What makes a business successful? Finding that one thing that fulfills a desire that some individuals aren’t even aware they have is a common challenge. The Red Balloon is one of such important products which can make the craziest fantasies come true.
If you want to know more about the product, this article will help you explore.
Quick Facts
| Founders name: | Naomi Simson |
| Business details: | Experiential Gifts |
| Founded in: | 2001 |
| Net Worth | $50 Million |
| Business Status: | Active |
| Last Updated: | Feb 26, 2024 |
| Social Media | Instagram |
About the Founder
Naomi Simson is the founding director of The Red Balloon. She was an Australian Immigrant who was born on 22nd February 1964. Simson enrolled in the University of Melbourne in 1984 after completing high school and college.
She attended the Melbourne University and graduated in 1984. After completing her education, Simson wanted to start the next phase of her life as a corporate marketer. She started working for companies like – Ansett Australia, IBM, Apple Computer Australia, and KPMG.
Simson got hitched to Stuart King in 2016. Earlier, she shared her marital status with Peter Simson but unfortunately the couple in 2011. Oscar Simson and Natalia Simson are two of her children from her initial marriage to Peter. Simson is also a proud stepmother of two children from her current husband’s previous marriage.
Founding RedBalloon
In 2001, Simson founded the RedBalloon. It promotes adventures and allows you to reserve experiences such as culinary classes, explore the outdoors, or learn about a city’s hidden gems. People can even purchase shared experiences or gift vouchers that the recipient can use whenever he/she can use according to their convenience.
RedBalloon provides a diverse selection of digital gift cards with themes for any occasion. E-gift cards are available in any amount starting at $25 and are sent to the designated email address in less than an hour. They can be used to purchase any RedBalloon experience online. At participating merchants, gift cards are obtainable in-store. Gift cards and electronic gift cards are both good for five years.
Shark Tank Appearance
Naomi’s accomplishments with RedBalloon and other ventures let her stand out enough to be accepted as a stakeholder for the Shark Tank, a popular reality show. She had been a shark from the Australian premiere of the show in 2015 and remained one through all of its seasons till 2018.
In 2017, Simson collaborated with David Peterson and founded the Big Red Group. In the same year, the company faced a controversial allegation and was fined $43,200 by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on 31st March and 30th June, after it was discovered that some of its clients had been overcharged and ruptured the law under the 2010 Competition and Customer Act.
After Shark Tank
David Anderson is now RedBalloon’s CEO after Naomi took on a less prominent role a couple of years ago. In 2017, he acquired 50% of the business.
From starting the project with by investing her savings of $25,000 to a company containing 40 employees, RedBalloon had revenue of more than $25 million in 2017, while Naomi’s net worth was estimated to be above $40 million in 2016.
Naomi’s ambitions have come true by helping others achieve their goals. She also made an effort to fulfill even more people’s dreams on Shark Tank.
Naomi has achieved her aspirations by helping others achieve theirs. Additionally, she stayed on Shark Tank to make other people achieve their dreams.