At just 18 years old, Carolyn Creswell was juggling multiple jobs. She worked as a checkout assistant at Coles, waitressed for the St Kilda Football Club, and, on Tuesday nights, helped make muesli at a small bakery. When the owners decided to sell their struggling business, Carolyn saw an opportunity. With a co-worker, she put forward a lowball offer to buy the bakery for $2,000—$1,000 each. Although initially laughed at, Carolyn’s determination paid off when the owners couldn’t find any other buyers. This was the beginning of Carman’s, a small business that would grow into a multimillion-dollar empire.

The early years were anything but easy. Carman’s was turning over only $80,000 a year, leaving Carolyn and her co-owner with minimal profits, forcing her to keep working other jobs. Despite the struggle, Carolyn knew she had a potential goldmine and never lost sight of her vision. After two years, Carolyn bought out her business partner and became the sole owner of Carman’s, pouring every bit of energy into growing the brand.

The journey wasn’t without setbacks. When Carman’s finally secured a spot in Coles, the muesli products were relegated to the bottom shelf, hidden behind competitor brands. But Carolyn wasn’t deterred. Using her experience as a checkout assistant, she would visit stores late at night, switching her products to prime shelf positions and hiding the competition behind poles. Her relentless dedication began to pay off.

Then, disaster struck. One of the supermarkets decided to stop stocking Carman’s entirely. For a moment, it seemed like everything Carolyn had built would crumble. But instead of wallowing in defeat, she turned the rejection into motivation. Carolyn encouraged customers to call the supermarket and demand her products back on the shelves. Two years later, Carman’s returned stronger than ever.

Carolyn’s determination, creative problem-solving, and ability to pivot in the face of adversity led to Carman’s phenomenal success. From those humble beginnings, Carman’s is now a household name, with a diverse range of over 120 products sold nationwide and overseas. In 2023, Carolyn’s business was turning over $137 million, and she was listed on the Financial Review Rich Women List with an estimated net worth of $170 million.

Despite her incredible success, Carolyn remains humble, attributing much of her growth to her ability to listen to advice and persist through rejection. She’s built her empire while managing to raise four children and continually supports and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.

Actionable Business Insights

1. Start Small and Learn: Carolyn didn’t start by securing national supermarket listings. She worked hard, learned the business from the ground up, and started small by selling muesli at local markets.
   • Actionable Insight: Begin where you are. You don’t need a massive launch. Start small, learn from each step, and grow organically.
2. Fight for Your Brand: Carolyn didn’t passively wait for success. She took action, even if it meant swapping product placements in stores.
   • Actionable Insight: Be proactive in how your brand is represented. Whether it’s in-store displays or online presence, actively manage how customers see your product.
3. Persevere Through Rejection: Carolyn faced rejection many times but persisted, knocking on doors until she got a “yes.”
   • Actionable Insight: Accept that rejection is part of the process. Keep going, learn from the “no’s,” and use them as fuel to improve.
4. Adapt to Setbacks: When Carman’s was dropped from a major supermarket, Carolyn used the setback as a learning experience, tweaking her products and strategies to ensure future success.
   • Actionable Insight: Use failures and setbacks as opportunities to improve. Assess what went wrong and make adjustments that lead to growth.
5. Protect Your Time: As her business grew, Carolyn learned to manage her time wisely, focusing on the most important aspects of her business.
   • Actionable Insight: Be strategic about how you spend your time. Prioritise high-value tasks and learn to say “no” to distractions.
6. Stay True to Your Brand: Carolyn focused on making Carman’s a taste-driven company, ensuring that the core values of the business remained consistent, even as it expanded.
   • Actionable Insight: Stay aligned with your brand’s mission and values. Don’t be swayed by trends if they don’t fit your long-term vision.
7. Manage Risks: Carolyn took calculated risks but was careful not to jeopardise the entire business in the process.
   • Actionable Insight: Weigh the risks before making big decisions. Consider what could go wrong and ensure your business can handle the worst-case scenario.
8. Embrace Persistence: Carolyn applied for the Telstra Businesswomen’s Award 16 times before finally winning, showing that persistence pays off.
   • Actionable Insight: Keep pushing forward, even when success seems distant. The path to success is often long, but persistence is key.

By focusing on these strategies, business owners can learn from Carolyn Creswell’s journey and apply these lessons to their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Listen to Carolyn Creswell – Podcast