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Overview
From a very serious corporate career in marketing to creating a business based on fun RedBalloon, this is my journey. In this blog I share what it takes to be an entrepreneur and what I have learned - warts and all. I am also the author of 'I want what she is having' which chronicles the first five years of building of a fast growing business.
Very proud to be awarded National Telstra Business Womens Award for 2008 in the Nokia Innovation Catogory
RedBalloon Team Blog
Where I’m Speaking
My presentations to company events are not listed because those engagements are not open to the public. Contact Kate on +61 2 8755 0034 for more details on speaking.
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- on my way to Keri Keri, via Auckland Auckland, from Sydney Sydney about 1 day ago from web
- is amazed how many people are drinking alcohol at 8am in the morning in the airline lounge about 1 day ago from web
- It is not the storms you meet in life, but the way you set your sails... about 1 day ago from web
- Saw this at the gym this morning 'To make your dreams come true, first thing to do is wake up' about 1 day ago from web
- Doh - got the first call on my new iphone 4 - could not hear a thing... had forgotten to take of the plastic wrap. about 1 day ago from web
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Tag Archives: Managers at work
Bad Apple
In the last few posts I have been talking about what it takes to be a Great Place to Work. It’s all about trust and purpose. One of the questions I had recently at a speaking engagement is very relevant ‘What if you have a rotten apple inside your organization– someone who is not just [...]
Posted in best places to work Also tagged Business Leadership, Business Vision, culture, Employee Engagement, Leadership 2 Comments
Have Faith
I have trawled through online articles featuring best employers and companies with high engagement scores (I'm curious as to what others do of course) and I can’t help but notice the negative comments some attract along the lines of “it’s easy for you” from people all over the world. The truth is any organisation no [...]
Balancing Balance..
Nigel Marsh has a simple story to tell - which vividly illustrates - "if it's meant to be it's up to me". We are the architects of our own future - responsible for our own happiness. One question that keeps bothering me during these discussions about paid parental leave... is this the right question we [...]
Posted in Input Please Also tagged Business Leadership, Employee Engagement, Female Entrepreneur, productivity, Work life balance 3 Comments
Curious about Strengths
Some years ago I had my Gallup Strengths done (see previous post) since then everyone who joins RedBalloon has also completed the review… it is fun and insightful and really helps us as a leadership team to understand how to best get our people in ‘flow’. It is not a recruitment tool.. because no strength [...]
Posted in Lessons Learned Also tagged Business Growth, Business Leadership, Employee Engagement, Female Entrepreneur, productivity 1 Comment
Icing on mud pie 2
I cannot stand waste. And this week the debate about how the government is spending $38million on selling (advertising) a tax package has really made me mad! What a waste! (Not for the agency, or media who are the recipient of the funds) But as a marketer I know you cannot spend yourself into having [...]
Posted in Input Please Also tagged Business Leadership, Business Vision, Employee Engagement, Female Entrepreneur, Fun at work 1 Comment
Excellent…
I’m very exciting that RedBalloon is recruiting for a new role, a Customer Excellence Manager. We see it as the next big step in our growth and innovation story. To put it in context; I’ve always used the title Chief Experience Officer (in part because of what we sell) but more so because ‘I’m accountable [...]
Posted in Input Please Also tagged Brand Marketing, Business Growth, Business Vision, Customer Excellence, Female Entrepreneur 7 Comments
Conflict is not all bad.
People sometimes think that being a part of a best place to work means that it is party time all the time. That’s not the case. Sure we work hard and play hard, but really what we do is challenge each other to greatness. We know that to be challenged can also be truly rewarding. [...]
Posted in Lessons Learned Also tagged Business Leadership, Business Vision, Female Entrepreneur, Fun at work Leave a comment
I have a ‘stimulus-response’ addiction… you might too
Andrew May poses the question ‘What does the perfect week look like?’. Is it an 8 day week, if you had an extra day what would you do with it? Apparently 63% of Australian workers are sleep deprived... (not me since I got my new sleep cycle app for my iphone). It is much harder [...]
Posted in Lessons Learned, Uncategorized Also tagged Female Entrepreneur, productivity, Work life balance Leave a comment
3 ideas to reduce employee Christmas disconnect
I'm wishing I had a dollar for every time someone told me they had had a tough year this year. ‘So glad to see the back on 2009’. People are saying that they have worked harder than they have in years yet ‘Christmas bonuses are long since a thing of the past, and salary reviews [...]
Posted in Lessons Learned Also tagged Business Leadership, Employee Engagement, Fun at work, Recognition and Acknowledgement, Rewards and Incentives 3 Comments

Communication about Bad Apples