text: Her top tips to achieving success include trusting your guts, be bold, and never back down. And Jo Burston certainly lives her mantra. The award-winning tech entrepreneur's ballsy attitude helped land her an investor in very unusual circumstances for her first business Job Capital - a leading technology services firm that handles payroll services, migration, salary packaging and contract-management and turned over $40 million in its first four years. 'I was running a services company with an 80 million dollar turnover and realised I wanted more,' says Burston. 'I was on a working trip to Melbourne where I was meant to be pitching on behalf of my employer to an investor but I thought, "I have 15 minutes, I better make the most of it". Scroll down for video . Seventh start-up: Australian Entrepreneur Jo Burston, 43, achieved a turnover of $40 million in her first four years of business . 'When I walked into the investor's office he had all these computer screens going and there was this energy in the room, he had this vibrancy. 'So I walked straight to his side of the desk and said "I'm going to be here anyway one day so I may as well sit here now."' 'He laughed and said "who the hell are you?!" Six weeks later I started Job Capitol and he became my first investor and mentor.' 1.Surround yourself with inspiration . 'Find people that are better at what you do than you. Be around them and up your knowledge all the time.' 2. Hire the right people . 'From admin, to tactical, get those who are skilled in areas that you aren't as much.' 3. Trust your gut instinct . 'When I've fallen in a big heap it's been because I haven't followed my instinct. 4. Know your numbers . 'When you're looking for investors, know your financial literacy. They always look at numbers first, then passion and capability of the entrepreneur. 5.Never give up . 'My mentor always says 'when you're in the ring, fight until the end.' So even if you get hit get hit, get back up and be stronger for it. Burston, 43, has now started eight companies, and last year caught the attention of Richard Branson while staying on his private retreat Necker Island. She was invited to visit Necker Island with a group other entrepreneurs. High on her bucket-list, she jumped at the chance and it was during alone time with the Virgin mogul that her new project 'Inspiring Rare Birds' came into being. 'I was very conscious [of the fact that] he's a busy man - you can imagine how many times he gets pitched to in a day,' says Burston. Burston told Branson and the staff at Virgin Unite about a new business concept she had that focused on the lack of awareness surrounding female entrepreneurs. 'I had taken a film crew to my local high school, Reversby high and talked to girls aged 8-17 about what an entrepreneur was and who came to mind,' says Burston. 'They said Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah, but they couldn't think of one Australian and most didn't associate entrepreneurs with women.' The man, the myth, the legend: Burston received wise advice from Branson to: 'Say yes and figure it out later' Empower entrepreneurs: Burston hopes new venture 'Inspiring Rare Birds' will empower women in business . 'I was so upset about the whole thing, it became the catalyst for my new business. I wanted to change the perception in Australia to be about recognising women as influential and doing incredible things, both socially and economically.' Needless to say, Branson and his team were won over and it wasn't long before she was flying to London to work with Virgin Unite on the idea further. But before Burston left, she was given some wise words of wisdom from Branson. He taught me to "'say yes and work the rest out later," and to keep things simple. He can look at the most complex problem and have a simple, well thought out and articulate way of delivering it.' Inspiration island: Necker Island is Branson's privately owned island in the British Virgin Islands . Idyllic for ideas: On Necker, Burston says her business concept inspired women and helped launch her brand . Since Necker Island, Burston has gone on to launch her new business venture 'Inspiring Rare Birds' a philanthropic endeavour she calls a 'business with a beating heart that's social, sustainable and has a profitable smart heart (neither non-profit nor capitalistic).' The website Inspiring Rare Birds hosts a range of tools, support and network to help Australian female entrepreneurs reach their full potential. Currently there is a mentor program whereby young entrepreneurs can be connected with senior mentors (who are captain of industry executives or successful entrepreneurs). The program is a collaboration with Virgin Unite, and soon there will be a 'Deal Room' - an online portal where entrepreneurs can source investors. Start-up success: Burston's experience has lead to her releasing book to inspire and share success stories . To coincide with the website launch, Burston also published a book 'Rare Birds: Australia's 50 Influential Women Entrepreneurs' which she plans to produce annually to spread the word about up and coming success stories. 'My goal now is to aim for a million female entrepreneurs globally by 2020,' she says. 'I want someone to be able to ask a little girl what she wants to do and her say she wants to be an entrepreneur, have her own company and change the world.'
target: Jo Burston is a top Australian entrepreneur and owns seven businesses .
  In first four years of business she had a $40 million dollar turnover .
  Founder of Job Capital and new organisation 'Inspiring Rare Birds'
  Burston has partnered up with Branson's Virgin Unite for mentor program .