Michael J. Coles
Keynote Speaker: Co-Founder of Great American Cookie Company & Former CEO of Caribou Coffee, Serial Entrepreneur, Education Advocate, Philanthropist
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Michael J. Coles Biography
After a successful 19-year career in the clothing business, Michael Coles tested his entrepreneurial skills in 1977, when he co-founded Great American Cookie Company with a joint investment of only $8,000. Shortly after starting the company, he was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident and was told by doctors he would never walk again unaided. As Coles recovered through a self-designed rehabilitation program, he took the company from its first store in Perimeter Mall in Atlanta to hundreds of stores nationwide and, at the same time, set three coast-to-coast bicycling records.
When he started the Great American Cookie Company, there were three major cookie companies in business. One had almost 100 stores and the other two had 50 each. When he sold the company in 1998 with sales over $100 million, the Great American Cookie Company was the largest franchisor of cookie stores and the other three companies no longer existed.
Coles’ commitment to community service led him to run for public office in 1996 as the democratic nominee for the House of Representatives in the Sixth District of Georgia, and in 1998 he won the democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, challenging Senator Paul Coverdell.
In 2003, Coles accepted the corporate reins of Caribou Coffee Company as chairman, CEO and president. Over the next five years, Coles more than doubled the size of the company, extending the brand reach domestically and abroad. In September 2005, he successfully took the company public on NASDAQ under the symbol CBOU.
Coles went on to join others in founding Charter Bank & Trust and served as its chairman, taking the bank public and selling the publicly traded company to Synovus Bank.
Coles is also the former chairman of Brand Holding Company and chairman of Brand Bank.
Appointed by Governor Roy Barnes in 1999 to chair the Georgia Film, Video and Music Advisory Board, during his four years as chairman, Coles and his board successfully passed HB610, which was the first-ever tax incentive of its kind in Georgia. That bill allowed the film industry to begin a rebirth, going from $170 million in 1999 to over $1.5 billion in economic impact by 2003. Today, Georgia’s film industry generates over $9.5 billion.
Having contributed much of their time and resources to education, the arts, environment and philanthropic organizations, Coles and his wife, Donna were honored as the Georgia Philanthropists of the Year in 1995.
Coles was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes in 2001 to serve on the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
In recognition of Coles’ success, leadership and benevolence, Kennesaw State University, under the authority granted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, declared that the institution’s School of Business be named and known in perpetuity as the Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University. In 1999, Michael received the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Kennesaw State University.
As Entrepreneur in Residence for the Coles MBA 2013 Spring Semester, Coles led a class entitled “Concept to Counter,” allowing students to grasp the concept of taking their creative thoughts and ideas to the marketplace.
Coles received the National Women’s Political Caucus “Good Guy of the Year” Award for his work on behalf of women’s issues. He joined the ranks of past recipients, including Ed Asner, Alan Alda and former Vice President and U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Walter Mondale.
On October 17, 2018 Coles officially launched his new book titled “Time to Get Tough: How Cookies Coffee and a Crash Led To Success in Business and Life.”
Coles continues to serve on numerous non-profit boards and delivers keynotes to students, organizations and at corporate events across the country. He is a member of The Jackson Hole Rotary Club.
Coles lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with his wife Donna and they are the parents of three adult children and seven grandchildren.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Michael J. Coles and other top speakers and celebrities.
Michael J. Coles Speaking Topics
Michael J. Coles Videos
How do I book Michael J. Coles to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Michael J. Coles for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Michael J. Coles, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Michael J. Coles or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Michael J. Coles for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Michael J. Coles, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $20,000 - $30,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Michael J. Coles, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Michael J. Coles speak about?
Michael J. Coles is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Education, Educational Motivational, Social Activism, Non-Profit, Executive Leadership and Business.
Where does Michael J. Coles travel from?
Michael J. Coles generally travels from Atlanta, GA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Michael J. Coles?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Michael J. Coles for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Michael J. Coles for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Michael J. Coles or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Michael J. Coles is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Education. The estimated speaking fee range to book Michael J. Coles for live events is $20,000 - $30,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Michael J. Coles generally travels from Atlanta, GA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eduardo Briceño, Gary Garfield and Donna Orender. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Michael J. Coles for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Michael J. Coles Speaking Topics
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Business, Success, Entrepreneurship, Motivational Speaking, Small Business, Perseverance, Overcoming Adversity, Authoring a Book
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Michael J. Coles Videos
FAQS
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How do I book Michael J. Coles to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Michael J. Coles for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Michael J. Coles, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Michael J. Coles or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Michael J. Coles for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Michael J. Coles, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $20,000 - $30,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Michael J. Coles, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Michael J. Coles speak about?
Michael J. Coles is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Education, Educational Motivational, Social Activism, Non-Profit, Executive Leadership and Business. -
Where does Michael J. Coles travel from?
Michael J. Coles generally travels from Atlanta, GA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Michael J. Coles?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Michael J. Coles for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Michael J. Coles for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Michael J. Coles or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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