Naomi Simson

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Naomi Simson (born 22 February 1964) is an Australian businessperson, entrepenuer, podcaster and blogger. After launching the Australian online success story RedBalloon in 2001, Naomi went on to co-found Big Red Group with partner David Anderson in 2017. Headquartered in Sydney's CBD Australia, Big Red Group is the largest marketplace of experiences in ANZ, and home to leading brands including Adrenaline, Experience Oz, Experience Oz Local Agent, Lime&Tonic, and RedBalloon.  

Australian owned and operated, Big Red Group leads and grows the experience economy through, know-how, state-of-the-art tech platforms, industry alliances and partnerships.

Simson has written two books, Live What you Love (2015) and Ready to Soar (2016). She was a shark on the Australian television show Shark Tank.[1] She has won numerous awards,[2] including the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Silver Stevie Award,[3] and was ranked as a top-30 tech influencer on Twitter by The Business Insider.[4]

Naomi launched her podcast, Handpicked with Naomi Simson which is a short format podcast delivered each Monday. It is described as having a mini mentoring session with one of Australia's most successful entrepreneurs. Naomi answers questions from business owners as well as bonus episode each week where she dives deeper into a business topic or term.

Career[]

Simson began her career in the corporate marketing field and gained experience with IBM, KPMG, Apple Computer Australia, and Ansett Australia. In 2001, she founded RedBalloon, an online experience gift retailer based in Australia. She began the company out of her house with a $25,000 personal investment and grew it to 46 employees by 2011.[2][5] Simson was CEO of the company until 2011 when she took a step back from the operational side of the business.[6] In 2017, Simson co-founded Big Red Group with David Anderson, a company that became the parent company for RedBalloon.[7] It also acquired and operates the companies Adrenaline, Experience Oz, Experience Oz Local Agent and Lime&Tonic.

In late 2014, Simson was named as one of five 'Sharks' on Network Ten's Shark Tank in Australia along with Andrew Banks, John McGrath, Steve Baxter, and Janine Allis. Simson’s time on Shark Tank was spent supporting the start-up community[8] and investing in many businesses during all four seasons of the show. Simson had much advice for the start-up community about pitching, purpose and scaling.[9] Simson has also been a guest host on Network Ten's Studio 10.[10]

Simson was a secret millionaire in the 2009 season of the reality television show The Secret Millionaire – Australia.[11] On the show, Simson volunteered for 10 days in different disadvantaged areas of Australia. Upon conclusion of the show, Simson reveals her true identity to others and donates money to a number of the causes and individuals she volunteered for during the show.[12] She was one of five benefactors for the season who gave more than $750,000 to various individuals and organisations in the community.[11][13]

Simson is a blogger and owner of NaomiSimson.com, ranked number two in the 15 Top Business Blogs by SmartCompany.com as of 2016.[14][15][16] Simson was named one of Australia’s best business bloggers as far back as 2009[17] and in 2020 was named top business blogger.[18] Simson has the furthest reach for any Australian on the LinkedIn business networking platform[19] with close to 3 million followers.

Simson is the author of two books, Live What You Love (2015) and Ready to Soar (2016). She was one of 13 authors who collaborated to write the 2008 book The Power of More Than One:Success Strategies from Australasia's Leading Business and Motivational Specialists[20] and also wrote a preface for the 2013 book Appvertising – How Apps are Changing the World.[21] In 2016 she released the book Ready to Soar: Turn Your Brilliant Idea into a Business You Love.[22]

Simson is also a philanthropist and joined the council of Voiceless to spread the word about the need for greater animal protection.[23] She is also an advisor to Heads Over Heels and a governor for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.[24]

Publications[]

  • Ready To Soar (2016) ISBN 9781760372446[25]
  • Live What You Love (2015) ISBN 9781743569917[26]

Awards and recognition[]

Simson has won numerous awards throughout her career including the 2005 Westpac NSW Entrepreneur of the Year.[27] Additional awards and recognition include the National Telstra Business Women's Award for Innovation in 2008, and being a 2011 finalist in BRW's Entrepreneur of the Year.[2]

Simson was recognised by LinkedIn in 2012 as one of the World's Most Influential Thought Leaders, a recognition shared by only 150 people.[28] She was one of only two from Australia with the other being Freelancer.com founder Matt Barrie.[29] The recognition was part of LinkedIn's Influencer Campaign to share business knowledge, allowing Simson to author content to be shared with LinkedIn members.[28]

As of 2017, Simson is one of the 10 business executives in Australia, to hold a "Power Profile" on LinkedIn.[30]

In October 2018 Simson was named in The Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence awards in the Business and Entrepreneur category.[31]

Select awards[]

References[]

  1. ^ Keating, Eloise. "Behind the scenes of Shark Tank with Red Balloon founder Naomi Simson". Smart Company. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Steffens, Miriam (2 April 2012). "RedBalloon's vision was no flight of fancy". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b Krishna, Bala Murali (25 November 2013). "Aussies bring home 18 Stevies from New York". The Anthill Online. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ^ Heber, Alex (10 July 2015). "30 of Australia's biggest tech influencers on Twitter". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  5. ^ Ham, Larissa (7 February 2001). "RedBalloon still flying high". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  6. ^ Tay, Liz (29 August 2013). "I Will Care For Your Baby: RedBalloon's First Corproate CEO On Taking Over From Naomi Simson". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. ^ Yoo, Tony (28 July 2017). "Naomi Simson says people shouldn't fear AI, they should buy it - from her". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Shark Tank's Naomi Simson's secrets for a successful pitch". Australian Financial Review. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  10. ^ Simson, Naomi. "Where it all Began". LinkedIn Pulse. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  11. ^ a b McManus, Bridget (15 October 2009). "Challenge for rich and poor". The Age. Australia. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  12. ^ Butler, Dianne (28 October 2009). "Millionaire uncovers 99 reasons to walk a mile in their shoes". Courier Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  13. ^ "The Secret Millionaire: The new TV show with a heart". Star Central Magazine. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  14. ^ Keating, Eloise (22 February 2016). "Australia's Best Business Blogs: 2016". Smart Company. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  15. ^ Howarth, Brad (30 November 1999). "Australia's best business blogs". SmartCompany. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  16. ^ Cook, Trevor (11 October 2008). "Australian business blogs list". Crikey. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  17. ^ Westerman, Helen (31 March 2009). "Our best business bloggers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Cashflow It Group | 6 Best Women in Business Bloggers You Need To Follow". Cashflow It Group. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  19. ^ "CEOs exert influence, tap networks on LinkedIn". Australian Financial Review. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  20. ^ Carlton, Maria (2008). The Power of More Than One. Maruki Books. ISBN 9780473115586.
  21. ^ Molloy, Stephen (2013). Appvertising – How Apps are Changing the World. Amazon Digital Services.
  22. ^ Enker, Debi (6 May 2016). "Shark Tank, where reality TV, big money and innovation come together". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  23. ^ "Voiceless, the animal protection institute".
  24. ^ "Council of Governors". Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  25. ^ "New Book Release: Ready To Soar by Naomi Simson". BSchool. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  26. ^ "5 Business Lessons Online Business Leader Naomi Simson". Australian Institute of Business. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  27. ^ a b Williams, Sonia (2012). Raising a Business: A Woman’s No-nonsense Guide to Successfully Growing Your Small Business. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118319635.
  28. ^ a b "RedBalloon Founder Naomi Simson – World's Biggest LinkedIn Influencers". Australian Businesswomen's Network. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  29. ^ Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (21 November 2012). "How to become a LinkedIn Influencer". BRW. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  30. ^ "The most "powerful" Australian chief executives and founders on LinkedIn revealed - SmartCompany". SmartCompany. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  31. ^ Patten, Sally (17 October 2018). "Women of Influence 2018 winner fights for recognition of Indigenous Australians". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  32. ^ "Elcom CEO acknowledged with prestigious 2013 Pearcey Foundation Award". Elcom. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  33. ^ "NSW & ACT top entrepreneurs for 2011 named" (Press release). Ernst & Young. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.

External links[]

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