Mandana: Creating pathways to lasting careers

A Q&A with Peter Jackson from Mandana

For Peter, founder and managing director of Mandana, a professional services company specialising in Indigenous engagement, mentoring and recruitment, success is about more than helping people secure a job. It's about creating pathways to long-term careers, supporting communities and empowering First Nations people to shape their own futures.

As part of Indigenous Business Month, we spoke with Peter about his journey, the values behind Mandana and the important role Indigenous-owned businesses play in driving economic empowerment and self-determination.

Who’s your mob?

I'm a proud descendant of the Mandandanji people of southwest Queensland. I'm based in Chinchilla, where I lead Mandana as Managing Director and Founder.

How have your cultural connections influenced your journey as a business owner and leader?

My cultural connections shape my sense of responsibility to our people, our communities and the generations coming after us.

For me, leadership means respect, integrity, action and accountability. Those values translate into building trust, listening, collaborating and having the courage to act.

They also guide how I run Mandana. I want the business to succeed commercially while creating opportunities that our people and communities can see and benefit from.

What inspired you to establish Mandana, and what gap did you want to address?

Through more than 20 years working in Indigenous engagement, government, mentoring and recruitment, I saw that getting someone into a job was only one part of the journey.

Mob also needed support to stay in employment, develop their skills and feel valued in their workplace.

I established Mandana to help bridge that gap. We connect First Nations people with employment opportunities and provide mentoring, ongoing engagement and practical wraparound support to help those opportunities become lasting careers. We also work with employers to build culturally safe and inclusive workplaces.

Our belief is simple: "It's more than a job. It's a pathway to a career, a future and lasting opportunity."

How do the family values behind Mandana's name shape the way you lead and work?

Family is at the heart of everything we do.

It means caring about the person, understanding their circumstances and recognising that their success can have a positive impact across their family and community.

Within our team, that means supporting each other while remaining accountable for the work we do. With clients and communities, it means building respectful, lasting relationships. We want people to feel heard, supported and confident that we will follow through on our commitments.

What role do Indigenous-owned businesses play in economic empowerment and self-determination?

First Nations-owned businesses give our people greater opportunity to shape our own futures.

They create employment, develop leaders, strengthen local capability and help keep economic benefits within our communities.

Business ownership also gives us a stronger voice in decisions about how opportunities are developed and delivered. For Mandana, that includes working alongside Traditional Owners, communities and other First Nations businesses to support meaningful employment pathways and opportunities for people to work on Country.

How can organisations move beyond good intentions to create meaningful partnerships?

Start the conversation early, listen to the people connected to the community and involve First Nations businesses in planning and decision-making.

Meaningful partnerships need clear commitments, fair commercial opportunities and accountability. That includes realistic procurement processes, fair payment terms and investment in training and workforce support.

Most importantly, organisations need to respect the knowledge and expertise First Nations businesses bring. Strong partnerships are built when those contributions are valued and everyone understands how the work will deliver lasting benefits for community.

Why is it important to celebrate the achievements of Indigenous businesses across Australia?

Celebrating First Nations businesses recognises the hard work, capability and leadership within our communities. It also helps people see the breadth of what Indigenous businesses contribute across different industries and regions.

For young people, seeing a First Nations business owner succeed can open up a new sense of what is possible. Sharing these stories also helps organisations discover Indigenous businesses they can work with and build meaningful partnerships.