An interview with an inspring entrepreneur, Naomi Simson

Regarded as one of Australia’s authorities on small business, Naomi Simson shares her journey from being a one-woman start-up to becoming the CEO of Australia’s leading online gift service, RedBalloon.

Naomi shares the lessons she's learned about the essentials for building a business whilst having a life and being a mother too. WIMBN asked Naomi to share her wins and challenges and what has been important to keep her focused and on track.

 

Q. What were the main drivers for you to start your own business?

A. Originally I was looking for a life style change – a business I could run from home while being with my children. I thought running an online business would do the trick because I wouldn’t have to be there day and night and it would be totally scalable. (Now with a team of 50 it is really not quite how I thought it was going to be – it took about 18 months before I really got clear about our purpose.)

Did you have a vision of what your business is today when you started or has it evolved along the way?

A. No...absolutely not. Now I clearly see that we have the potential to change gifting in Australia forever. In the early days it was about survival. Once I knew that we would survive then we could begin to think about vision, values and purpose.

What are some of the greatest wins and joys from your business?

A. There have been many highs and lows...the highs out way the lows so therefore I keep doing what I am doing. I love watching people grow, learn and develop. To achieve things that they never knew that they could do. I have been truly privileged to work with a supply community who understand what we are getting up to and to see the differences we have made to small businesses throughout Australia and NZ.

What sort of things have kept you awake at night, and how did you deal with those challenges?

A. It usually comes back to people, there comings and goings. I have set about a whole set of stress busting activities because I know that worrying makes no logical sense at all. So I came up with my 10 stress busting techniques

1. Eat properly.  Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. (I simply cannot sleep if I have a large evening meal – quite happy with a hot breakfast and a bowl of soup for dinner.)

2. Thinking time. I need time to create the day – work out what I want to get from the day. Problem solve, look at different point of views. I need to have time to think things through and imagine what could be possible.

3. Walking time. I sold my car years ago – I walk every morning to work (except if it is raining). This is half an hour to myself it is almost mediative. This might be the only exercise that I get in a day.

4. Cuddle the kids – Children are really caught up in their own world – listening to their trials and tribulations and remembering what my own childhood was like brings me back to earth. Being in someone else's world is amazingly stabilising.

5. Mentors, buddies and coaches – A problem shared is a problem halved. I have lot's of people I can talk to if I get myself tied up in knots and I cannot see my way forward.

6. Being Trusting – As a business owner I often want to control everything. I have had to let this go. I really cannot do it all, and if I try I just upset people on the way through. I simply trust other peoples contribution even if it is different from mine.

7. Email Efficiency – I'm the boss. I have spoken on this before. I can control when email is turned on and when it is off. Just because I get a request by email does not mean I have to stop doing what I was doing and respond straight away.

8. Quieten the voice in my head – It can be very noisy in my head, debates rage, judgments abound and opinion rampant. But I have the power to choose how I react to any circumstance that arises. Breath before reacting, think of the implications. Choose the bigger picture.

9. One hour off before bed – I don't have a 'crackberry', I had a Treo and I threw it in the harbor I hated it so much. The mind needs time to wind down. I am a movie addict – I subscribe to Quickflix and I read. Escape to someone else's world – mine looks pretty good then.

10. Friends – Laugh out loud and get seven hugs a day and life seems pretty good. It is why I have retained the services of Dexter Dog. He has been with me for four and half of the six years of RedBalloon as the head of security. Really he is my gorgeous dog who is always with me – and always ready for a cuddle and play, and he never gets mad if I stay out late.

Q. Could you share your top 10 tips on growing your business?

A. Now having 'really hard work' as the first of ten is probably not going to sell magazines. But here are my top ten 'rules' on growth. And by the way you cannot 'fake it until you make it'. You cannot pretend any of these and think that people won't notice...they do.

This list is in no particular order.

 > A platform and systems that are scalable - especially in the area of being customer centric.
 > Passion for what you do
 > Persistence – never giving up – it is more than commitment it is being a believer
 > People – you have got to have a team of A graders
 > Process – Rhythm sets you free
 > Planning – know what to say 'no' to and live within the plan
 > Critical Numbers – what is the one thing that you must get right every day – is it cash in the bank, conversion rates or profit per employee
 > Values – people can copy what you do but they cannot copy who you are
 > Purpose – knowing the difference you make every day – why you are in business.
 > A sense of fun – we can get all to serious – this does not mean silly or unprofessional – but if we are having fun our customers are having fun and that is the business that we are in.

Q. What are your favourite books or people that keep you inspired?

A. I read a lot and these are my favorites  (happy to say that all bar Seth I have now had the privilege to meet in person)
 > Seth Godin
 > Verne Harnish
 > Malcolm Gladwell
 > Jim Collins
 > Daniel Pink

About Naomi Simson

The founder and CEO (Chief Experiences Officer) of RedBalloon Days, Naomi is passionate about pleasure! Given that the average life has 27615 days she wonders how many are truly memorable, she has a big vision to changing gifting forever in Australia and New Zealand, backed by enthusiasm, energy and drive. Juggling her commitments as CEO of RedBalloon, the Entrepreneurs Organisation (Sydney Chapter) President 2007 - 2008 and mother of two, Naomi also inspires others regularly on the speaking circuit, writes a blog and has recently completed her first book ‘I want what she’s having’.

Learn more about Naomi at: www.naomisimson.com or Red Balloon days at: www.redballoondays.com.au