Yesterday a colleague and I were digging up some facts for an interview I was doing. We were both thrilled to discover that the first ever experience provider we signed to RedBalloon is still with us to this day – 12 years on. This got me to thinking… “How many businesses can claim to have healthy long term relationships with the suppliers, clients, or even the employees who were there at the very beginning?” In business, as in life, I…
Tag Archives: Entrepreneurial Journey
Two lessons on not ‘fitting in’
I’m always open to constructive criticism. I have had many people take it upon themselves to ‘fix me’. I have been accused of being loud, bossy, self centered, egotistical as well as many other things. The people who say these things either to me or others are most welcome to their opinions…. but really life is not perfect – and I never claimed to be perfect either. However, I know who I am, what I do and what I stand…
Coming up this week 18 March 2013
The last few weeks have been a hive of activity – with International Women’s Day events, RedBalloon developments and speaking engagements. In the last few weeks I have attended many great events: I spoke for AICD NSW and attended the Heads Over Heels event on the same evening I spoke for final year business students at Notre Dame university in Sydney Attended a presentation by Neil Ross on the ‘Art of Rhetorical Speech Making’ Attended the Verve Clicquot Inspiring women…
Where I do my best work – Anywhere
The only thing that is constant in my life is being on the move. I was asked by LinkedIn to share ‘where and how’ I work… Maybe this request was inspired by Marissa Mayers demand for the Yahoo employees to stop telecommuting and come to the office. [I think she may well have been taken a little out of context. I know the importance of feeling a part of the team – and if I am out and about the…
The Game Gets Bigger
It’s been a big week at RedBalloon. We announced the appointment to CEO of Kristie Buchanan, who has been acting in the role for 12 months. Our head of security Dexter was followed around by a film crew and featured on The Project on Channel Ten. And the news I really want to share here: We have welcomed Richard England and Atlassian Founder Scott Farquhar to our Board, signalling the start of a new chapter in our journey. Richard is a seasoned…
Five positive signs for 2013
This year is off to a flying start and we are already seeing some very positive shifts. This is what I have already noticed. What have you found that is different this year than last? 1. Customer intimacy becomes reality – not only have we moved our language away from ‘call centers’ and ‘CRM’, to being all about ‘Customer Love’ – and creating brands people love. The focus on the customer experience will be fundamental to performance results – NPS…
At the heart of Invention
This week I am in San Fransisco and there is much to do and many people to meet. Many of tech companies are headquartered here – it is like coming to the heart of technology innovation. All of these businesses are busy inventing the ‘next big thing’ – whilst trying to protect what they have already created. Recently I wrote for LinkedIn a list of office items that are headed for museums. Ironically of course, ‘once upon a time’ the…
Coming up this week 21 Jan 2012
I am finally back in the office after a wonderful three weeks enjoying the Australian summer with the family on the Central Coast. Apart from writing a blog or two I completely relaxed- did a crossword, played totem tennis and my 14 year old son completely thrashed me at chess… Now I am ready for a big, bright and happy 2013 at RedBalloon. According to my diary this week: Monday: one on one’s in the office Tuesday & Wednesday: Client…
Creativity creates the competitive edge
With Christmas rushing headlong towards us – last years innovations are now in full swing at RedBalloon. As we get, bigger, older and more established the last thing we want to do is forget what made us the award winning, innovative business that we are. One thing I do know is that innovation can come from anywhere and everywhere – inside and outside and organization. So when my colleague Kristie shared what she learned at the recent Creative Innovation conference…
Two Steps towards Success
Now before I even start talking about ‘success’ let’s define it. Everyone has a different definition of success. In fact I think success is like the notion of beauty – it is in the eye of the beholder. To some it is wealth to others it is a state of contentment. When I was in my twenties I thought success was being able to buy a pair of shoes without looking at the price tag…. In my thirties success was…
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...
