I’ve spent much of my career running businesses.
Now I help other people run theirs.
I’m Paul MacRae, founder of Principles.
I’ve spent many years building, running and advising businesses in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in the technology sector.
I’ve established new businesses, run established ones, owned my own consulting business and served on the board of an ASX-listed company.
That experience has taught me that there is rarely one perfect answer — but asking the right questions usually gets you closer to it.
A career in business
My career has given me the opportunity to see business from different perspectives — as an executive, business owner, adviser and company director.
TechnologyOne — senior management roles, including General Manager of the HR & Payroll business.
Galileo — Country Manager in New Zealand, following a number of roles with Galileo in Australia.
MessageLabs — established the business in Australia and New Zealand.
SAP consulting — owned and ran a successful SAP consulting business.
FirstWave — served as a Non-Executive Director of ASX-listed FirstWave Cloud Technology, including as Chair of the Audit and the Remuneration and Nomination Committees.
That mix of experience — large organisations, smaller businesses, new ventures, boards and my own business — has shaped the way I work with business owners today.
Experience changes the questions you ask.
Over the years I’ve been involved in businesses that have grown quickly, changed direction, entered new markets and dealt with difficult decisions.
I’ve seen things work extremely well — and I’ve seen things that didn’t.
That experience doesn’t mean I have all the answers. What it does give me is perspective - and often the ability to ask a question that helps you see something differently.
Sometimes a good question is more useful than a quick answer.
Professional credentials
MBA — University of Strathclyde
Graduate — Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
Fellow — Advisory Board Centre
I’ve also served as a director of an ASX-listed company and worked with boards, advisory boards, executives and business owners across a wide range of organisations.
For me, qualifications and experience are important, but mentoring ultimately comes down to trust, experience and the ability to have an open conversation.
Why I mentor
I enjoy business. I always have.
Every business is different, and every business owner sees things differently. I enjoy taking a complicated problem, talking it through and helping someone see it more clearly.
Sometimes that means sharing an experience. Sometimes it means challenging an assumption. And sometimes it simply means asking a question that hadn't been considered.
I enjoy helping people work out what to do next. That's why I mentor.
