Grant O’Hara
Director Strategy1st
Strategic Planning and school, business and sport improvement specialist
Hi, I am the Director of Strategy1st, a Brisbane based consultancy that specialises in the facilitation of strategic plans and associated business improvement activity. Effectively I have had three major career changes. After attending St Paul’s School on the northside of Brisbane, Queensland I commenced my working career as a primary school and physical education teacher employed by Education Queensland. I completed my remote teaching placement at Doomadgee State School in the states gulf region and also taught at Strathpine and Strathpine West State Primary Schools. After a successful ten-year teaching career, I won a marketing role at Queensland Cricket, changing tact to embark on a business career within the sports’ marketing field.
I further won a position at Queensland Rugby as the Marketing Manager and had hands-on experience with Australia’s management of the Rugby World Cup and the transfer of rugby from the Reds spiritual home of Ballymore to Suncorp Stadium.
The first Queensland Reds match to be played at Suncorp Stadium qualified as a finalist in the marketing category at the annual Queensland Sports Awards for Event of the Year and further saw my invitation as the international key note speaker at the annual New Zealand National Sport’s Conference, speaking on the success of this event which set a record for an attendance at a Reds V Waratahs match. These high-profile roles catapulted me into my own business, firstly as a marketing consultant and then elevating to a strategic planning professional.
Life as an independent business owner has seen me consult to a diverse range of companies including the Gordon Frost Organisation, producers for “Wicked – the Broadway Musical”, where we developed the strategy and produced the proposal that delivered the biggest ever sponsorship in Australian theatre history for the dramatic arts. I have refined my consultancy skills as a specialist in the three categories of education, SME business, national sporting organisations and grass roots sporting clubs.
I worked with Australian Cricket Legend Ian Healy AO to established Aspirations4Kids in Sport (A4K) which is an Australian Sport Foundation endorsed, not-for-profit organisation that raises funds to support Queensland kids facing hardship and disability to play Queensland representative school sport. Since its inception A4K had distributed close to $1 million dollars towards Queensland families in need.
My view on Business and Life
I believe that happiness and success in our world revolves around the principles of finding out what you are good at, knowing where your passions lie, determining what the world needs and ensuring one has enough funds to live and enjoy life. When working together, I bring these principles to each environment and feel privileged to be invited to assist YOU to achieve your dreams and goals. I truly value building friendships and delivering improvement outcomes for all clients.
I have qualifications in education and business.
Julie-Anne Dietz
Executive Director Strategy1st
General Management, strategic planning and personal improvement.
I have over 25 years of a teaching experience in both the public and private sectors. I have vast experience as both an educator and director in long day care facilities. Seeing the many changes that schools have gone through I understand the challenges facing schools today in the dynamic educational landscape.
As a qualified trainer and assessor, I am able to assess candidates to a Certificate IV level and with these experiences, I bring a fresh and innovative approach to the delivery of the strategic planning process.
Alongside my connection to the firm’s Strategic Planning process, I am also the General Manager of Aspirations4Kids in Sport. Here I combine my passions for education, sport and the strong will to assist Queensland families to deliver a funding program that keeps kids active and engaged in school.
My view on Business and Life
I believe and carry a self-improvement ethos. For most of us, the traditional path to self-improvement starts by setting a specific and actionable goal. What I’m starting to realise, however, is that when it comes to actually getting things done and making progress in the areas that are important, there is often a better way to do things. It all comes down to the difference between goals and systems. I am a ‘systems’ person and like to use my skills to problem solve and innovate but balance this with the use of knowledge, facts, and information to make sure together we get things right. I take an active role in delivering Strategy1st programs where my analytical processes ensure no stone is left unturned. I look forward to meeting and supporting you.
I have a degree and certificate qualifications in education.
