Get Out Of My Way

The life of an entrepreneur is a crazy journey into the unknown. This blog chronicles that journey. The lead writer is Naomi Simson who runs the fast-growing company RedBalloon. She had a long corporate career in marketing but has now been a boss for more than a decade.

 

 

Better out than in

Author: Naomi Simson on

I was chatting with a friend this morning who said that he had three of his team resign in the last week. “That’s not good is it?” he asked.

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Top 10 ideas for capitalising on the future

Author: Naomi Simson on
1. Set aside time for exploring ideas, reading, self-development – or just daydreaming. Try putting this time in your calendar as a recurring appointment and treat it with as much respect and preparation as your other appointments. Surely you could find two hours a week for this?
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What would I do with $10k

Author: Naomi Simson on
Not long ago I was asked my advice on the 10 ways I would invest $10k into my small business if I was just starting out. In my experience it is better to do one thing well than to spread yourself too thin.
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Keep your star staff happy

Author: Naomi Simson on

This article first appeared on 11 September, 2009

Not quite six days, but this week I've been in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne then home to Sydney, last week Hobart and next week I go to Adelaide - lots of people wanting to hear about employee engagement.

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Brand lessons from Rome

Author: Naomi Simson on
After a massively long and productive 2009 it is time to refresh... It is family time. As the kids are much older now, their first trip to Europe has been in the works for more than a year. Italy for a month. It is wonderful to watch them delight at ice-skating on the banks of the Tiber River in Rome, navigate the cobblestoned alleys, negotiate the purchase of bread each morning and learn about ancient cultures.
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Three steps to avoid the employee Christmas disconnect

Author: Naomi Simson on
Wish I had a dollar for everyone who had told me they had had a tough year. I've heard people bemoan from all walks of life... '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 for next year are not yet certain'. (claim code WX99VSFWETKN )
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Leaving home

Author: Naomi Simson on

In the passed eight years since founding RedBalloon, we’ve created several businesses along the way and they all have led to other greater things.

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Worst employer gifts ever

Author: Naomi Simson on
We've been in the gifting business for eight years and we've seen what works and what can go terribly wrong. Sometimes I shake my head in disbelief as people share with me how thoughtless or simply dumb some employers are about giving a gift. People have worked harder this year than they have in years - and for most there will be no Christmas bonus. So a well thought out gift will make the difference.
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Will it take another generation?

Author: Naomi Simson on
Presenting to 150 15-year-old girls is probably one of the tougher gigs that I have had. Not helped by the fact that my daughter said just before I left home: "Don't be embarrassing - and they really aren't interested in all your old stories anyway."
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Are you working for a dinosaur?

Author: Naomi Simson on
The results from a new survey involving 3,053 employees have put managers in the spotlight after 62% of employees have rated them as "Very Poor", "Poor" or just "Satisfactory" at delivering specific and timely praise.
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