Meet our Advisory Board

Expert advisors you can trust

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Sole is an end-to-end accounting platform designed to support both small businesses and the accounting and bookkeeping firms that work with them.
Our Advisory Board consists of the below key people with highly relevant experience across various industry areas
Each of the Advisory Board members have been carefully selected, having all owned and operated sole trader or small businesses and embodying Sole's mission to empower Australian sole traders, freelancers and the self employed. Our valued Advisors are familiar with the challenges that sole traders and small businesses face day-to-day, and each come ready to offer fit-for-purpose advice and solutions tailored to our customer base. Most importantly, they are all eager to help Sole become the best fin-tech solution it can be! (It doesn’t hurt that they are all Aussies too!)
Mike Avey
Advisory Board Chair

Mike is managing director of the business advisory company, Pachira Capital, an active member of Brisbane Angels Group and an adviser to CapitalPitch. Mike has over 40 years’ experience in business management and commercialisation of innovations across a range of industries, including: micro-electronics; IT; communications; publishing; boat building; surveying and mineral exploration software; and alternative energy. Mike’s start up experience includes being founder, manager, and investor in numerous ventures, he is currently CEO of a soon-to-be-launched start-up and sits on the advisory panel of two early-stage companies.

Chris Coleman
Advisory Board member

Chris is an entrepreneurial business builder and futurist – founding and driving the creation of a number of highly successful and award winning companies. He has over a decade of experience at the Board and Senior Executive levels in roles ranging from Director to Chief Executive Officer to Chief Information Officer. He has driven multimillion-dollar business change initiatives nationally and internationally in the private and public sectors and has global experience in raising capital and leading the development and commercialisation of software-based technologies.

Herman van Rensburg
Advisory Board member

Herman is a Chartered Accountant specialising in the mining and resources industry.
With extensive audit and ”in-the-field” experience with companies like PwC, Anglo American, QMetCo, Re.Group & Sojitz he adds value to the company by looking at technical accounting matters with practical solutions.

Angie headshot
Angie Hammond
Advisory Board member

Angie is a growth advisor with 25 years of experience working with Small Businesses across Australia. The Founder of Garnish Marketing, a boutique marketing consultancy established in 2006, she has helped hundreds of companies to scale. With a specific niche in manufacturing and industrial companies she has a keen interest in innovation and sustainability capabilities of small business. Angie is a certified chair, qualified company director and qualified trainer and assessor. Angie is bringing her marketing and commercialisation skills to Sole App to raise our profile across multiple industries.

Stephen Burns
Advisory Board member

Stephen is an experienced entrepreneur and company director with over 25 years in business growth and operational challenges across Australia, the US, and Asia. He leads Accountants Direct, which serves over 5,000 clients globally, and co-founded Payou and Cyclion Energy. Previously, he was COO of OzEmail Ltd, managing over 200 staff, and a founding director of the Gold Coast Titans NRL bid team. An active angel investor in cleantech and fintech, Stephen holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and an MBA, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Rick Crethar
Advisory Board member

Rick is a seasoned business leader with deep expertise in capital raising, sales and corporate strategy. He has extensive experience working with growth-stage businesses and investors, advising founders on how to secure funding and scale sustainably. Rick has held senior executive roles in investment banking and advisory, and has supported numerous companies through strategic planning, capital structuring and market expansion. He brings a strong network of investors and commercial partners, and will be working with Sole to accelerate growth by guiding our fundraising strategy, strengthening sales channels and shaping our long-term market positioning.