I was fascinated to learn that there is a Buy Nothing New Month in Australia. I love this idea… though of course retailers will not… (I’m sure the liquor retailers don’t like Dry July either.) I was in the US last summer on holiday with my family and I was completely overwhelmed by the consumerism. (And quite frankly everything began to look the same). I heard that 10% of all women’s clothes sold in Australia are never worn. It is…
Cup Day is close, which means Christmas is upon us in a retail sense… this will be my eleventh Christmas at RedBalloon. And we are looking to recruit a Customer Experience manager to support with this very hectic time at RedBalloon (so if you know anyone please introduce them to us). Otherwise you might well get me on the phones – which would be fun … in fact maybe I could do that… but we need someone to manage me……
The fact that 50% of Australian women over the age of 45 have less that $8000 in superannuation is completely alarming to me. I continue to debate, discuss and consider the implications of free childcare in Australia and other ideas around women’s financial security. Financial freedom gives people choices. The following poem was forward to me by a colleague… and rather than present more statistics about why society would be a better place with more women in leadership roles –…
Had a great time at the Griffiths University event in Brisbane last Wednesday. Jenny Brockie did a great job encouraging questions from the group and asking her own. I met Stephen C Lundin – visiting professor at Griffiths and also author to Fish and follow up book Fish Sticks which is interesting because my second ever blog post recommended this book. I also really enjoyed being a guest at the Global Banking Alliance for women dinner where Penny Wong spoke….
Recently I received a ‘letter to the editor’ in response to my article in The Australian: Role models key to end gender imbalance Goals for women IF Naomi Simson‘s goal is to get more women on boards, she should start by not denigrating the role of parenting. ?The women’s movement has failed in what should have been a prime goal — to recognise and elevate the role of caring — whether it is for young children, the disabled, or the…
That would certainly make headlines, wouldn’t it? I wonder the impact such an initiative would have. On the weekend I was chatting with my friend Margie Hartley and she shared some insights into why there are not more women in senior roles in Australia. Marg facilitates women’s resilience programs and is a coach to executives. She wrote a blog recently about the disappearing pipeline for senior female executives. As we were chatting I offered that making childcare – including qualified…
It’s party party party at RedBalloon… well not really in fact we are very focused on our preparations for Christmas. It is however the 10th anniversary of the launch of the first RedBalloon.com.au website. On Friday night we had the team and partners together for a fabulous evening as well as some of the original RedBallooners. I was asked to say a few words and I found it quite difficult to express myself (which is odd, as you know because…
The highlight of last week was attending the NSW Telstra Business Womens Awards – a massive congratulations to Catherine Burn Deputy Commissioner for Corporate Services of NSW Police on being named this years NSW winner. Always a delightful event to hear the amazing stories of these business women’s achievements – but I think one of the cutest comments from a past winner “Now that I am part of this select group of TBWA winners I can do anything, even parallel…
Another interesting question posed by the Australian – everyone is looking for the get quick rich scheme – and the reality is that there are none – unless you don’t mind a bit of hard work… here is my response to the question “How to make money online?”. This century is all about transparency and authenticity – people want to know that you are real. But having a great product that appeals to people and will get them talking is…
Imagine running a business based on fun - that's what I decided to try when I left a very serious corporate career in marketing to set up RedBalloon...
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What do you call a gathering of female entrepreneurs? An opportunity
I have just had the pleasure of being a participant at the Ernst & Young Women’s Entrepreneur Workshop in Sydney. It was a delight to listen to Carla Zampatti share her story of being an entrepreneur committed to women’s fashion and the struggles she faced in the late 60s. Lyndsey Cattermole shared the thrill and sheer determination it took to create her business – Aspect Computing – and Melissa Widner discussed her journey as a serial entrepreneur – and her…