Inspired by her father, who worked for a number of large New Zealand exporters, Josette Prince decided to study commerce at Otago University, with a focus in food and export marketing.
Over her career Prince has worked with many great companies, tasting many products. Spending ten years at both Mars and Griffin’s, she has amassed a wealth of experience in sales, marketing and general management roles. For the past four years, Prince has been the managing director at Tasti Products.
“I love working for a Kiwi family-owned business that is a market leader in New Zealand and an exporter to international markets. I’m proud that we are also the major source of funding for Kiwi conservation through the Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust.”
Today, Prince says that being a good role model for her children and working with great people are her most important motivators.
Her best advice for anyone looking to venture into the FMCG industry is to be resilient and make decisions with an “owner” mindset.
“Think like you are the owner of the business. I would also recommend taking on more responsibility as opportunities arise, even if you don’t think you are ready for it,” noted Prince.
“I was only 26 when I was appointed to run Mars Snackfood for New Zealand, which included full P&L responsibility. I originally said no to the role as I thought I was too young and needed more experience, but my manager convinced me to do it.”
Prince is thankful for her manager’s encouragement as the role turned out to be an incredible learning opportunity, and led her to run Mars Pet Food for New Zealand a few years later.
She also prioritises developing her team members. Prince feels that it is important to give your team members praise and recognition, as well as constructive feedback.
“Too many leaders avoid having the tough conversations and as a result, they are not helping their staff reach their full potential.”
If Prince could go back in time and tell her younger self a piece of advice, it would be to move cross functionally.
“Moving across different areas allows you to be an all-rounder, rather than a functional specialist, which is important to helping you become a CEO. Consider small to medium companies, not just large companies, as this often allows you to attain broader experiences.”
