Kijiji founder doles out business, life advice

When her name was called out, Janet Bannister leapt to the stage, shaking hands with the event organizers. She pulled the microphone away from the podium and cleared her throat. She paced the staged with the energy of a stand-up comic, drifting from one end to the other, engaging both sides of the packed room. She wore a near-permanent smile, punctuating her speech with laughs. She was excited to share her message with the audience.

“I love meeting...people,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to be here tonight.”

The crowd gave her their full-attention, chuckling at her jokes and applauding her anecdotes. After a long evening of speeches and meals, Janet Bannister was the main event.

Bannister was the guest speaker at the 20th annual Yorkton Chamber of Commerce (YCC) business dinner on May 9. Dozens of people filled St. Mary’s Cultural Centre for the event. Mayor Bob Maloney and MLA Greg Ottenbreit were in attendance.

YCC reached out to Bannister to be their guest speaker and she eagerly accepted.

“I’m so happy to be here in Yorkton,” she said. It was her first-ever visit to the Saskatchewan town.

Bannister, a partner with Real Ventures, is perhaps best known for founding and growing Kijiji, the popular online classified advertising service. Bannister, who often speaks with business owners and entrepreneurs, uses her life experiences to highlight the themes of her speeches.

“I’m going to talk about my story and the lessons I’ve learned along the way,” she said.

Bannister loves speaking with business-minded people.

“I have so much respect for [them],” she said.

Bannister’s main topics included persistence, determination, and following your passions.

“Often when you’re feeling you need to give up, that’s when you need to double-down,” she said. “It’s never a straight line to success.”

Bannister encountered hurdles early in her business career. She sold homemade muffins as a teenager, walking up and down Toronto streets trying to get stores to carry her goods. She heard plenty of “no’s” but she persisted until a few stores accepted her baked food.

“It was a great learning experience,” she said. “Don’t change your goal; change how you’re going to get there.

“Grit and perseverance are often the difference makers.”

After college, Bannister moved to Silicon Valley to work for eBay. She focused on improving the company’s online capabilities.

“I combine analytical thinking and creativity,” she said. “I enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit in California.”

Bannister’s time in California, while positive, made her appreciate her home country. She moved back to Canada with her husband. She developed the idea that would evolve into Kijiji. eBay told her she could lead the new service in Canada, but she wouldn’t have a safety net.

“[eBay told me] if [Kijiji] isn’t successful, [I] might not have a job here,” she said. “Sometimes I like to be the master of my own fate.”

Bannister grew Kijiji into its popular form. emphasizing the customer experience.

“This isn’t just a site to make money,” she said. “We had a greater mission.

“We almost talked about [Kijiji] like a utility.”

Bannister wrapped up her career story by encouraging the audience to seize onto the their passions.

“You’ve got to listen to your heart,” she said. “It’s so easy to do what people expect you to do.”

Bannister fielded questions from the crowd, including topics of female representation in the business world, encouraging children to follow their dreams, and how to overcome personal and professional obstacles.

“Don’t worry about not knowing everything,” she said. “You’re going to make mistakes.

“They make you a stronger person.”