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…
Tag Archives: Entrepreneurial Journey
Here’s to the crazy ones – a timely reminder
In my presentations on leadership I often use the Think Different Apple TV ad (below) as an example to inspire… and there it was at the EO Amsterdam University I attended last week. Learning is not necessarily about new thoughts but reconnecting to ideas, concepts and theories you have already discovered. Ideas come back to us when they are most needed. The MC did not read a bio of Kofi Annan to introduce him, he simply said “I present a…
The big questions in life.
Some days I pinch myself and wonder how I got to be where I am… really it is very amazing. I find myself sitting in Amsterdam in a room with 500 other entrepreneurs (I’d never been to Holland before). The energy in the room is effervescent. Suddenly the group is hushed as if we are ‘one being’. There is a Nobel Peace Prize winner on the stage. All of us are instantly humbled. Over 4 days we will have access…
Coming up this week 29 Aug 2011
Three separate trips to Queensland and two trips to Melbourne in the last 7 days…. meant that in addition to speaking to four wonderful and very different audiences – I had the opportunity to compare the three main airlines – and to get to know crews and ground staff quite well – I am always fascinated to learn about other organizations and their employee experience. Each presentation was different, – one on the ‘growth story’, one on ‘brand connection’, one…
Coming up this week 22 August 2011
Sometimes I even surprise myself at they variety and quantity of things I get up to in a week. Last week was no exception. I started the week in Melbourne. Then I visited the careers advisor to support my daughter in her subject selection for her final years of school. I shared a cooking experience at ‘Our Big Kitchen’ for the launch of our Best Buddies citizens program in Bondi. Sophia was my buddy – we had a good giggle…
Two lessons in the past shaping the future
I was asked these two challenging questions as part of the interview process for a publication – After a little pondering – I explored the most painful… and thought I would share. What one event in your past has shaped your present? I have learned just as much from poor managers as I have from great ones. The reality is that there is gold in every experience we just need to have the clarity of mind and commitment to listen…
Three online branding lessons
It seems that lately I am being approached by many people who are asking a similar question, “How did you do it?”. Obviously I write this blog so that I can share what I have learned which also means that people can dip into what they think is relevant for them whenever they choose. My initial reaction when people ask “how did you do it?” Is that it wasn’t ‘I’ … it was ‘we’. I have been fortunate that I…
Coming up this week 8 August 2011
What a wonderful weekend of celebration for the RedBalloon team at Fraser Island. Great to get together, have a few laughs and launching the theme for 2012. ‘Small things BIG impact’ – to the song of Bear Grylls We have asked the team to identify and quantify the things that could make a big difference to the bottom line and ultimately achieving our Big Hairy Audacious Goal. For instance Trudy has already identified that if we reduce the weight of…
It had to happen… Shame.
If you are prepared to stand up in front of audiences many times a week – at some point you are going to truly embarrass yourself – and today was my day. I was one of the debaters at the AIM great debate in Canberra – ‘Real women don’t need quotas’ was the topic and I was the final speaker for the affirmative. The iconic Ita Buttrose headed the opposing team. I had thought that I would be clever and…
Entrepreneurs Dream
The ideal scenario is that we start a business that is highly successful, that has a unique place in its market and that continues to innovate to meet changing market needs. Others often regard our success in these terms. But there is very much a personal side to the building of the business. It obviously takes effort, ideas and persistence. Whether a founder of a business or a manager or team member… at a personal level we all want to…
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...
