Darina Garland is one-half of the co-founding couple responsible for Ooni Pizza Ovens. Her and Kristian Tapaninaho’s success proves the mouth-watering potential of a good business idea. Darina and her husband weren’t inventors, engineers, or product designers but their good idea made them a global brand. Only once they put their idea to the world, did they realise there was an appetite for their product.
Darina reveals how community funding made their idea a success, the reality of being a true market leader and why you should have the confidence to go for it with your own business idea.
‘Topping’ their conversation… Mark and Johanna discover Darina’s key advice for success in any early career path: the value of work experience, the art of ‘the ask’ – how to connect with successful people, and why embodying your values in the workplace can make you f@*#ng awesome!
This is Darina’s Path for Potential.
Darina’s Bio
Darina Garland is Co-founder and Co-CEO of global outdoor pizza oven brand Ooni. Darina is passionate about developing people, community, growing world-class teams and authentic partnerships. Known for extreme positivity, Darina champions culture and the experience of the team and their network. Ooni’s purpose is Everyone deserves great pizza. Lucky for Darina and the team – great Ooni pizza experiences are an everyday occurrence in the office.
I wish we had the confidence to trust our gut earlier and to go “actually no one’s done this before, this is a thing that we know works – let’s go for it!”
Darina Garland, Path for Potential
‘The Art of the Ask’
How do you get the head of Netflix to return your call? How do you get your design on a Starbucks cup? Mark and Johanna discuss the ‘ask’ with Darina. A top bit of advice applicable to anyone trying to get hired or to pitch an idea to someone you have never met.
From the perspective of the person asking the question and the person being asked, Path for Potential have the secrets to help you get in touch with the person in your field that you really admire, how to nail a cover letter and get the job you want, and that it’s easier to reach out than you may think.
Johanna also mentions her campaign to get one of her illustrations on the Starbucks Christmas cups and how that ended with Starbucks on her client list.