Justin Herald has the kind of entrepreneur story that can really capture kids’ attention. It is bold, unusual, funny and full of lessons about attitude, confidence, persistence and giving an idea a crack.
This story impressed our kids because it shows that success does not always come from perfect school results or following the expected path. Sometimes, the spark is attitude, action and the courage to try something different.
Editor’s note: This article was originally written after Trevor attended the Entrepreneur X Factor event in Fremantle in 2013. It has been lightly refreshed while preserving the original story and reflections.
Justin Herald: A Story That Will Impress Your Kids
This story will impress your kids. It certainly impressed ours.
There is also a little lesson in it for them.
It demonstrates that it is not necessarily only what children learn at school that brings future success. Sometimes, attitude, initiative, confidence and the willingness to take action can become powerful ingredients in a person’s life.
That is why stories like this are useful when we are trying to raise entrepreneurial kids. They help children see that business is not just about money. It is also about ideas, people, problem-solving and courage.
The Entrepreneur X Factor Event
When this article was first written, my friend Gary and I had recently attended an unusual business event in Fremantle called Entrepreneur X Factor. We really did not know what to expect.
On arriving, it was immediately apparent that there was tremendous energy in the room. People were friendly, engaging and full of ideas. Successful entrepreneurs Mike Handcock and Dave Rogers ran the show, along with multimillionaire guest speakers.
People from the event:
Why the Event Was So Unusual
There were two parts to the event.
The first sessions were all about Quantum Business, which was definitely not your normal run-of-the-mill business focus. After lunch, there was an exciting competition where participants stood up in front of the audience and publicly presented their business idea or concept.
The audience judged the event. Budding entrepreneurs seeking big business support were scored on their one-minute presentations. The competition was similar to the TV show The Lion’s Den. Investors were in the room looking to partner with the winner and help them grow their idea.
It was exciting and a little tense. The winner was a guy called Dr Joe.
I could share more about the Entrepreneur X Factor competition and the insights around Quantum Business, but the main purpose of this post is to share a story that will impress your kids.
The First Impression of Justin Herald
So here goes.
There was this tattooed guy in the room dressed in a checked shirt and jeans. He had a goatee and shaven head, wore a black choker necklace and earrings, and described himself as a self-proclaimed bogan who loved hotted-up cars.
This unusual character was introduced as Justin Herald. I had heard the name before, but could not quite remember where I had heard it.
Justin was one of the guest speakers. He came to the front to share his experience and offer some valued advice to us all. At the event, he told us the story of how he built a multimillion-dollar business from a very small beginning.
There were no airs or graces about Justin Herald. He was an everyday bloke who really did not care too much about what people thought of him. He spoke his mind, he had charisma, and he certainly had attitude.
How Justin Herald Started with an Attitude
Justin Herald’s dad was a church minister, and Justin grew up within a church community. It was in a church that his first business idea evolved.
During one particular church service, an elderly lady spoke to Justin and pointed out that he had an attitude problem and should mind his manners.
Justin did not take well to being told off about his attitude, especially at 25 years old. However, that moment ignited an idea.
As Justin told the story that day, he had only $1.25 in the bank and needed some cash to put his idea into action. He asked his brother for $50, bought some cheap shirts, took them to a printer, and had “Attitude” slogans printed on them.
He enlisted the support of his brother and mates. Each of them put on one of the freshly printed shirts and attended the Sunday service, making sure they all stood in full view of the opinionated lady.
She was not happy when she saw the blatant prank Justin had pulled. The shirts had served their purpose very well, and Justin was delighted.
However, something unexpected happened after the service. A number of people took an interest in the “Attitude” shirts. In fact, some people asked if they could buy one from Justin.
That was the beginning of something much bigger.
The Attitude Brand Begins
Justin Herald thought it might be worth a few dollars, so he used the money from selling the first six shirts to his mates and organised for more shirts to be printed with “Attitude” slogans.
Word got out, and his little business began to emerge.
He decided to try selling his shirts at the Sydney Markets. He had never done this before and had no idea how it would go. So he asked one of his mates if he would lend a hand.
His mate said, “No.”
So Justin asked if he would lend a hand for one hundred bucks, and his mate said, “I’d love to help!”
They arrived at the markets and were allocated a table. Justin tipped his box of shirts onto the table all jumbled up. The shirts were a novelty, and people were interested.
Justin Herald Sold Out in Two Hours
According to the story Justin shared with us, he sold out in the first two hours.
His excitement and business grew from there. Justin told us that he printed more shirts and was soon selling as much as $10,000 worth of clothing during a weekend at the markets.
Next, he tried retail stores. The owners moved him on because they had never heard of “Attitude” branded shirts. They also said their customers were not asking for “Attitude” shirts.
Justin had an idea. He asked his mates to call retail stores in the area and ask if they had “Attitude” shirts in stock.
He gave it a few weeks and then paid a visit to these same stores with a sample of his shirts. This time, they were pleased to see him and could not wait to get his shirts up on display.
“You wouldn’t believe the number of calls we’ve had with people inquiring about Attitude shirts.”
Justin’s response was simple:
“Oh really?!”
Business Lessons Kids Can Learn from Justin Herald
Justin Herald’s business continued to grow with the introduction of other lines of clothing. During his presentation, he spoke about being interviewed on television and sharing his story with a much wider audience.
Justin told us that within thirty minutes of one interview, the phone began ringing with retail stores placing orders for his shirts.
He said he had rarely needed to use traditional advertising because his unusual story regularly attracted attention from television programs, business magazines and newspapers. He made for an interesting story because he did not look or behave like the stereotypical businessman.
Justin Herald has a real sense of humour and loves to rib the people around him. He admitted that he had plenty of attitude himself and believed that this was part of why his brand worked.
He was also very easy to talk to and said that one of the secrets to a successful business is connecting with people.
That is a valuable lesson for children. Business is not just about selling a product. It is about understanding people, solving a problem, creating interest and building relationships. These same skills are often developed through simple family enterprise stories and real-world projects.
The Deal That Changed Everything
In the story Justin shared at the event, this chapter of the Attitude business drew to an end when a very large company approached him about a deal.
He was called to a board meeting. Justin rocked up in his jeans and checked shirt to confront a line of suited lawyers and business leaders. First came the formalities, and eventually they passed over the official offer for him to read.
Justin read the dollar number on the page in disbelief. He asked the lawyers if the comma was actually a comma or whether it was a dot.
They said it was a comma.
He then said, “Do I get a TV with that?”
They looked at one another and said, “Of course!”
Justin described it as a life-changing deal. He also told us that he took the television from their wall. They offered to get him a new one, but he said he did not want to muck around trying to rip up the box and packaging to fit it into his recycling bin.
From $1.25 to a Multimillion-Dollar Business
Beginning with the small amount of money described in his presentation, Justin Herald grew the Attitude business into a major brand in a relatively short time.
In the years that followed, Justin moved into other business ventures, mentoring, customer-service training and professional speaking.
Justin Herald’s Four Business Lessons
At the event, Justin left us with four excellent “Aha!” moments.
- You need a switch. You need something that gives you the purpose, focus and drive required to start a business. His was the opinionated lady at church. Justin said he was very grateful for her.
- Say “Next!” Justin explained that you will face barriers, setbacks and naysayers as you try to move ahead with your business. He says “Next!” and moves on. Many people fall back into their comfort zone and give up, but Justin encouraged us to keep going.
- Networking matters. He said business is about the way you relate to your customers. Word of mouth and genuine relationships can help a business grow.
- Give it a crack. This was his biggest tip. Stop waiting for everything to be perfect and take action.
After the presentation, Gary and I had the privilege of chatting to Justin Herald one-on-one. We found him to be a genuinely nice bloke.
He told us that the mates he still spent time with were the same bunch of blokes he had known when he was twenty. He said he had never made the grades at school, and his attitude had landed him in trouble many times during those years. However, it was also his attitude that helped shape the person and entrepreneur he became.
Let’s hope that Justin Herald’s success story inspires your kids like it did mine. Children do not have to fit every expected credential to become successful. They need confidence, courage, persistence and the willingness to learn through real-world action.
This kind of entrepreneurial thinking is also why we became interested in alternative models of education, including our experience of Green School Bali and its philosophy on education.
More About Justin Herald
The original version of this article included a short biography from Justin Herald’s website at the time. His official website continues to share the story behind Attitude Inc and the business journey that followed.
According to Justin Herald’s official website, he was 25 years old and had only $50 to his name when he began changing the direction of his life. He created Attitude Inc, which became an international licensing success with annual turnover reported by his website as exceeding $20 million.
Justin’s success was widely recognised. His website lists him as International Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005 and a recipient of the Future Leaders Award, which recognised influential leaders of the next generation in Australia.
His website also describes him as a business mentor and conference speaker, as well as Managing Director of Customer Culture, a customer-service training company.
Justin’s official shop lists eight books, including Would You Like Attitude with That?, How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Single Cent and several other books about motivation, ideas and business.
Key takeaway: Justin Herald’s story is a powerful reminder for kids that success can begin with a simple idea, a bit of attitude and the courage to take action. It is not enough to just think about an idea. At some point, you have to give it a crack.
Where to Next?
If you enjoyed this entrepreneur story, you may also like:
- Raise Entrepreneurial Kids — ideas for helping children build initiative, confidence and real-world skills.
- Kids Business Ideas: Amber’s Kids Biz Program — a real family story about turning a $20 challenge into a kerb painting business.
- Honey Pot of Gold — Flynn’s real-life honey enterprise story.
- Mindset, Confidence & Leadership — articles about helping kids grow through courage and action.
- Family Enterprise Stories — real examples of children learning through business and initiative.
