build a million euro industry, and have thousands of employees, or you want to run a small business with a particular ethos, you need to figure out how to "do you" and go for it. Then work-life will always be easy.”
Janni Sjostrand
"So, sometimes we have to take a step back in order to go forward", "Janni Bars is nothing new. It is simply health and beauty re-invented." Janni says.
Inspired firstly in reducing plastic waste, and seeing a great need in Ireland, and Europe, for an all-natural Horse and Dog shampoo bar, she set to work to create Janni Bars, with minimal and recyclable plastic-free packaging only as her number one goal. A small collection of soap, shampoo and lotions for people followed as well.
Her products use only natural ingredients. Janni says, "Nature has given us all we need for cleansing, moisturizing, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, scrubs, the list and the possibilities are endless, we just have to treasure what is already there and learn how to use it. Finally, just because it is natural does not mean it has to be boring, nature is full of beauty, living in Ireland is very inspiring with colors, flowers, clays, and I try to incorporate that in my collections because who does not like beautiful things?"
Tell us about your current role and what you like about your career or areas of focus.
I am currently Chairperson and co-founder of two companies, Imagine Sporthorses Ltd and Janni Bars Ltd, I am also an employee of Janni Bars Ltd.
Imagine Sporthorses LTD is an equestrian trading company, we buy and sell horses and ponies around the world. We also breed and produce our own horses.
Janni Bars Ltd, on the other hand, is a sustainable beauty brand that hand makes shampoo bars, soap and much more, including a plastic-free single-use range for the hospitality industry, something we are unique about.
Being actively involved and running the two businesses can be hectic, a day can be very full-on with everything from minding horses, training them, sales and advertising, and overlapping as busy with making soap, running an online store, building a brand.
I am pretty much top, bottom left and right, from decision making to implementing and crafting, and I love every bit of it. Down the line, of course, I hope to have to distribute some tasks to other people, but I will always be actively taking part in everything that affects my businesses.
What inspires you, motivates you, helps you to make each day count?
I believe that by fulfilling our passions, we show that we are grateful for being here, having this life. I am lucky enough that I have been able to create a life where I can constantly engage in my passions, and have made them my everyday work and life.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
As mentioned before I am lucky enough to have been able to turn my hobbies into my work, a very fortunate position, but I also very much like to take time away and just spend it with family. I enjoy music and nature, as well.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying that you really like?
"Everything will be okay in the end, and if it's not okay, it's not the end." – J. Lennon.
I can be a perfectionist, and this quote just reminds me to let go sometimes.
What are you most proud of in your life?
I'm looking around as I try to answer this, at all the things we have and the life I built up around me, and I'm bursting with pride over everything. I tend to focus a lot on the future and all the things I still want to achieve, but sometimes forget to think back to all the things I have already done.
In 2010 I moved to Ireland for the second time in my life, I had 1000 euro to my name, one horse with me, and a very supportive mother, but that was it, no money behind me, no family close by, no real record of achievements.
Now I have not one but two businesses. I always have a stable full of horses; I've sold hundreds of horses everywhere from the US to Kuwait. Janni Bars is becoming a sustainable beauty brand that is hard to pass by, and I'm really only getting started.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
How brave I could be. I wouldn't want to change a thing about my path that has to lead me to where I am today, every struggle and every success helps to shape me as a person and as a professional.
Growth can only come from experience, but maybe I could just have been a little braver, a little more asserted from the start, and perhaps even still.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
Dolly Parton. She started with nothing and has built an empire, and is doing some great work to help people since, and throughout it all she stayed true to herself, her morals and values and her attitude never changed.
What companies, brands or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Dublin based Reuzi! Pat Kane has an ethos and vibe that I am in awe of. She has over 12,000 followers on Instagram, and I think most of those have a girl-crush on Pat. With Reuzi, she is making sustainability cool, fun and accessible.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"You should work for yourself". I suppose had I not met my partner and had he not spoken those words to me. I might not be sitting here today. The thought of me running my own company had not crossed my mind until he spoke those words, there has been so much great advice since, but for my personal journey, those are the words it all started with. I think I was always an entrepreneur; I just didn't know.
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
I don't need to motivate myself to work. I don't set my alarm. I don't need to push myself to get out of bed. I just get up, and from the moment I open my eyes, it's like someone switched me on, and I don't count the hours I put in.
Sure, I can get stuck with a task and fed up, but then I take a break from that particular thing, do something else and come back. I know that nothing comes for free in this life and I get back only what I put in.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
I think it will just keep growing, of course, the platform will change every so often, but the importance will remain, or grow, at least from a business perspective, from a personal perspective I try and take a step back.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
I think Instagram is hopping right now, it's positive (if there is negativity on it maybe I just don't see it). It is very easy for people to navigate and get content that relates to them in a fast, easily accessible way. TikTok is probably the one to watch though, but I must admit I'm a bit behind on that one.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever been a mentor to anyone?
I have a good friend, Chris Rose, of course, we met through horses, but he is my go-to person for advice. He has a lot of experience in sales but also just a great mind.
How do you network? What is your preferred way to network?
My local enterprise office here in Kildare has been a great help for networking. They have a tremendous schedule of events throughout the year with lots of opportunities to meet and greet. Even though I find it somewhat hard to approach new people still, I don't think there is a substitute for meeting people face to face.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work?
Definitely try and be personal, put your own stamp on things.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Maybe not being prepared for the rough patches, and there will be rough patches. Times of doubt, complaints and financial struggle is all a part of the progress. I don't think any company ever had a straight uphill path.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
The short answer would be happiness, but of course, it is more complex than that. Happiness is a lot of things to a lot of people, and a lot of the time simply trying to figure out what makes you happy is half the battle.
Regardless if you are trying to build a million euro industry, and have thousands of employees, or you want to run a small business with a particular ethos, you need to figure out how to "do you" and go for it. Then work-life will always be easy.
What skills do you feel have helped you to become successful?
Work ethic. If you want to run a successful business, you have to love to work. I don't know if it's just the way you are wired or raised, but I love to work. I think about my business every day of the week, every hour of the day. In my mind, if you are not willing to give up your lazy Sundays, don't bother setting up your own.
Is there anything new that you are working on or involved in that you would like to share?
The most innovative product we have created so far, on the market only since the end of last year, is the single-use plastic-free range for the hospitality industry.
Slightly on hold, while the industry struggles through the COVID 19 pandemic, but once things start to open up again, I definitely think it will be a product to watch.
