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Amanda Cole
Facilitating business growth as an Independent Chairman - Strategy Facilitator - Small business specialist
Professional Background
Amanda Cole is a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in driving growth and accountability among business owners. As the Co-Founder and Commercial Director at Growth Education Institute (groei), Amanda has established herself as a vital resource for businesses seeking to innovate and thrive in competitive markets. Her passion for personal and professional development shines through in her work with clients from diverse sectors, particularly family and private businesses up to $400 million in turnover.
Amanda's unique approach blends business best practices with innovative strategies, enabling her clients to not only meet but exceed their strategic growth targets. Throughout her career, she has facilitated the success of more than 100 businesses, helping them win prestigious awards and develop sustainable practices that ensure long-term growth. Her commitment to fostering leadership and accountability has made her a sought-after mentor and coach in the arena of business development.
Education and Achievements
Amanda's educational background is impressive, having studied at the prestigious Australian Institute of Company Directors, where she honed her skills in governance and leadership. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Design and has studied Design at the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). This strong educational foundation enables Amanda to approach business challenges with a blend of creative thinking and strategic insight.
Notably, Amanda is recognized for her role as a Director at Executive Roundtable (ER), where she played a pivotal role from 2000 to 2006. Under her leadership, ER flourished, boasting over 150 members and culminating in its successful sale to The Executive Connection. Amanda's exceptional leadership as Chair of various peer groups for TEC has earned her awards for excellence, illustrating her capability to inspire and guide fellow business leaders.
At the Growth Education Institute, Amanda co-founded Australia's first-ever virtual multi-level mentoring program tailored to assist regional small businesses in achieving sustainable growth. This innovative program is part of her broader commitment to touching the lives of thousands of staff every month by offering valuable business insights and leadership coaching.
Notable Achievements
Amanda's extensive experience includes:
- Chairs of Peer Group Board Meetings: Over 247 meetings chaired, showcasing her talent in facilitating discussions that drive business transformation.
- Strategic Planning Sessions: Amanda has led more than 80 strategic sessions, helping businesses pinpoint their objectives and develop actionable plans.
- Board Meetings Attendance: Having attended over 110 board meetings, her insights and contributions have been integral in shaping effective governance.
- Leadership Coaching: Amanda has personally coached over 1,800 leadership development sessions, fostering the next generation of business leaders with the skills needed to navigate complex challenges.
As a passionate advocate for change, Amanda continues to drive accountability in the business landscape, ensuring owners develop the confidence required to implement lasting changes within their organizations. Her innovative mindset supports her clients in making timely decisions, an essential factor for success in an ever-evolving marketplace.
Amanda's multifaceted approach to leadership, strategic planning, and mentoring is not only beneficial to her clients but also enriches the broader business community.
Conclusion
With her vast expertise and commitment to excellence, Amanda Cole is a true leader in the space of business development and strategic growth. Her dedication to empowering others, combined with her proven track record, positions her as an invaluable resource for any business ready to embark on a journey of transformation. For more information on how Amanda can help transform your organization's approach to leadership and strategic growth, visit groei and Spark Consultants.
Highlights
How do you honour 18 years of community?
Just back from my last TEC Chair conference…and in the way that sometimes things come full circle, sitting in the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney where my TEC journey started at my first Chair conference in 2006.
Let’s set the scene…18 years ago I was heading to the airport with my 9 month old, 2 year old and mother in tow, brain-tumoured husband dying slowly, left behind in palliative care. That flight was one of the most difficult things I ever did. I was leaving for the Sydney conference and a new career as a TEC Chair. Australia’s first female Chair and the youngest, at that stage aged 35.
Since then TEC has given me purpose and joy in helping leaders be their best. I have had the pleasure of meeting some extraordinary people who have challenged me with deep care and honored me with their deepest issues and wisdom. It's time to move on to other things and close the door on my last TEC meeting in September.
TEC is at its best in small ways but profound ways. A group who wraps their safe space around a new member confessing her recent divorce at her first ever TEC meeting. A chair gently coaching a member to overcome a pattern of self-sabotage in poor hiring decisions. A successful goal-setting meeting facilitates a move to a coastal life for a young family, enabling a lifestyle they didn’t think possible. The courage to ask someone to marry, the soul searching as to whether to start a family - all supported in deep one-to-one connections that aren't possible in many places these days.
The experience of TEC comes down to the Chair and the Group. It’s the connections that matter. The ones you can’t get anywhere else.
So I’d like to celebrate the extraordinary award winners, and the humble difference-makers. The Chairs who have made me who I am and who I am happy to have as now friends.
Barry Upfold who started it all. Jon Lindsay, always source of inspiration and support and the heart of the Queensland Chairs, Stephen Myers master chair and Camille Morin and Andrew Wynne.
Thank you for taking up the challenge Sandra Poon and Jen Ryder who are the capable hands now caring for our TEC members.
And the interstate chairs who made every conference John Broons Lyn Harding Gordon Edwards Jerry Kleeman Harvey Martin Jeff Paterson Tim Maclachlan Lianne Cretney-Barnes Stephen O'Keefe Harvey Martin Jerry Kleeman and some now retired Chairs Simon O'Shaughnessy Tim Hantke The Amazing Deborah Burt, Susan Benedyka, Ray Fisher Mike Logan AM Brendan Killen Graeme Fear Jim Landau Adam Sleigh it's a long list.
And not forgetting my international Vistage Chairs who inspired me to be the best chair I could with their wisdom and connection Ozzie Gontang, Ph.D. Lance Descourouez Artie Isaac Troy Rice Richard Carr Janet Fogarty Iain Lindsay Garth Jackson and not the least Adam Harris.
Thank you for the privilege to work alongside you all...you have certainly enhanced my life. 10/10.
We are looking to expand our team to the Gold Coast Region starting 1 October...with similar roles opening for 2024 in Brisbane and Sunshine Coast as we roll out the Knoei Colab in high schools throughout SE Qld.
Please share if you know a proactive and engaging facilitator or trainer...who may have been a secondary teacher in a previous life and who's passionate about driving innovation.
Tara Jacobsen Cynthia Gusman-Nolan Sue Isbell Lucy Sattler Richard Hainsworth Stephen Rutter Joelle McCully Moneth Montemayor Suzanne Oxford Jules McMurtrie Ruth Power Sam Bucolo Samuel Jesuadian Kerri Buttery Rhys Cassidy Timothy Barraud Damon Joseph Fiona Holmstrom Michael Doneman
#knoeicolab #futureskills #innovation #entrepreneurshipeducation
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
- Comprehensive Contact Management: Automatically collects contact data and enriches profiles to keep them up-to-date
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
- Home Feed: Displays updates about your network including job changes, news mentions, and birthdays
- Groups: Organizes contacts into meaningful categories
- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
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