Sally Cooper, an online graphic design and business solutions provider, is facing accusations from multiple small business owners who claim she failed to deliver contracted services and has not issued refunds. Cooper, who runs Elevated Digital Marketing, was a finalist for three AusMumpreneur Awards this year but has since been disqualified.
Several women have come forward alleging that Cooper either did not complete work or provided substandard services. Sally Dean of Imagine Bridal Studio stated she paid Cooper $1,970 upfront for window stickers that were never installed. Dean claims Cooper provided a fraudulent screenshot of a refund transfer, which never materialized in her bank account. Dean took legal action in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, but Cooper did not appear, leading to a ruling in Dean's favor and the possibility of an apprehension warrant.
An investigation by the Daily Mail observed Cooper entering a pub's gaming lounge at 11:30 a.m. on a Thursday. She was reportedly seen playing pokies with high stakes. When confronted by a reporter as she left the pub, Cooper declined to answer questions about gambling with clients' money, stating she was meeting a client and that the reporter should speak to her lawyer. She later issued a legal warning and claimed to have reported the journalist to police, though no contact from authorities was confirmed.
Another business owner, Julie Baker of Sensory Matters, alleges Cooper owes her $605 for a pricing structure implementation that resulted in a flawed plan, suspected to be AI-generated. Baker claims Cooper missed a scheduled meeting to discuss the issues. Baker is part of a private Facebook group with approximately 20 members who believe they are owed money by Cooper.
Tori Cottle of Bright Colour, an NDIS support coordination business, reported paying over $3,500 for a marketing package that included a social media presence expansion. Cottle claims the promised Instagram account was never created, and social media posts were infrequent. She also stated that only a partial order of branded merchandise was received and that video footage from a photo shoot was never delivered.
In a separate allegation, Shaeden Johns, a childhood friend, claims Cooper incurred a $6,000 debt and damaged her credit by taking out phone plans in Johns' name in 2016. Johns stated Cooper, who was pregnant and facing personal issues at the time, promised to transfer the plans within two weeks but failed to do so, leaving Johns with the debt and affecting her devices and credit rating.
Clients expressed frustration upon learning of Cooper's alleged gambling activities. Baker stated it was frustrating to hear of leisure spending while she awaits payment. Cottle found it difficult to comprehend how someone could allegedly harm others financially and then spend money on gambling. Dean noted that while Cooper's gambling doesn't change the legal situation, it makes a frustrating situation harder to understand.
This is not the first time allegations against Cooper have surfaced. In May, Nine News Adelaide reported on similar claims. Cooper's attempt to obtain an injunction against the Nine News story was dismissed by an Associate Justice of the South Australia Supreme Court, who described her application as lacking detail and being late.
AusMumpreneur confirmed Cooper's disqualification from their awards, stating they had commenced an internal review prior to the Daily Mail's inquiry. South Australian Consumer and Business Services acknowledged they were considering a complaint against Cooper and urged other affected businesses to contact them.