Simson Family Holiday

I have had a few weeks off with the family.  A complete break it is important to recharge. I’m back and ready for another big year at RedBalloon… I have had  a quick look at the diary and I see that I will be quite busy….

This Week

Monday: Interview with The Age  – and reconnecting with everyone in our one on ones

Tuesday: Speaking engagements for Dell and another for Deloitte… then a photo shoot with Pete for Latte Magazine

(I notice that my episode of Secret Millionaire will replay at 7.30pm Tuesday on Gem free to air channel – I blogged about the filming in late 2009)

Wednesday: Celebrating Australia day on the Harbor with friends

Thursday: Judging session for Qantas eXcel peoples choice awards

Friday: Meetings in Melbourne (and the Australian Open men’s final on Sunday)

The Simson Family Christmas Tree

I always get a little melancholy to say good-bye to such a fabulous year. 2010 was a year that made so many dreams come true. In our wildest dreams I did not imagine that we would achieve the growth that RedBalloon had this year – and more importantly the number of people we have served. If we think about the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Grand Final day – that is the number of people I need to THANK for choosing RedBalloon as gifts this Christmas.

We have had many new people join RedBalloon and each of them has grasped our values and sense of purpose with vigor – how lucky I am to work with such an amazing team of people. As I look to next year I think of the things that I want to achieve personally as well as professionally. I’m taking some time with the family to enjoy a white Christmas and some extreme skiing for a few weeks. I’ll also take the time to jot some thoughts about the bigger games I want to play.

You can be assured that you will see lots more innovation from RedBalloon. As we come to our 10-year celebration we will look to the next decade with continued commitment to changing gifting in Australia and New Zealand forever.

Most importantly: I very much want to involve the people who read my blog in some of the ideas and inspirations so – given that I know people who read and comment on this blog are likely to enjoy experiences – I’ll be selecting someone who comments or subscribes each month to go and try a RedBalloon experience.

I’m excited by 2011, by the new challenges, the new people I will meet, the new innovations we will deliver – and most important the number of people we will touch with great experiences.

See you in a few weeks….wishing you the merriest of festive seasons.

Kristina Karlsson - Kikki-K at RedBalloon

What a fabulous week last week. We are clearly in the festive season… I was asked on Kochies Business Builders to speak on employee engagement – clearly a passion and so little time… we will have to work out a way to share more with that audience… iStrategy 2010 was very productive and insightful. So enjoyed Sailing on the Harbor with some of the RedBalloon for Corporate clients and friends. Kristina Karlsson from Kikki-K kept the whole team enthralled with her humbling story of persistence and vision.

Friday Best Buddies amazing race day was perfect… and also glad that Fiona came and volunteered after reading this blog (thank – you).  RedBallooners had a playtime theme at Luna Park to launch the festive season…

Then on Saturday I had lunch with our Retails Super Stars in Melbourne – Who look after our concession in Myer Melbourne (ground floor Latrobe Str)

This week:

Monday: Adelaide client meetings and research

Tuesday: Adelaide client meetings (and visiting RM Williams leaders)

Wednesday: Sydney Dynamic Business Lunch

Thursday: Voiceless Grants event at Sydney Town Hall

Friday: Hosting an HR leader round table

Reading: What French Women Know Debra Ollivier

Best Buddies Pair of the Year

Photo's of Best Buddies by Marcus Gibbs Design Strategy

Dexter with his cushion

Sometimes my weeks astound me with the sheer variety of what I get up to. I did a presentation on employee engagement entitled ‘you can’t do it on your own’ to the Independent Funeral Directors – I think we found each other equally fascinating.

I was in Melbourne – and surprised my daughter with a fabulous gift. Kissed goodbye by his lordship himself – there was lots of cooing, not just from my daughter but her school friends as well. Now Dexter is with her every day at school – as per my previous post.

I’m glad I took my daughter to Channel Nine for the National IQ test, that was a highlight really – and catching up with many other entrepreneurs who I know. (Quite frankly it was a very long day and if I had of known the format I don’t think they really needed me).

Myself, Janine Allis - Boost Juice & Carly Crutchfield at National IQ

What a wonderful treat to have RedBalloon shoes… I am known for my red wardrobe and this really completes all my outfits – another fabulous RedBalloon experience.

Finished the book Drive by Dan Pink, which inspired me to blog about Google and tweet rigorously.

Coming Up this week –

Monday: Launch of this Trimesters theme – very exciting and very on brand

Tuesday: Speaking for Jurlique on recognition – and also a client visit at the same time – not sure how that will work?

Wednesday: Speaking for the Women in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, about women in leadership

Thursday: Speaking for the Australian Health Services Financial Managers Association – a Growth Story. And attending a business round table and a family event at Melbourne Zoo.

Friday: The fabulous Tim Harcourt – Airport Economist is our guest at the RedBalloon lunch and learn.

Reading: The Power of Nice – by Kaplan Thaler & Koval

I have never before been to a Health Retreat… in fact I was a little unsure of what to expect. I knew that to maximize the results of the retreat part of it would be to unplug for the weekend. No phones, TVs or laptop.  I liked the fact that I knew that I was truly away from the world.

Gwinganna Weekend Health Retreat – Is a perfect introduction to a healthy lifestyle… habits of which could form and stay with you. (like always having a water bottle with you)

Things that surprised me:

• I had never done boxing before… very rewarding.
• How much you can do before an 8.00am breakfast (a 10k hike) and feel fabulous all day
• What a luxury it is to not have to declare to the waitress ‘no wheat no dairy’
• To discover that there are 33 treatment rooms in the Gwinganna spa
• To meet other guests who are equally committed to a life style change.
• How fabulously one sleeps with the sounds of the bush – after fabulous food (99.8% organic)…
• The colour and taste of truly healthy food (and lot’s of it)

Whilst this is a Health Retreat the facilities appear like a resort. And it really is very indulgent to have such amazing facilities at your beck and call all day.

This was a perfect weekend recharge. And I came back feeling fabulous and ready for this week.

I completely recommend this – and challenge people to be surprised by a new way of life

Tuesday I had breakfast with past Melbourne Cup champions, Rogan Josh and Brew in the mounting yard at Flemington and I held the 18 carrot gold Melbourne cup (with white gloves on).

Later in the afternoon I met and held a bunch of reptiles, quite the experience.

Wednesday I’d lost my voice – so for our fabulous lunch and learn with Michael Ebied Executive Director, Corporate Strategy & Marketing for the ABC – Kristie sat in for me and asked the questions.  By Friday I met with the RedBalloon Customer Experience team, then I spoke at PwC about gifting strategies – there was not much left of me really, no voice. Then my colleague and I Georgia flew to the Gold Coast for the most perfect weekend retreat at Gwinganna – what a delight. More on that in the next post.

This week

Monday: Filming a Recognition Every Day Toolkit launch video with St George – And hosting a Women’s CEO dinner at est restaurant

Tuesday: Melbourne for Channel Nine’s National IQ Test (on at 7.30) with Eddie McGuire

Wednesday: Business Network Lunch with Bernard Salt in Melbourne – then Sydney for a business dinner at Ivy.

Thursday: Do compliance stuff for my role on the Best Buddies board

Friday: Speaking engagement in Canberra for the Independent Funeral Homes Conference

Reading: Daniel Pink – Drive, the surprising truth about what motivates us.

Add your story.

This past week was such a rush – crammed so much in, but I would hate to be bored. Coming up this week we will kick off Trimester 2 at RedBalloon. We are into our people reviews, the plan has been signed off, personal promises are being finalised – and the theme is set to be launched. We will wrap up the Dream Employers report and publish the video of the press conference. I’ll be sad to miss the company lunch on Tuesday, but will be back in time for the company lunch and learn on Wednesday.

This Week

Monday: Meetings in Melbourne and a networking lunch with 30 business people

Tuesday: Attending the 150th Melbourne Cup at Flemington Race Course

Wednesday: Lunch and Learn with the team – all about online at the ABC with Michael Ebeid

Thursday: Several Meetings with clients & review the stories people are writing

Friday: Attend the Customer Experience team meeting and then head to Guinganna in Queensland with Georgia from the RedBalloon Product team

Visiting a health retreat will definitely be ‘mixing business with pleasure’.

RedBalloon for Corporate - goes trapezing

I often marvel that the experiences that I love the most are the one’s that are most unexpected. And on Sunday morning, I got to delight in the feeling of flying.

On Hamilton Island with the RedBalloon Corporate team we delighted in doing things that we had not done before. I have been sailing – but never on a catamaran that is rigged just for speed. Keith our host was completely thorough in his briefing – we learned how to quickly attach our harnesses so we could trapeze out over the sides of the catamaran.

The water is always deliciously warm in the Whitsundays and we were so fortunate to have a really good wind. It was only minutes before we were out of the harbor, harnessed in and travelling with the wind.

I loved looking towards the water as I hung over the side to really experience the rush of the speed we were travelling. According to Keith only 10% of Australian sailors will ever travel as fast as we were going.

We laughed and screamed with delight with every new gust of wind we reached – and we took turns in holding onto the net to skim literally inches from the water. It was like your own personal spa travelling at 19knots.

We had such a laugh – doing this with friends made it all the funnier – watching each person’s reaction.

We were out for about 1.5 hours… the time disappeared. We came back with our bellies aching from laughing too much.

If you are ever on Hamilton Island this is a must do… in fact it is even worth a trip to Hamo – because apparently it is the only place in Australia set up specifically for the speed of trapezing on a catamaran.

Oprah would love to do this - add it to the petition

Sailing Trapeze from Hamilton Island

Thank you for the Thank you

I have done my tap dance round Queensland this week for the AIM Management excellence awards. Cairns, Townsville and Sunshine Coast. Three presentations in 2 days… I had a delightfully productive week though. I learned what FOMO was ‘fear of missing out’ and that is the hardest thing about being away. Missing Friday night with the family.

Terri Irwin was the winner of the AIM ME awards on the Sunshine coast which I presented at on Friday night. Her acceptance speech was inspirational. She focused on the growth story of the Australia zoo and how Steve’s parents had started the zoo 40 years ago with 2 acres and 22 years later they had 2 people and still 2 acres. Both her children were with her. I was delighted to hear that the Tiger Walk RedBalloon experience is a world exclusive to us…. I’ve put it on my wish-list and will be back to try it soon.

At RedBalloon we practice what we preach when it comes to recognition. I was delighted when one of my colleagues sent the Snoopy Picture (left) by way of a thank you for the acknowledgment she had received via the RedBalloon Hot program (our recognition platfrom)… Kind of nice to get a thank you for a thank you.

Coming up this week beginning 13 September 2010.

Monday: An intimate breakfast with Richard Branson (oh and 1500 Business Chicks). Lunch and Learn at RedBalloon with Paul Cave founder of Bridge Climb.

Tuesday: Retail Round table – nice to be included in the invitation list.

Wednesday: RedBalloon leadership meeting

Thursday: Client meetings Melbourne.

Friday: A RedBalloon experience (massage at home) – I was given as a Thank you gift – (it is the first one I have ever received).

Another busy week – which I’m sure will bring it’s share of surprises

Daniel Gregory at the Grow Lunch and Learn today

As part of our Grow theme (see previous post)  RedBalloon is hosting a series of ‘Lunch and Learns’ internally for our people. Our first speaker for the season was Daniel Gregory (creative director Smart Agency –also known for his regular spot on The ABCs Gruen Transfer).

Fabulous to hear about some of the great campaigns he has worked on – to hear about the brief, which creates the advertising seen by all. ‘The workings of a creative mind.’ Dan demonstrated how a small idea in the right place can have a massive impact.

After he had shared a few of his stories – the questions from the team(and responses) delivered additional gold.

Q: What have you learned from failures (and what were they like)?

Dan: “The worst thing a campaign can do is to be boring. I’m fortunate that I have worked on things that have brought commercial outcomes for my clients. In my opinion the biggest failures are the ads that don’t get noticed; that simply put you to sleep. Even if an ad is offensive and get’s lot’s of criticism – at least it stood out. I’m currently doing a research paper and those ads that have received the most complaints deliver in bucket loads commercially for the brand. It is a matter of knowing what you stand for – rather than building a brand. And being prepared to offend.”

Q: Can you speak on how the importance of product in the communications mix?

Dan: “The product has to be good – you cannot fake it. We were given the brief for the Mother energy drink – for it’s ‘re launch’ the first time around the agency had driven people to purchase – but the stuff tasted so bad – no one came back. We were really real with the second launch – and told people we got it wrong – with a funny campaign that ‘attacked’ the original guys who formulated it… it was a massive success. Sometimes the best thing for creative people to do – is to ask the client to adjust the product.”

Q: What does the best client look like?

Dan: “The best clients come from outside the industry, or the country… someone who looks at things differently – and will be prepared to take a risk and be fresh. Also CEO’s make great clients – because they are so results driven, and they are far more likely to take a risk. The best brief I get is when someone writes their business problem on a post-it-note and leaves us to it. We can then use any media, any creative, any way to get the message out there – and the message is less likely to be watered down if you are dealing with CEOs. The greatest campaigns come from people who will take a risk.”

Q: What role will online media such as Facebook play moving forward?

Dan: “People come to us and say ‘quick we need a Facebook page’ but the question really comes back to ‘what do you stand for’ and what is the best way to get that message to market. You can’t do something that is viral – just by calling it that – it has to be engaging, interesting and stand for something. It has to be worthwhile.

“Really there is so much media now available to us… we no longer have 4 channels, 6 radio stations and 4 magazines… people consume their media everywhere, anywhere. 25% of people use their mobile for accessing Facebook . It is really hard to clearly define ‘above the line’ and ‘below the line’ now. It is all just media… the exciting thing is that a small business can play way beyond it’s weight simply by making a stand. Know what you stand for.”

Dan was most generous in his answers… what a delight to kick of the season with such vivid stories. Thank you Dan for sharing lunch with the RedBallooners.