We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jana Boyko a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jana, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

One thing that’s never sat well with me is how intimidating entrepreneurship can feel for people who don’t have business backgrounds. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard “I’m scared to start a business” from someone who would make the most incredible entrepreneur.

This is partly because so much of the information out there is full of business jargon, leaving people feeling disconnected. But it’s also because we’ve been told that we have to abandon ourselves to be successful. Think of all the stories you hear about founders who give up everything—their relationships, their paychecks, their homes, and most devastatingly, their sense of who they are—to build a business.

But I see entrepreneurship differently. I see building a business as a natural, organic process. Not just for a select few who have business skills, or for those who grind it out, but for anyone who feels they have something to offer. For anyone who’s willing to put themselves out into the world and learn in real-time.

This philosophy is very much reflected in the products I create for entrepreneurs. As the author of Bedside Business Plan, a guided journal for aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s my mission to make starting a business a warm and approachable experience for anyone who wants to do business differently.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m the creator of Bedside Business Plan, a guided journal that helps aspiring entrepreneurs write a complete business plan. I run the business with my brother, Brad Boyko, and together we’re on a mission to make entrepreneurship for everyone. We create stationery tools to help people turn their ideas into reality, and we’re launching a brand new product in Spring 2025 (stay tuned)!

In 2018 I left a lucrative corporate career and started a business coaching practice dedicated to helping women transition from employee to entrepreneur. Since then, I’ve helped over 100 women build businesses while honouring who they are in the process. I believe entrepreneurship is a deeply human endevour, one that requires us to make ourselves part of our plans. For this reason, Bedside Business Plan isn’t just about business planning, but also helps you get clear on your needs, values, and boundaries as an entrepreneur.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Lucky for me, my co-founder is my brother, Brad. When we were young, we’d often talk about starting a business together one day. We’re very similar people in terms of our personalities, yet we bring completely different skill sets to the business. I oversee product development, business strategy, and marketing. He looks after our supply chain, operations, and finances. There’s no one else I’d rather be in business with.

I still remember the day I told him about the idea for Bedside Business Plan at a local coffee shop patio in Calgary. He immediately loved it, and we decided right there on the spot that it was an idea worth pursuing.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Prior to starting Bedside Business Plan, I knew nothing about the book industry. So, I got scrappy. While I was writing the content for the journal, I decided to make my first prototype. I knew I wanted the journal to be wrapped in a beautiful linen cover, so off I went to our local fabric store. I’ll never forget being in that store among nearly twenty other grandmas looking for fabric for their sewing projects. I sorted through a bunch of linen fabric rolls, and then finally came across a beautiful navy linen that was exactly what I’d been looking for. I purchased roughly three feet of fabric, and when I got home I cut out a small square and wrapped it around one of the journals I had on my bookshelf. I secured it with duct-tape, and ta-da, my first protoype was born!

Having this initial prototype was important for two reasons. 1. It made the idea feel real before the business was even a thing. 2. It kept me motivated and excited throughout the writing and editing process. I kept the prototype on my desk, and would often pick it up and smile with excitement as I held it.

I think it’s really important to make your business ideas real as soon as possible. Make a prototype, mock something up in your garage, create a vision board. These things will keep you motivated and inspired as you build your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bedsidebusinessplan.com My personal website: janaboyko.com
• Instagram: @bedsidebusinessplan (https://www.instagram.com/bedsidebusinessplan/)
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janaboyko/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bedsidebusinessplan

Image Credits

Brad Boyko