Brad MacMaster

Change – change – change (any resemblance to a 1967 release by A.F. is by design)!

Career Change - seriously! After several rewarding opportunities in entrepreneurial ventures – where change is a fundamental characteristic – I noted certain challenges restraining these new ventures from realizing their potential. The effectiveness of their top management teams to work like high performance teams in sport was compromised. Driven to investigate this phenomenon, to generate practical research outcomes, and to help entrepreneurial teams change through developing effective working relationships, I have become a PhD researcher and business school lecturer, and seek a tenure track appointment in a leading entrepreneurship school.

In my 1st career, I trained in the financial professions, starting as a management consultant for E&Y. I obtained my CPA(CA) and CMC designations and became hooked on advising entrepreneurial clients. As innovation in the professions was not encouraged, I jumped ship after 10 years to become the CFO of a client I had just helped raise financing to support aggressive growth plans.

Working in an entrepreneurial environment is absolutely thrilling! Fast past change where decisions matter … I strongly encourage those with a zest for innovation, business and deal-making to try it! But it is not for all accountants - the professional training amplifies the inherent conservatism of many. Organizational fit demands finding the right CFO for the entrepreneurial environment - one who buys into the vision and can apply their skills & expertise to help realize it. But the role of the CFO still carries the responsibilities of financial prudence – guiding the firm through choppy waters with an eye on crucial cash flow, a sense of feasible strategies, the wherewithal to procure essential resources and the ability to maintain frequent, relevant communications with key stakeholders, building credibility and trust through actions based on informed decision making. This marked my 2nd career. For example, the CEO and I lead an advanced manufacturing firm to the #1 spot on the PROFIT-100 list of Canada's fastest growing companies, tripling revenues three years in a row, acquiring another firm, completing two public offerings, listing on the TSX and increasing our market capitalization by 9.7x.