Curious about the driving forces behind successful global business scaling? In this interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Mackay, chairman of PaperCut, a leading print management software company focused on reducing paper usage and promoting sustainability. PaperCut has achieved remarkable success with a user base of 139 million and 85,000 workplaces across multiple countries.

Mark has been with Papercut for ten years and has transitioned into the world of advisory and governance, bringing a wealth of experience to the table.

Let's dive into Mark's insights on talent acquisition, shaping culture, global hiring challenges, trusted partnerships, founder-chair dynamics, and his advice for chairs entering businesses with global aspirations.

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Talent underpins everything

Acquiring the best talent is a fundamental aspect of business success. Recruiting and building a team of capable individuals can provide a competitive advantage. It's a simple philosophy: having the right people at the core of your enterprise is vital to achieving excellence.

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Shaping culture

As Peter Drucker famously said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." I strongly believe in the power of culture to make a difference in any company. However, the definition of a thriving culture has evolved over time, with a shift towards purpose and meaning and the definition of an acceptable culture has evolved over time.

Today, organisations must stay aware of external influences on company culture and shared behaviour. At PaperCut, we strive to provide a higher order of purpose aligned with our cultural values.

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The challenges of maintaining culture in global hiring

Global hiring presents its challenges. PaperCut operates not only in Melbourne but also in Bracknell (UK) and Portland (Oregon, USA). These offices must share the same language and similar behaviour while also accommodating local differences. To address this, we invest in bringing people into the Melbourne office, allowing them to embrace our culture before returning it to regional operations.

By setting the tone and behavioural standards upfront, we ensure that employees can live and breathe our culture in their local markets.

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Trusted partners

The Newfound team, led by Claire, has played a pivotal role in our key hires, including C-level positions such as Head of Operations and Head of Product.

Our relationship with Newfound is built on trust, which has been earned through their thorough and rigorous approach to recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding. We have confidence in Claire and her team's ability to listen to our needs and respond accordingly.

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Advice for chairs entering businesses with global aspirations

The art of listening is highly undervalued. Spend time listening to your networks, channel partners, customers, and employees to gain a deep understanding of opportunities and challenges. Secondly, focus on understanding your current culture, and what you aspire to be, and aligning your actions accordingly. Lastly, practice humility, and modesty, and be less judgmental. People seek deeper connections and higher corporate honesty, so foster an environment that promotes these values.

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If you're looking to build a global team get in touch - we'll be happy to help you on your journey to new markets. Please email us at ty@newfound.global.

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