Amanda Cole

• Won a Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year Award (QLD)
• Worked both public and private sectors
• Sat on the board of the Design Institute of Australia, was State President and then national Vice President
• Managing Director of Queensland based peer mentoring organisation
• Won the Centenary Medal for service to business

Biography

Amanda Cole started Spark Consultants, a commercial strategic design consultancy in 1998 after working for 8 years in both public and private sectors. Spark Consultants was one of the first specialist interiors practices in Brisbane and in 2001, Amanda won the Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year Award (QLD).

For 7 years', Amanda sat on the board of the Design Institute of Australia, was State President and then national Vice President of the Institute. In recognition of her service to the design industry she was awarded Fellow of the Institute. During Amanda’s time as a designer she judged numerous awards programs, and was a grants panelist for Arts Queensland for 3 years'.

Amanda joined Executive Roundtable (ER) in 2000 (a Queensland based peer mentoring organisation) and was a member for 3 years', before assisting her husband Brian Cole to manage the business. In 2005 Amanda took over as Managing Director of the company and facilitated 7 groups of CEOs and business owners, and negotiated the merger of ER with TEC in 2006.

In 2001, Amanda won the Centenary Medal for service to business, am a member of AICD and sit on numerous advisory boards for entrepreneurial businesses. She’s an experienced speaker and MC with a passion for supporting women in business.

Specialities

• Helping business owners develop as leaders
• Creative industry consulting
• Facilitating strategic business growth
• Goal setting
• Driving accountability
• Non executive company director for private and family business