In this interview, we sit down with Jared Clarke, a dedicated business owner at Battery World Enoggera, whose journey from being inspired by his former boss to becoming a mentor himself is truly inspiring.
Jared has transformed his passion and motivation into a thriving business, all while guiding the next generation through specialised apprenticeships and business coaching. As a mentor, Jared is committed to empowering young people, providing them with the tools and confidence they need to succeed.
Balancing the demands of running a successful business and nurturing new talent, Jared shares his insights on mentorship, the importance of community involvement, and his vision for the future of The Bondi Project.
Jared, your journey from gaining inspiration from your former boss to becoming a mentor yourself is a great story. Can you talk about how this experience has influenced your mentoring style with the new generation?
If it wasn’t for my former boss at Battery World Townsville, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It can be quite tough when you’re starting out in the workforce as a young person to find your feet, especially when you’re still trying to figure out who you are and what you want out of life.
My former boss gave me the courage to pursue my dream of running my own business and I hope to do the same. I hope to motivate my employees and apprentices, build their confidence, and support them with their dreams – it only takes one person to truly show they care, to make a difference.
Balancing the demands of running Battery World Enoggera and guiding young apprentices must keep you incredibly busy. How do you manage to keep everything on track without spreading yourself too thin?
If you love your job and are truly motivated by what you’re doing, the stress and ups and downs are worth it in the end. As we celebrate our second anniversary owning Battery World Enoggera this month, I owe everything to my incredible Battery World team that keeps the store going and our customers happy when I’m busy behind the scenes, and of course my family who have supported me since the beginning. The saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ couldn’t be truer – my team and family are constantly showing up for me and it’s so important I do the same for them.
I’m curious about the real-world tasks your apprentice’s handle. What are some of the hands-on experiences they get, and how do these prepare them for their future careers?
At Battery World Enoggera, we do so much more than just sell products. We believe in providing true, quality service for the community and it’s important to instill that mindset in our apprentices. Whether they are out on the floor connecting with customers and learning how to interact with a wide variety of people, driving to people in need for roadside assistance and finding a solution to their car and battery troubles, providing battery tests and learning how cars and batteries operates for different modes of transport, a day in the store is never boring. It’s important to keep apprentices busy and eager to learn more.
The Bondi Project is such an interesting initiative—what sparked the idea for it, and how does it enhance the learning experiences at your store?
It’s one thing to do the job but it’s another thing to know how to do it well. Running a business is so much more than selling products and serving customers, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes jobs that not many people learn before they take on the challenge.
I hope to prepare my apprentices for every challenge that comes their way and equip them with the best strategies to deal with them. It’s also a great program to motivate, build confidence, excite them, and push them out of their comfort zones.
From your perspective, what are the toughest hurdles that young people face when they’re just starting out in their careers, and how does your program help them navigate these challenges?
For me personally, I struggled with the motivation and courage to bite the bullet and open my own business in an industry I lived and breathed. I hope to prepare and equip my apprentices to tackle life as a business owner, if that’s the career path they choose to go down, or be the best customer service representative they can be. Battery World is an extremely supportive network so you never feel alone as a franchise owner.
Reaching out to young people in Brisbane and letting them know about opportunities like yours is crucial. What approaches have you found most effective for engaging with potential apprentices and the community?
I think it’s just about getting out there in the community and helping out where you can. Whether that be connecting with our customers, driving that extra mile for roadside assistance, supporting local charities and initiatives, proving to the community that you’re genuinely here to help assures young people that they can count on you as a mentor and want to give back.
As you look ahead, what are your aspirations for growing your apprenticeship program and The Bondi Project? What exciting developments can we expect to see from you and your team in the near future?
We’re hoping to welcome more apprentices and young people to the Battery World Enoggera team and help them find their feet in the industry. I myself want to continue to learn and grow as not only a business owner but a boss and mentor too – and the Battery World franchise network is the best place to do so.
