Aaron C Lee - Business and Brand Strategist

Clarity before creativity.

25 years aligning business strategy with
brand strategy across Australasia.

25 years aligning business strategy with brand strategy across Australasia.

Over 25 years of partnering with leaders across Australasia.

I have partnered with founders, CEOs and leadership teams who are building, scaling and repositioning businesses across Australasia and international markets. I have worked across property and development, luxury and lifestyle including international hotels, superyachts and travel, professional services, hospitality, automotive, motorsport, finance, family offices, education and not-for-profit sectors.

In property alone, the brand and strategy work I have led has contributed to in excess of AU$1.6B in sales and leasing results.

The common thread is always the same. Businesses grow when their strategy is clear and their people are aligned behind it.

I think commercially.
I work collaboratively.
I care about outcomes.

I work with leadership teams, marketing teams and founders. The common thread is the same.
I take complex problems and make them simple to act on. I speak plainly. I share knowledge freely. I will call the elephant in the room when others will not. And I will put my hand up when I do not have the answer. The best outcomes come from genuine collaboration, where we all get sharper.

I work with leadership teams, marketing teams and founders. The common thread is the same. I take complex problems and make them simple to act on. I speak plainly. I share knowledge freely. I will call the elephant in the room when others will not. And I will put my hand up when I do not have the answer. The best outcomes come from genuine collaboration, where we all get sharper.

I have built and I lead two enterprises.

Both are driven by one belief.

Strategy comes first.

I have built and I lead two enterprises. Both are driven by
one belief.

Strategy comes first.

FutureState™ Agency delivers the strategic direction.

Caramel Creative delivers the creative execution.

I co-founded FutureState™ Agency with my life partner Cara Lee in 2025 to formalise the strategic work I had been doing for over two decades. We work at the intersection of business strategy and brand strategy, helping leadership teams get aligned before they invest in execution. We also provide fractional Chief Strategy Officer services for SME businesses.

Visit FutureState™ Agency

I founded Caramel Creative in 2005. For over 20 years, Caramel has delivered strategy-led creative work that performs. From brand positioning through to identity systems, campaigns, digital platforms, video production and brand management. We work with businesses across Australasia, from emerging ventures to established enterprises.

Visit Caramel Creative

I don't only advise. I build.

I do not only advise.
I build.

Across my career I have founded, co-founded and operated my own ventures alongside client work. I have also taken financial interest in client businesses as both a strategic and creative partner, and as an investor.

These are some of the ventures outside of my two core enterprises.

Vice President
2022 - Present

I serve on the board of Charity Drive Days, a registered charity that hosts track days on Australia's premier racing circuits with all proceeds going to charitable causes. Over $4.1 M distributed to date. Caramel Creative has donated all brand identity, website and ongoing creative and digital services to the organisation since 2016.

charitydrivedays.com.au

Co-Creator
2022, 2023, 2024

I co-created and delivered the Dirty Warrny gravel cycling event through Round Events alongside Karin Jones, in partnership with the Warrnambool Citizens Road Race Committee (WCRRC). We ran the first three editions of what has become known as the Southern Hemisphere's 'greatest gravel monument'.

Co-Founder
2020 - 2025

A content platform and events business I co-founded to celebrate classic and sports car culture through video, editorial and events. The Motorists created the Concours d’Elegance at Pt. Leo Estate, bringing together collectors, enthusiasts and partners including Watches of Switzerland and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

Founder
2012 - 2019

I built GroundControlPRO™, an interactive property sales platform for developers, project marketers and sales agents. The product managed sales and marketing coordination across the full project lifecycle, accessible from any device. Operated for eight years before exiting in 2019.

Strategic leadership without the overhead.

I do not only advise.
I build.

Most businesses need senior strategic capability but cannot justify a full-time Chief Strategy Officer. I provide that capability directly.

I integrate with your leadership team on a retainer basis. Monthly sessions, quarterly planning, ad-hoc counsel when decisions matter. You get C-suite strategic thinking without the C-suite salary. Engagement rhythms are tailored to your business.

Who this suits:

SME businesses requiring senior strategic capability. CEOs without a strategic peer to pressure-test thinking. Leadership teams managing growth or transformation. Businesses between stages who need guidance. Organisations with execution strength but strategic gaps.

I limit my retainer engagements to ensure each client receives focused attention and genuine strategic oversight.

Stage 01
Initial Assessment
A diagnostic engagement to understand your current state and recommend strategic pathways. Leadership interviews and stakeholder diagnostics. Business model and capability assessment. Market position and competitive analysis. Strategic priorities identification. Recommendations for ongoing support.
Stage 02
Annual Retainer
Ongoing strategic leadership integrated with your executive team. I attend leadership meetings and strategic planning sessions. I provide strategic counsel to the CEO and executive team. I challenge assumptions and identify blind spots. I connect business strategy to brand and market positioning. I oversee major initiatives and transformation programs. I act as the external perspective when internal teams are too close.

Let's go for a walk and talk about your plans.

I am always happy to talk strategy. If you have a business or brand challenge you are working through, get in touch.

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country across Australia, recognising their enduring connection to land, waters, and community. I honour and pay my respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.