Summary: Who: Naomi Simson of Red Balloon When: 6pm, Tuesday 22 March Where: The Order of Melbourne, 401 Swanston Street, Melbourne RSVP: melbourne@thehive.com.au or on the Facebook event. Cost: FREE! *PLEASE NOTE THE NEW START TIMES THIS YEAR – 6pm* Naomi Simson has a long career as a corporate marketer with companies such as IBM, KPMG, Ansett and Apple, before she tossed it all in to start her own show. Her first business Bright Marketing was a freelance marketing group, however the internet seemed to offer a way to create a truly scalable business. Naomi wondered if she could build a brand online based on listening to customers and responding. With just an idea and persistence Naomi launched RedBalloon in 2001 in the early days of the internet redballoon.com.au has now been listed in the BRW fast lists for the past 6 years and also named as the #1 website by Hitwise for six years running. Naomi has recently received accolades such as winning the 2008 national Telstra Business Womens Awards – Innovation, and being one of four finalists the 2009 Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Awards. Naomi is particularly proud of RedBalloon being voted as one of the top ten Great Places to Work in Australia two years in a row and Hewitt ranking RedBalloon with an employee engagement score of over 90% two years in a row – the average in Australian businesses is 54%. RedBalloon delivered 225,000 experience gifts in 2009…and is well on its way to changing gifting in Australia forever. As a CEO, mother, author, blogger (naomisimson.com) and a truly passionate individual Naomi continues to innovate and create new ways to do business. Come along to hear how Naomi deal went from coporate marketer to award winning entrepreneur. Sponsors www.smsglobal.com.au
