On Monday I had the fortune of participating in the Growth Faculties Leadership Summit. Six leaders, with different styles and methods took to the stage to share what they had learned about leadership. Martha Stewart at 70, gave an energetic and passionate insight into her life and the creation of her personal brand. She did speak of how her role now is about rebuilding the business after the decline following her incarceration. Though she believes that her brand remains what…
I’m regularly asked about leadership and I have my views about it – things that I have learned from trial and error (and there have been many errors over the years) – but I was delighted to attend a PwC event which hosted Dr Fred Kofman author of ‘Conscious Business’ this week. Kofman’s basic premise is two fold: Firstly that great leader’s take responsibility for their actions, as well as how they choose to react to any situation that presents…
Last week was about as big as they get. In addition to the three awards received by RedBalloon last week, I was also a judge in the National Telstra Business Womens awards. Actually weeks don’t get much bigger than last week. What started as a normal week of one on one’s and coaching with some of the newer team members in Sydney… ended up quite differently. On Wednesday I did one of our less known experiences – which is the…
RedBalloon has had a wonderful week of celebration by winning three prestigious awards. Whilst there are many businesses far larger than us, doing amazing things – it is such an honor to be on the same stage as those businesses. Could small be the new big? What could large businesses learn from us about absolute commitment to the employee experience – and as a result the customer experience. How wonderful to be recognized in this way. Last night I had…
As I sat in the back of a taxi rushing from one appointment to another this week… quick to check my phone for messages as soon as I jumped in the cab, the taxi driver asked “And how’s your day going?” I stopped and chatted and found out what he thought of the troubles with the unions and Qantas. The taxi driver lamented that most people were to busy on their mobile phones to chat any more. As I said…
Jack Cowen started his presentation at the EY Entrepreneurs workshop with a quote “An entrepreneur needs to be a cross between a microbiologist and an astronomer.” He believes that true entrepreneurs are special in that they can be both detailed and visionary. He was a judge in the EY Global Entrepreneur of the year program in Monte Carlo for 2010. It was a delight to have him in the room sharing his insights – not just from his own amazing…
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 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…
I don’t really like the word ‘networking’ – it implies something forced or not easy (I think the term should remain the domain of IT folks). I was recently at the EO conference in Amsterdam and one of my friends asked me if I was going to ‘network’ there – which made me cringe. I know people have said of me that “You’re a great ‘networker’!” I don’t necessarily think that I am, given that you will rarely see me…
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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