We are now on the final countdown as we rush into Christmas. I don’t seem to have many minutes to rub together, so as I race from one thing to the next I steal a moment to reflect on what an amazing year we are having at RedBalloon – how fantastic it is that we will continue to be frantically busy until 2.00pm on Sunday when people sit down to Christmas lunch – and then the RedBalloon elves will also…
Last week is still a blur – I remember at one point chatting to George Clooney he asked “Has Martha Stewart had arrived at the event yet? I have not met her before.” I answered “Yes she is over to the left – would you like me to introduce you…?” Too funny – as it transpired photographers ensued and he met her during the photo shoot. [Naomi always the networker.] I enjoyed a great team-cooking event in Melbourne (searching for…
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…
Last week at RedBalloon we were full of the joys of Christmas. The IT team hosted our final company meeting of the year and were massively creative with their festive theme ; including beaming in their colleague Dave from Perth to have him appear in a cut out Santa via Facetime – (I guess you had to be there). As part of the planning process and moving my role to be Founding Director I needed to update my job description…
This week we have seen the demise of Fletcher Jones and the opening of Top Shop. My 15 year old daughter texted me, saying ‘I’m even more excited than when Zara opened – it is British and I love it – when can we go?” Many Australian retailers are left thinking “what happened – where did our customers go?”. We are in the peak of Christmas season and there is not one retailer in Australia who is not holding their…
Okay so it is half way through the week and I’m just getting to my blog. It is Christmas after all and I think I am still recovering from last week. My week did not go exactly as planned – but it did go to other peoples plan. My colleague had put a ‘speaking engagement at the airport’ in my diary. This was in fact a complete ‘set up’ – the team was playing a trick on me – they…
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…
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas…. Oh it is ‘the season’ and I do love it, such a time of celebration. It seems as if the last week rushed by, with interviews and a speaking engagement – and lot’s of meetings and writing – but really my focus now is all about being part of the best Christmas ever at RedBalloon. I had a wonderful week in Melbourne being very productive and enjoying the city. Melbourne is such an important market for us…
Kahlil Gibran: “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” You would expect that I would write a blog at this time of year about the importance of giving – Christmas is everywhere, especially at RedBalloon. However here’s a thought: One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time – and when you do – you will experience a euphoria, which is very good for…
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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An elephant’s life lesson.
I am just back from holiday where the kids and I went to Northern Thailand to volunteer at an elephant conservation camp. This is one of the few places in Thailand where elephants are safe and able to live an elephant’s life. Clearly we are a family of ‘experiences’ and I wanted us to experience the challenges and joys of participating in a volunteering program as well as getting an understanding of how an individual can make a difference to…