Satisfied customers and personal freedom make it all worthwile!

Saša and Louise: Have a great product and be prepared to work hard.

The Radonjićis live a life that many dream of: they manage their own restaurants by the Adriatic coast in the summer, and work with tourism and skiing in the French Alps during winters. But behind their success lies hard work, persistence, and the courage to enter a new market with many unknowns.

Seazing the opportunity when you see it

– We came to Montenegro on holiday, says Saša. Three days later we bought a flat and almost immediately started brainstorming around different business ideas for the Montenegrin market.

– I loved the place, says Louise. Plus it was a great time to open up a business, since the market was starting to develop.

They finally decided on an all-natural juice and sandwich bar.

– There was nothing like it in this part of Europe, it was relatively easy to set up, and we figured it would give us enough income – or at least food and drink! – to survive the summer.

Only one year later, they opened up a small space, with just the two of them working and only a few items on the menu. It turned out to be the right business in the right place at the right time: the following year they moved to slightly larger premises. Today, they have two restaurants – each with seating for 70 customers – a menu with over 300 items, 16 employees, and the option to open up in more locations.

– But we think carefully about our next steps, says Saša. The most important thing is family, so instead of jumping on the next opportunity we ask ourselves how it would affect our relationship.

Caution was a conscious strategy from start

– We’ve always been really rational and realistic of what we can aff ord and have never spent more than what we’ve had, says Saša.

– The first season was a trial, says Louise. We wanted to go slowly and feel the market ourselves. This helped us avoid making huge mistakes: it’s not until you put your product on the market that you’ll really know how people will respond to it.

Starting out, the couple’s friends and family thought that they were mad for leaving great jobs behind. And looking back, they realize that they were quite gutsy and ahead of time.

– It was all really just starting back then, says Saša. The tourist season was only three weeks long and there were hardly any international tourists, mainly some UN guys from Kosovo and Bosnia. We still remember our first international customer!

– After 15 years of sanctions, our greatest challenge was – and still is – getting the right supplies. At one point we couldn’t even find ham! We actually still grow some of our own ingredients – like rocket salad and mint – and import some other.

Bureaucracy and cultural differences didn’t make the start any easier

– The municipality didn’t know which category to put us in: we were not a snack bar, not a café, not a juice factory… The administrative procedures seemed endless!

– I had to deal with customers in a language I barely knew at the time, says Louise. We worked many 18-hour days for very little money. That first summer we made 90 Deutsch marks, and most of it went to cover costs!

Finding good staff has been a major challenge.

– I was too trusting in the beginning and was shocked to find that staff had been stealing from us, says Louise. Staff showing up late or chatting up customers has also been part of our experience.

– Nowadays, I paint the worst possible picture to potential employees, says Saša. That way most of them eliminate themselves right away and I don’t waste my time. We’ve finally managed to build a core of great people who keep on coming back to work for us. This is priceless, not only for us but also for our guests who have a friendly face waiting for them.

Despite the difficulties, leaving or looking for a job has never been an option.

– We were never ready to fail, says Saša. Our stubbornness has kept us going! It was never about the money, but about the pride in succeeding.

– Of course we had many fears, like not getting any customers or that people would only come once, says Louise. So when we started noticing customers returning for a second visit it felt great! We had managed to create a product that people wanted and were willing to pay for!

A critical success factor is having a great product

– We never did any advertising, but relied on producing a high-quality product. I sometimes go for supplies several times a day – that way we make sure that our products are always fresh and that waste levels are kept incredibly low.

Being ready to adapt your business to the market is equally important.

– After a few years, we realized that we were missing out on the evening dinner trade, despite our fantastic location. People simply didn’t see us as a dinner place. So we decided to hire a real chef and expand our menu.

Investing in staff is also key, especially if you want to grow your business.

– You have to keep a sensitive balance: to keep a tight leash and to let go of some of the day-today operations. We used to be very possessive and found it hard to delegate. But you have to let people do it their way, as long as the end product is the same. Training staff to do the job is important.

Saša and Louise both believe in building loyal and healthy relations

– We’ve decided to stay with the suppliers who were with us when we were small. We always pay our suppliers on time and find time to talk to them when they come to our restaurants. This made it much easier to get supplies for our new place when it opened up earlier this year.

To be on top of their business, the couple still works long hours.

– I sometimes wish that we had a normal week, says Louise. We’re never not working and we can never plan several weeks in advance. But we get our time in between seasons, and come August we see the light in the tunnel. We have much more job satisfaction than before and we can develop our business the way we want to.

The couple agrees that no matter what business you’re in, you have to find out what works for you.

– Our initial vision was to have a chain of juice bars in this area, says Saša. Instead, we decided to have a really good product, stay small and expand sideways. For us, it was the right thing to do given the logistics of spreading into different locations.

– I found that the only partner I want to work with is Louise. We have the lifestyle that we want and live in the places we love. We did it in the best way for us.

Saša's and Louise's advice to other business owners

• Know what makes you happy and do what’s best for you

• Have a clear vision and believe in what you do – even when other people don’t!

• Have a great product that you believe in and be prepared to work hard

• Take financial control and don’t over-invest in your business

• Make sure to have some savings to cover your start-up period

• If you have a team working for you, be prepared to show leadership

• Take the time to constantly change and improve your business

• Never take on more than you can cope with

• Invest in your staff – skilled and loyal staff is priceless

• Make the necessary changes to fit the market

Budva Juice Bar opened up in 2001 in Budva, Montenegro. The restaurants offer 100% natural food and drink: from fruit juices and smoothies to sandwiches and pasta dishes. For more information, visit www.juicebar.me