Just Jeff’s Filming The Dragons’ Den

By now, you may or may not know, that CBC decided not to air my filming for Season 3 of Dragons' Den. I’d like to share my experience with all of those who have followed my Dragons’ Den Ride. First off… No the Dragons did not invest. Keep in mind the Dragons are already rich, and have no interest in investing in anything that can’t make them big bucks in 2 years or less. With that in mind, I don’t think I aired because the Dragon’s couldn’t “beat me up”… I knew my numbers, I have sales and profits and a growing history. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make for exciting TV when you’re competing against people presenting hemp laced macaroons and serving upscale dog food to the Dragon’s!

Anyhow, this is how the day went as I remember.

I had to be at CBC Toronto Studio at 6am. Once I arrived (along with about 10 other pitchers) we were brought back stage to unload our props and meet the producer. All pitchers then had to quickly describe how we were going to pitch (and use our props). Once everyone got the thumbs up, we were all brought onto the Dragons’ Den Set (the one you saw on TV) They told us all to do the same thing…”come down the steps, walk to the X on the floor in front of the Dragons and begin your pitch. Your props will be ready for you.
Then we all went into a waiting room (where they fed us snacks and beverages). As you waited, they had a few investment advisors to assist you with your pitch and a TV showing last year episodes of Dragons’ Den.
I think I was in that room for about 3 hours, then they called me. I went to makeup and within 10 minutes I was at the top of the stairs waiting to walk down to the Dragons. I remember the backstage gal asking me if I was nervous…….yup was my answer!......then she said go!......I can’t believe I didn’t fall down those steps (I was so nervous)….I walked to the X and delivered my pitch… as I pitched I was boiling the bagged food in water describing the concept, telling them about growing sales and talking current profits. I remember once the food was ready having difficulty with dividing my food up onto 5 tiny little side plates as CBC wanted me to do. A lot of this is a blur, but I do remember the clicking of the plates as I brought them all the samples (my nerves). They really enjoyed the food and Robert said I could cook for him any day! Jim seemed really interested. I think he walked up to my table twice checking out the packaged food.
The funniest thing was from Kevin (go figure)….I was asked about the shelf life of the product and I told them what consumers want is fresh, fresh….not 40 days out. When I mentioned I only have 10 days, Jim talked about injecting gas…and I voiced my concerns about using preservatives, but said I was open to other means of shelf life extensions….Kevin then said “So what you are saying is you would put Rat Poison in your food to make a buck” I said I wouldn’t go quite that far Kevin!
Brett was pretty boring. … I really think he was judging me more then my concept...he asked about whether or not I was drawing a salary… at which I told him I was (there was some confusion there)… he then said I over evaluated my company…he was out.
Kevin kept saying there was no money in it for him….he was out. Robert said I had a good little business and wanted me to convince Jim, but otherwise he was out. Arlene and Jim were left… and I knew they were the ones I needed to sell this too…(I must admit I was shocked)…..Arlene said my pricing was too high… I narrowed my market with my price point. That is what confused me…when is the last time she bought a pizza, or just went out to dinner? With Just Jeff’s you could have ribs, chicken, rice and pasta for the kids at the same price as a Boston Pizza…for a mother of 4, I don’t think she got it…or I did a poor job of pitching it... she was out. Anyway, Jim really liked it, he mentioned he already had his people doing something similar, but really liked what I was doing. He was out, but did say he would have his people get in touch with me. I sure hope he is a man of his word.
And that is that… I walked away stunned, not because they didn’t invest, but because they didn’t get it. Being first to market is key…look at Tim Hortons… if I’d pitched a coffee shop with donuts 20 years ago they’d laugh….but Tim is laughing now….why, cause he’s the first one to market.
You have no idea how pissed I am at myself for not doing a better job at getting my point across. They didn’t try to take more of my company… there was no negotiation about it… They loved the concept, loved the food, liked the numbers, but all said no without a fight?????????

Hindsight’s 20/20… after looking back on it all, I know I sold them on the concept and product… maybe I didn’t sell them on me. Overall, it was a great experience, but I think I’d do things a little differently the next time – especially the way the show seems to be going. Unfortunately, as the show’s viewership grows, it’s become more and more about clown suits, rather than business entrepreneurs.
I truly appreciate all of the well wishes received – maybe we’ll get’em next time!

The Upside In a Downturn

Everyday, the economic news both domestically and abroad continues to be gloomy. To say that we have moved into uncharted economic territory, is an understatement. Central banks and governments getting directly involved in propping up financial institutions with ridiculously large amounts of cash injections to keep the credit market afloat. Concerted and co-operative interest rate cuts on a global scale have been unprecedented. Everyone is rightly concerned about the future of their own household and business finances, and how the daily market changes are going to affect them.

In the hospitality industry, small and large businesses alike will revisit and rethink capital expenditures, carefully scrutinize payroll costs and put on hold opportunities to expand into new markets. Instead, the focus will be on cost cutting initiatives that will positively impact their bottom line. These initiatives will range from passing on added costs to consumers, to reducing advertising and branding expenditures, to perhaps cutting corners on value added products. Employers will create employee focus groups designed wholly to save money in all areas of the business.

While this type of cost cutting approach is well intentioned and to be expected, it is a path fraught with peril, and should be the last step a company takes in times of economic hardship. Instead of focusing on cost savings, businesses should instead be focusing on revenue enhancement. The reasoning behind this is twofold.

First, any changes you make to your product in order to save money, from how you package it, to how you service it or how you market it, will be noticed by your consumers. If it is a significant change, your business runs the risk of being viewed as inconsistent or erratic. Further, questions may come into play regarding the quality of your product. The thoughts of "what did else did they do to cut corners?" - will creep into the consciousness of your customers. These questions may continue to persist and haunt a company or franchise, long after domestic econonmic conditions have improved.

The second reason to focus on revenue enhancement, is to take advantage of your competitors that are turtling in tough economic times. It is much easier for businesses to hunker down and wait for the storm to pass, than it is to get out and get aggressive. While your competitors focus their attention and resources to save money internally, you can eat their proverbial lunch externally. By allocating greater resources to do everything from investigating new product markets, to stealing the competition's customers while they hide in their shell, you will have successfully positioned your company for far greater prosperity when financial conditions improve. There are many ways to do this without a great deal of added expense - you just have to do the work!

Take for example, the Toronto Travelodge Airport hotel. During the SARS crisis, they were the only Toronto property to actually increase occupancy during a time that thousands of area businesses were devastated. Their approach was simple - we can either fold our tents and slash services, or we can get extremely aggressive to bring business in. Another great example is Windsor's Just Jeff's Gourmet Express - a Home Meal Replacement company whose concept was recently chosen by CBC's Dragon's Den for filming for Season 3. Just Jeff's annual revenues have increased five fold in five years, in a region that has the highest unemployment rate in the province, along with drastically reduced business in both the tourism and auto sectors. Just Jeff's identified a unique product niche that addressed consumer's needs to eat well, but without the work!

What can your business do to take advantage of tough times in the market? Sit down with your employees and put everything on the table. Try to pinpoint cost effective initiatives that have a relatively high revenue upside. Identify consumer needs and explore ways to modify your business to take advantage of it. Do you look for ways to save money at the same time? Of course you do, but not at the expense of your brand, and not at the expense of losing market share to your competitors. If you focus on finding solutions to your guests' needs, you will be able to take advantage of a better economic climate when that time eventually comes around.

Don't Miss Out On This Holiday Feast!

Sure you might be able to save a few bucks cooking it yourself.... but think of all the work involved....shopping, cleaning, roasting, preparing, cooking and more cleaning....then, preparing "on the day" for your guests while they relax!......well, you can relax with them....and for not much more then you would spend yourself.
Now-a-days, we don't get the time with family like we used to......so when you get it...enjoy it!
Just Jeff's Gourmet Express...... Eat Well...Without The Work!
Have a Great Holiday!

All Windsor Orders....please call (519)966-0997
Barrie Orders....please call (705)722-8824

How it Works!

Is Just Jeff's worthy of investment?... you decide!
We believe it's the future of fast food!...do you?
Eat Well... Without The Work!



Click on the video and see just how easy Dinner can be!

Just Jeff's Mentioned on the Dragons' Den Again!

Click on this link for the full story.....(nice job Jason Post!)

http://www.huroniabusinesstimes.com/businesstimes/article/113402

Kiosk Is OPEN!

Open for business....Time to enjoy Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!

Eat Well...Without The Work! TM

Kiosk is setup and ready for Business!

Here is a sneak peak at the kiosk in Devonshire Mall Jason & I set up late Sunday Night....It looks awesome (nice design Jason Thibert!). We hope to see you all soon. We should be open Tuesday afternoon (Aug 12th).

Just Jeff's In The Life & Times Paper

Just Jeff's hits the paper again. The Life & Times Paper in Barrie writes about Just Jeff's Gourmet Express. Read the attached article for details.

Check Us Out On Dragons' Den Blog

Looks like we made the Dragons' Den Blog....again....Did we get the cash?.....You'll have to wait and see....

... Checkout the link of us on their Blog... http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/blog2/

Talk to you soon....

Jeff

Jeff In The Den!

Well the filming is over, (for me that is) and all I can say at this time is that I've finally stopped shaking! I'm not usually a nervous guy, I've done lots of TV, Radio and public speaking, but man this hit me like a ton of bricks.

Anyway, it was a whole lot of fun. I would do it again in a heartbeat. What a great unforgettable experience. Hats off to CBC's Dragons' Den Crew. Jason said it perfectly in the previous Blog.

Stay tuned for airing... I'll let you know the date as soon as I know.

BTW... Look for our new Heat & Serve Kiosk Outlet in Devonshire Mall sometime next month. Located in the main entrance hallway(between Tim Horton's & the Information Booth). So next time you're shopping (no matter what time of day), pickup your dinner on the way out. Nice fresh well balanced meal instead of the usual fast-food-fair. Just heat & serve.

Eat Well... Without The Work! TM

Experiencing The Dragon's Den!

Well, the taping is done, and I have to say it was a pretty neat experience. Probably the hardest thing at this point, is the wait!

Season 3 starts sometime in the fall, with 10 episodes airing through November. Unfortunately, they do not tell you until 1 week beforehand, when you're going to be on air or if they even put your pitch on TV.

Just to give you some background numbers: Over 5,000 individuals and organizations made their pitches during the audition phase across the country. From that, they only select about 180 pitches to be filmed...or about 3%. Just to make it to this juncture is a pretty remarkable feat. Then, from there, about 80-100 pitches to actually make it to air, as they go through the editing process. I'm sure there are lots of reasons as to why some make it and some don't - what makes good TV, number of pitches relevant to industry, whether a deal is made or not...and of course, the few poor individuals who get belittled by the Dragon's - which is great for TV, but not so great if you're on the receiving end!

I'm happy to say, that Just Jeff's was not one of those pitches that incur the wrath of the Dragons, but that's about all I think I can say :)

I know Jeff is waiting to hear if there's certain things he can or can't say, before he posts about his pitch. I also have to add that the staff at CBC studio's were just terrific throughout the entire process- they really do an outstanding job.

We'll keep you updated...enjoy the heat!

My Pitch To The Dragon's

Well, this is it... I leave Wednesday afternoon for the drive to Toronto. 7am @ CBC for my pitch!... I can't say much more about it... I'm sure all will work out no matter what.
Stay Tuned.

Dragons’ Den Pitch Preparation:

As many of you already know, I have been asked to go to Toronto to film for CBC’s Dragons’ Den at the end of this month. Visit this site www.cbc.ca/dragonsden for details on the show if you don’t know much about it.

I’d love to know what you think of my pitch. Your feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Dragons, my name is Jeff White, I am from Windsor Ontario and my company is Just Jeff’s Gourmet Express. Today I am asking you for your expertise & a $400 thousand dollar investment. I am prepared to offer a 25% stake in the business.
I came up with this concept about 8 years ago when my son was born. My wife and I became a busy duel income family trying to find time for good healthy food choices. I then developed my meal replacement concept. After 1 year of testing, it was my wife’s idea to go back to work fulltime so I could quit my job and focus on opening the store. We used the equity in our home and opened my store 3 months later.

What is Just Jeff’s? It is an innovative meal concept designed to put time back into people’s lives by offering fresh well-balanced meals in only 8 minutes.
In today’s fast paced society, we all want well balanced “fast food” choices, and Just Jeff’s has proven to be the answer!

Just Jeff’s sells fully prepared individual fresh meals with no preservatives added.
Simply, bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the entrees, set a timer for 8 minutes and dinner is ready. One pot of water, mom can have salmon – dad can have ribs – the kids can have pasta blush with chicken.

Since the company’s inception 5 years ago, Just Jeff’s has grown from first year revenues of $130,000, to current revenues of over $500,000 in the struggling economy of Windsor.
To date we have a corporate store in Windsor, our first franchise in Barrie and we also sell our products at a KOA campground, a timeshare property, a frozen food outlet and are about to open a kiosk in a major shopping mall. As you can see, this is a very flexible product with respect to revenue growth.
We would like to open a kitchen in or around GTA with 2 additional outlets, bring awareness of the concept and branding in a large city. Your “First-to-Market” investment and expertise will jumpstart the real “money” picture… Franchises and the royalties from them.
Assuming each retail outlet can do Windsor numbers at the very least, 5% royalties on 10 franchises is quarter of a million dollars / year. Keep in mind that is using Windsor numbers. Imagine large city revenues like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa etc.

So… what do you think? Feel free to post your comment on our Blog.

We would like more of your support. If you are a Facebook member, search Jeff White. Join our Facebook Groups!

Don’t forget about our new email address database for updated info and savings. Visit our website and enter your email address. http://www.justjeffs.com/

Stay tuned!

Jeff

Can Just Jeff's Tame the CBC Dragons?

You may have heard of the show the Dragons' Den on CBC… where 1 million viewers a week tune in to watch entrepreneurs pitch their “next big idea” to five seasoned (and wealthy!) investors. The idea is to secure funding for their venture in order to make it big in the marketplace, in exchange for a portion of their company.

I’m now thrilled to tell you that Just Jeff’s has been selected to be on the show for the upcoming season!

After a fair amount of thought, I went to an audition in London to pitch our concept in front of pre-screeners, who would determine who makes it onto the show. My 2 minute pitch turned into half an hour of questions as I prepared a number of meals for them, just as you would at home…I simply dropped the items in boiling water and talked about where Just Jeff’s has been, and where we’d like to take it.

The response was simply incredible, and after waiting only a week and a half, I got the call that we had made it! Tentative filming takes place at the end of May. Unfortunately, we won’t know until about a week before which episode we’re on or when it will air, but I’ll be sure to let you all know as soon as I find out. Keep visiting our Blog to stay updated.

Most importantly, I want to thank all of you who have supported Just Jeff’s in Windsor and Barrie, and the concept of eating well, without the work. I truly could not have gotten to this stage, without your patronage and feedback.

BPA In Plastic? Yes we are 100% safe!

Please note that Just Jeff’s, and all of our product containers are completely BPA (Biophensol A) free.

We have guarantees from all of our suppliers that none of our bags or containers contain this chemical compound, which is primarily found in hard plastics.

All of our bags are heat resistant and government approved products, which are completely safe for food use (boiling & freezing).

We appreciate your patronage, and please feel free to ask or discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

Eat Well... Without The Work!

Jeff

BBQ Season Is Finally Here!

After a long winter, the time has finally come to fire up the grill and start cooking. Here are a few tips and tricks to practice this year:

1. Always use two plates for your food - one for the raw product, and one for the cooked product. Never mix the two.
2. Once your grill his hot, try rubbing the grill with a raw onion (cut in half) just before you put the meat on it. This prevents food from sticking. A raw potato cut in half works too.
3. Here is a simple rhyme to help you remember how high your fire should be for cooking different cuts/types of meat. “The smaller the meat, the higher the heat” This is true 95% of the time.
4. One of the most common grilling errors I see is over flipping the meat. Let the grill do its job when cooking. The best way to tell if meat is ready to be flipped is when you notice the edges cooking.
5. Next time you are at Canadian Tire or Home Depot, stop by the BBQ section and buy a bag of smoke chips… even if you don’t have a smoker, they work good when grilling steak or chicken. Simply drop a few chips on the coals just under your meat. Nice flavor!

Don’t forget the veggies!...dip any or all of the following into this marinate and grill slightly…you want good crunchy vegetables:
Asparagus, Thick Sliced Carrots, Sliced Zucchini, Red Onion Rings, Egg Plant, Bell Peppers, Portabello Mushrooms….

Marinade Recipe:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp sesame oil, juice from one lemon or lime, 1 tsp salt and pepper, 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, 1 tsp sugar. ( you could also add a touch of Tabasco and/or Worchestershire if you like a little zing.)

Mix all ingredients well then dip the vegetables in. You can do this about 2 hours prior to grilling. Just be careful when grilling as the oil could flare up. Cook veggies on medium low heat. Serve them hot or at room temperate. I like to grill them just before I cook my meat.

This marinade can be saved and re-used a week later, provided it was used for raw vegetables only. Keep refrigerated.

Happy Grilling.

Just Jeff's Survey - Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate!

Win a $100.00 Gift Certificate!

Click on the link below (yellow type under Fabulous Fresh Food Fast!). You must enter your email address to win the Gift Certificate. You can complete the survey without entering your email address, however without your address you are automatically disqualified from the draw.

This Survey was designed to serve you better.
If you have other ideas or suggestions not noted in the survey, feel free to sent me an email.

Gift Certificate Draw – May 18th. Thanks for taking the time. See you soon.

Jeff White
Just Jeff’s Gourmet Express Inc.
3395 Howard Ave.
Windsor, ON.
519-966-0997
jeff@justjeffs.com


Fabulous Fresh Food Fast

If you shop at our Barrie location click here.
http://www.polldaddy.com/s/68C3D85AA27363FE/

If you shop at our Windsor or St.Clair location click here.
http://www.polldaddy.com/s/54F983CCDAC55C93/

Taste your food before you serve it!

Seems like a simple enough premise to follow, but sometimes we assume it should taste fine because it’s based on someone else’s tried and true recipe.
So often have I had students submit a dish during an exam, and the first thing I always ask them is “how does it taste?” You’d be surprised at how many say, “I didn’t taste it… I just followed the recipe”. Big mistake… the cook is the last line of defense before your guests try the food you worked so hard on all day. The same can be said for the home cook. Having company over, you spend a lot of time cooking, yet you don’t complete the dish by seasoning it properly, or seasoning it too much. Better to start over again before you finish, than to serve a meal you’re less than thrilled with.

Remember, a recipe is simply a guide not a bible (unless you are baking). Don’t be afraid to add a little more salt or pepper if you need it or a tad more garlic…it’s always easier to add later…the key is to catch any issues before it’s too late.

Keep Cooking On High!

Barrie Open House A Huge Success!!

Well, despite the fact we came off of a huge snowfall in Barrie the day before (40cm!), we had over 60 people turn out for the Open House on the afternoon of Friday Februray 8th. It was the perfect opportunity for both regulars to try out some items they hadn't had a chance to try before, and for those who simply haven't had the opportunity to stop by.

Many thanks to Jeff for making the long trek from Windsor in some nasty weather to help out for a couple of days. We also had the opportunity to be on the Rogers Daytime show, from 11am-Noon on the 8th, showing how Just Jeff's works, and Jeff prepared a few items at the same time. We're hoping to be able to post the tape of it on the website shortly, we're just awaiting permission from the station manager. Apparently they have rules about these things :)

If you still haven't dropped by to check out what we do, I would encourage you to take two minutes to do so. All of our food is available in a deli display fridge, and you simply choose the items you want, take them home and put them in your fridge. Then, at your convenience, drop all of your food into a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes and dinner is ready!!! No pots and pans to clean, and no prep time required.

Many thanks again to those who took the time to drop by Just Jeff's, and I look forward to seeing you again in the future.

Jason

Bix X Magazine's "City Smiles"

Hi All......Have a look (read) the attached Doc.

Big thanks to all at Biz X Magazine.

If you can't read this, visit the following weblink...pg 12 i believe.

http://www.bluetoad.com/subscriptionfee.php?magazineid=1034_3

Keep cooking on high.

Tip of the Month

How many times have you gone grocery shopping with good healthy food intentions? You would buy some fresh produce, with the intent to prepare a few dishes from scratch. With that in mind, how many times at the end of the week did you throw out that moldy onion, celery etc. because there was no time for your good intentions. Or, how many times did you find yourself in the mood to start cooking something, then when you open the fridge, you don’t have an onion (if you do, it’s gone rotten). Well, I have a simple solution to commonly used fresh ingredients always being around when you need them.

Step One:
Go to the dollar store and buy a few ice cube trays (a different colour from ones you already have if possible).
Dice all your onions and sauté them until soft, then let them cool.
Step Two:
Yup, you guessed it….fill the ice cube trays with the cooked diced onions and freeze. Once frozen (next day) remove them and keep them in a freezer zip lock bag until ready to use. Now, whenever you need some cooked onions in a recipe (like soup or cooked meat) toss in an onion cube. I won’t argue fresh is best, but the cube is better then no onions at all.
Another related tip (don’t ever mix up your real ice cube tray with your new onion (any food) tray……unless you like the flavour of onion in your ice tea! (yuck!).
Try this tip with garlic, ginger, celery etc.