Handpicked with Naomi Simson
Handpicked with Naomi Simson is a short podcast delivered each Monday which is just like having a mentoring session with one of Australia's most successful entrepreneurs. In this podcast Naomi takes questions from business owners that might need help growing starting or saving their business. Each guest is handpicked by Naomi as she shares stories, ideas and advice that might help them and anyone that has ever wanted to start a business. Naomi Simson is an entrepreneur who founded RedBalloon in 2001. She has been blogging for a decade at NaomiSimson.com, is a professional speaker, author of Live What You Love & Ready To Soar, and a “Shark” on business reality show Shark Tank Australia.
Episodes
Six kids under six. C-suite roles at Australia's biggest retail brands. A law degree completed just to prove her brothers wrong.
Amy Louise doesn't do things halfway.
From shop floor to boardrooms. Amy's built her career scaling iconic Australian retailers while raising six children in what can only be described as controlled chaos.
But here's what she wants to know: Is burnout really a badge of honour? Or are we all deceiving to o...
Liam Forde ran a big business in London. His confession? "I turned into an asshole."
So he spent the next 26 years teaching people not to be like him—creating transformation experiences for leaders across 40 countries.
Now he's relocated to Australia for his grandkids—and he's starting completely fresh. No networks. No contacts. No idea where to begin in the Australian market.
His questions are brutally honest: Where do...
January 2020. New CEO. Six-month-old baby. Seven weeks later? COVID hits.
That's how Cara McLeod stepped into the CEO role at Mahlab—and somehow that chaos became the launchpad for international growth.
But here's the problem: Mahlab does bespoke strategy work. Everything is custom. Every project needs people. More growth = more headcount. The classic service business trap.
So how do you scale what on paper looks hard to scal...
What do you do when you've built a successful business in a niche that most people don't even know exists? Oliver Lonergan went from selling lollies in primary school to running Professional Picture Hanging—a 12-person operation spanning Australia's east coast and London, with major contracts including Crown Sydney and luxury hotels. At just years out of school, he's facing the classic scale-up challenge: how do you grow from...
Join Naomi Simson as she mentors Jash Fullinfaw from The Print Bar through the critical challenges of website re-platforming, scaling print-on-demand operations, and maintaining customer experience during rapid growth. From SEO migration strategies to revenue model prioritisation, this episode delivers actionable insights for any e-commerce business navigating technology transformation while preserving what makes them special.
Join Naomi Simson in conversation with Adriana Brusi, Managing Director of CrowdsNow, as they dive deep into the real challenges of startup life. From the three critical mistakes that derail new businesses to why authentic relationships trump expensive marketing campaigns, this episode reveals the uncomfortable truths about building a business that lasts. Discover why your customers should be your best ambassadors and how to create...
Drowning in property management systems, booking engines, and CRM platforms? Alicia Szerszyn from Paradise Resort gets answers on balancing high-tech with high-touch.
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When tourism gets tough, do you pivot or persist? Mark Garey from Orange Trikes faces three critical decisions about SEO, pricing strategy and premium product marketing.
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Jay Yip's 40-year tourism journey leads to one big question: as AI transforms travel booking, is it better to go everywhere or focus on fewer, better partners?
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From tea towels to TV dreams: Live painter Sarah Rowan asks how sole traders can scale without losing their magic. Her energy is infectious and her questions apply to every creative entrepreneur.
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From Crohn's diagnosis to gut health empire: Rudi van der Vlies asks how to build authority, tackle taboo topics, and grow D2C brands in the AI era. Game-changing insights inside.
If this is for you - https://www.brand-hub.au/pages/tumme also use the code NAOMI10 to get a discount
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When 91% of companies have recognition programmes but only 31% rate them as effective, something's clearly broken. In this episode, co-CEOs Belinda and Amie from Cos share how they're revitalising their "tired" recognition programme without falling into the favouritism trap.
Why Strategy Execution Unravels and What to do About It
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OnDeck's Justin Brady asks the tough questions about sales incentives and customer relationships. Discover why memorable beats monetary and the three pillars that drive results.
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Hello, I'm Naomi Simson — and we’re back with a brand new season of Handpicked, my podcast where real business owners bring me their real questions.
Season five is here (can you believe it?), and wow — the entrepreneurs have really brought the big ones this time. We’re talking about everything from how t...
In this short extra I look stratergy made simple
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Venkatesh has been in business for almost a decade and he is really wanting to scale. I ask him to consider the constraints of the business and what is holding him back. He wants to know if being boutique is good and how to appeal to larger customers - as a twist at the end I ask him to dream about what his business will look like in five years time. Do you dream about what is possible?
Don't forget to rate, review and refer Handpi...
In this short extra I explore the importance of owning a space.
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If you have a busines idea then this is the episode for you. Chris has a design patent and now he wants to take his project further. I challenge him on some of his thinking, ask him about success and lead him towards next steps.
Don't forget to rate, review and refer Handpicked.
Thanks to our season sponsor - BIZCOVER , see the link https://www.bizcover.com.au/
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Have you explored what your Gross Margin is per employee?
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