Facilitators and Mentors

Chris Hewson
“Down to earth, realistic and keen to help in start-ups and take away the fear of business”

Chris has extensive experience as a marketer and brand strategist in many of Melbourne’s reputable advertising and creative studios. He has worked on most major Australian and global brands from the position of both a strategic and creative one. Brands include Saab, BMW, Citipower, Eastern Energy, Ford, Buena Vista, Budget, Australian Open Tennis, Urban Land Corporation, Kodak, Triumph motorcycles, Honda Motorcycles, Reece, Hang Ten, Lightning Bolt and Amco.

As an entrepreneur he owns and is the lead presenter of Shoestring Marketing, as well as being the owner and Brainstorm Architect of Childsplay Marketing – a company specialising in creativity and lateral thinking tools for business.

Chris has been a lecturer at RMIT University within the School of Applied Communication, School of Entrepreneurship and at Swinburne University’s School of Design.

He boasts qualifications in Communication Design [Masters], Advertising & Marketing and Business studies. He has on various occasions been nominated for awards both in the advertising industry and academia.

 

 

Justin Gunn
“has a genuine passion to make technology accessible and understandable by anyone”

Justin is a technology expert, traveller, educator, knowledge enthusiast and has a keen interest in innovative technologies.

Graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science from Monash University, he worked as an associate lecturer of Computer Science at RMIT. He also worked in industry as a lead web Developer dealing with clients such as the Melbourne Airport, Nab and Icon co.

Wanting to absorb other cultures, he completed a Diploma of Japanese Language at RMIT and moved to Japan to learn Japanese further and work as an English teacher.

Returning from Japan, he has taken up a Master of Science at the University of Melbourne, researching in Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence.

He is immensely knowledgeable in open source software, web developing, server client relationships, artificial intelligence and to identify cost savings in business technology.

At Acknowledge Creativity, he is a Digital the Technology program manager teaching in an array of courses and engaging the business community.

 

 

Robert Jensen
“Mentors small to medium enterprises with expertise in accounting and taxation”

Robert has over three decades of chartered accounting experience specializing in providing taxation and business services advice in a broad range of industries to a diverse client base.

With a passion for small to medium enterprises (SMES), Robert’s invaluable knowledge enables him to provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of taxation and business services across a range of industry sectors.

He is a practicing professional and has been instrumental in the ongoing success of SY Group and prides himself on his ability to build and maintain lifelong relationships with his clients, whom he continues to still work alongside 30 years later. Robert is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Taxation from Melbourne University.

 

 

Wayne Harrison
“Gives Insight in to business growth strategy and negotiation”

Wayne has held various Senior Executive positions with Henkel KGaA including the Management Board responsible for implementing a shared service organisation, as Chairman of several Global Market Direction Teams, and the Industrial Sales & Marketing Manager for Australia/NZ. Other appointments include; Senior Negotiation Strategist at ENS International, the Board of Thomas & Coffey Australia and Chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Education Review Committee.

His background encompasses a strong knowledge of joint ventures and long-term strategic alliances. Many assignments have required mapping and framing complex multi-stakeholder negotiations, through to sequentially planning and pacing multi billion dollar government negotiations.

He is the author of FROM HOPE TO STRAT EGY – The Anatomy of Negotiation, and is regularly invited to speak at conferences, which have included The CEO Institute, Australian Institute of Company Directors, CPA Australia, Procurement Australia, The Executive Connection, and AFL Players’ Association.

 

 

Matt Jackson
“Assists in building stronger emotional connections with customers and broader stakeholders”

Matt is a communication specialist with experience across a broad range of industry sectors including software, media, Industrial IOT, finance, government, FMCG and NFP. Through his company, affectors, Matt works with CX leaders and their teams to build stronger emotional connections with customers and broader stakeholders. Currently he is researching voice analytics as a tool for observing and modelling the types of communication styles that build rapport and empathy.

Matt commenced his career as a strategist with DDB Sydney & Saatchi & Saatchi after completing Bachelor degrees in both Commerce and Arts from the University of Melbourne. This combined with 12 years of running his own business gives him a rare compassion for both operational and human insight as well as strategic foresight. Matt’s approach to organisational analysis and training is rooted in what humans are inspired and encouraged by today in order for them to actualise what they desire tomorrow.

In 2014 Matt spoke at TEDx about the difference between affect and effect. Matt has been a member of the Entrepreneur’s Organisation since 2012 and in 2016 sat on the advisory board as Forum Chair. He is the author of The Age of Affect, 2016, Richmond Publishing.

 

 

Dawn France
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision in to reality”

Dawn started her career as a legal intern – whilst studying Law & Business Degree.  She is a seasoned HR specialist with legal and operations background. Interested in people and culture. She has tremendous experience working in many roles across the banking and energy sectors within management and moving to not for profit senior management and education for almost 10 years.

Over the years she has developed the ability to be a leader that demonstrates good practice, understands the critical component of culture and has the skills to assist businesses through strategic planning, management, policies and process development.  She has tremendous energy and passion to bring small business “Vision into Realty”.