Who we are
Your business is your most important asset, yet growing it often seems an insurmountable challenge. It’s not simply a matter of calling in external advisors, but a journey of self-development, growth and redefinition.
At Stellar Consulting, each team member is or has been a business owner, and understands to varying degrees the challenges a business faces. This gives them the understanding and empathy to help clients on their journey, no matter how long or hard it may be.
Stellar illuminates the way forward. We transform each business leader’s understanding of their future with a tailored programme focused on assets and buy-side value.
Recognising that an advisory focus alone may struggle to achieve this, Stellar prioritises both the coaching and mentoring of business leaders. This hybrid approach ensures business leaders are capable of moving forward with the business as it grows.
Our mission is simple. Help business owners and leaders improve their business asset.
If you’re ready to bring out your brilliance, it’s time to Consult Stellar.
Stellar’s Team
First-hand business experience, strong commercial acumen and an ability to relate and communicate are just a few of the characteristics the team at Stellar all share.
Chris Dionne
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Chris is the founder of Stellar Business Consulting and a master business consultant with more than 20 years of training, educating and coaching business owners and executives on how to position their businesses for scalable growth. Over his career, Chris has used the same skills and experience he’s applied to his own businesses to train hundreds of small-to-medium businesses around the world how to build equity value and sustainability.
Leslie Grande
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Leslie keeps the Stellar team in check and is responsible for diary management and planning, client support and administration.
Les Hercules Kalas
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The road Les Hercules has travelled through sport, corporate life, business ownership and consulting/coaching has given him great empathy for the challenges faced by his clients every day. His long-term depth of business experience and his immersion in coaching methodologies empower him to spark positive change to the individuals and organizations he’s working with. At the heart of his success is understanding and developing people and business assets. His clients report that he brings them vision, focus, energy and clarity, challenging how strategic thinking impacts operational effectiveness and innovation.
Joe Clayton
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Joe has spent over two decades building teams to lead major mining projects, overcoming significant operational and stakeholder challenges. He later applied these experiences in turnaround roles as CEO of ASX and LSE-listed mining services companies. Now, Joe works with SME leaders and a registered charity to foster strong cultures by developing effective, accountable teams with a shared vision and strategy. He is a Graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow and Chartered Professional (Management) of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and a proud graduate of the school of hard knocks.
Aalok Gupta
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Aalok is a former Banker, Business & HRD Head. He led Businesses for fifteen years (with MNCs like American Express) before he transitioned into Human Resources Development (HRD) as the Asia Pacific Head (for HSBC) over the next decade. He has worked with scores of SMEs to help them optimize their processes as a consultant & structure their finances as a Banker. Now, he is driven to help them Grow!
Mike Christensen
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Mike joined Stellar at the beginning of 2017 after a 25-year career as a finance professional including 16 years in commercial real estate working for property funds management groups DEXUS and Westfield. Mike was an integral senior executive and played a major part in the growth of DEXUS over the 12-13 years he was with the group. Mike works across a broad range of companies and industries ranging from medical, engineering and real estate. He is a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and sits on several boards and committees.
Lauren Ayers
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As former CEO for her family's business and an ex-client of Chris Dionne, Lauren brings a unique perspective to the team and real empathy for the client journey. Lauren’s speciality is in working with family and owner-managed enterprises and supporting people, families and businesses to achieve greater success and contentment.
Meegan Dionne-Deane
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Meegan is a tenacious self-starter with experience in business ownership, management and commercial property consultancy. Her inherent ability to foster relationships has helped Meegan build a strong network of connections – a valuable asset for Stellar’s team and clients. Meegan heads up Stellar’s finance and infrastructure team.
Andy Hurst
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Andy brings a breadth of practitioner experience to Stellar, senior roles within blue-chip brands including Land Rover; more recently leading medium and smaller businesses through rapid growth; and the last 8 years in Consulting. Andy is passionate about the power of great brands and their ability to build equity value and transform businesses through the people within the organisation. He’s known for his calm and collected approach and an ability to align teams together for a faster and more profitable implementation of their brand and business strategy.
Adrian Bray
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Adrian launched and expanded Stellar into the US in 2022 and has a career with over 35 years helping business owners and executives with business transitions and achieving scale. Adrian uses his experience of building fast growth Middle Market services business by helping clients build sustainable equity value, prepare for and complete transitions and their next stage of growth.
Liz Smith
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Liz joined Stellar at the beginning of 2023 after an executive career that included 12 years as a corporate finance partner. Her experience leading engagements across M&A, valuations, due diligence and IPOs, makes her well placed to help companies increase their value and achieve their strategic objectives. Liz brings a depth of experience, having worked with companies of all sizes across almost every industry. Liz is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants, a Fellow of FINSIA, a Fellow of the Governance Institute, has an MBA, is a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Certified Chair of the Advisory Board Centre. Liz also has a number of board appointments.
Ash Khalek
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Before joining Stellar in mid-2023, Ash spent 20 years as a senior executive with blue-chip companies, including Oracle and FIS. He was responsible for growing Tech and FinTech businesses internationally in these roles. These executive roles were preceded by over 10 years as a business owner of an advisory firm that assisted SMEs in implementing growth strategies successfully. He has gained broad sector experience, including with IP-based products and services, manufacturing and primary industries. Ash is well-placed to guide clients in finding the optimal way to achieve their growth goals and overcome barriers as they arise.
Stellar Mentors for Over 4 Years
“Chris and his team have provided coaching and mentoring to us for over 4 years.
During this period, the coaching and the concepts used were invaluable in getting us smoothly through a period of significant structural change and helped us then to successfully embark on a growth phase in the business.”
Mark Molloy, Managing Director - Jones Nicholson Consulting Engineers