Would you know what it takes to make it from startup to success story?  Naomi Simson, founder and Chief Experience Officer of Red Balloon Days did just that – starting Red Balloon Days seven years ago and having not only survived but thrived as the director of her own business.  

In 2008 Naomi’s success was recognised when she was awarded winner of the Telstra Business Woman Award in the Yellow Business Owner category and the Nokia Business Innovation award.  And last week, as guest mentor of our own Take the Lead group mentoring program, Naomi shared her secrets of success with members of the sphinxx Leadership Program in a small, informal Q&A discussion.

So what does it take to go from a start up to employer of 50+ experience officers and CEO of a company that has delivered over half a million experiences to delighted customers?  According to Naomi, you must have 3 things: a passion for the product, a support network that see you as bigger than you see yourself, and the vision to make a difference.  For Naomi, her vision was to change the gifting experience – which she’s done with aplomb.  No longer does any one need to give socks and jocks to hard-to-to-buy-for dads… Red Balloon Days has the perfect experience gift for everyone.

For many of us, building a support network can be a challenge, particularly if you’re one of the very few women at the top in your business.  That’s why we’ve created Take the Lead and our sphinxx Leadership Program – so you can access female role models and tap into their experiences.

Our next Take the Lead guest mentor is Cassandra Kelly, Joint CEO of Pottinger.  You can access Cassandrain person or by webinar on Tuesday 22nd September – click here to find out more and register your attendance.