Lead on Purpose with James Laughlin How Naomi Ballantyne Became NZ’s First Billion-Dollar Female Founder
Get the Growth Weekly Newsletter sent straight to your inbox and join 1000’s of other high-performers on the road to self-mastery - https://www.jjlaughlin.com/newsletter
In this episode of Lead On Purpose, I sit down with Naomi Ballantyne—one of New Zealand’s most successful entrepreneurs and the first Kiwi woman to sell a company for over a billion dollars.
From humble beginnings in a tiny three-bedroom house with five kids and two parents, to building and leading some of the most innovative life insurance companies in the country, Naomi’s story is raw, riveting, and radically inspiring.
She shares how emotional resilience, relentless curiosity, and a fierce commitment to doing the right thing helped her defy the odds—not once, but again and again.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why growing up in scarcity sparked Naomi’s entrepreneurial fire.
- The mindset that turns adversity into advantage—and pain into power.
- How to lead with humility while building a billion-dollar business.
- What most boards get wrong—and how to fix it.
- The surprising truth about strategy (it’s not what you think).
- Why parenting, not school, is still the most powerful teacher.
Why You Should Listen:
Naomi doesn’t fit the mould—and that’s exactly why she’s been able to break it. She’s built multiple companies from the ground up, challenged a male-dominated industry, and led with heart, grit, and an unshakable sense of purpose.
Whether you’re a founder, a leader, a parent—or someone who’s ever wondered if they’re “good enough”—this conversation will remind you that you don’t have to fit in to make a mark. You just have to show up, stay curious, and never forget who you are.
If you want to lead with purpose—and on your own terms—this episode is unmissable.
This episode was proudly sponsored by NZ Mortgages. You can contact them here - https://www.nzmortgages.co.nz
- Connect with Naomi on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-ballantyne-578b0a248/?originalSubdomain=nz
- Get the Growth Weekly Newsletter sent straight to your inbox and join 1000’s of other high-performers on the road to self-mastery - https://www.jjlaughlin.com/newsletter
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Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/
Send me a personal text message
- If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.com