How did you get into insolvency and restructuring?
I’ve always been pretty good with numbers. At school, I probably would have ended up in either engineering, accounting, or economics. It was always going to head that way.
When I was in Year 11, the biggest employer in my hometown in the Riverina, a massive canning factory called Letona went under. Hundreds of people lost their jobs, friends had to move away, and there was a lot of disruption. It really got me thinking: why do companies fail? What could have been done to stop it?
Around the same time, my dad was made redundant too, which pushed me even more toward using my skills to help businesses.
I went to university to study accounting, took up an insolvency law elective in second year, and thought, “this is fate.” I also started working part-time with Woodgate and Co in Sydney, and the rest is history.
What professional achievement are you most proud of?
I think there are small proud moments along the way, you need those to keep going. But purely personally, it was the day I hung out my own shingle.
At about 35, I had my liquidator license, had just moved to Brisbane, and didn’t have much of a network. In January 2014, I started my own little practice, TJP Advisory. It was humbling, terrifying, exciting, all of it. I’ve still got a photo of me in front of my first sign, in a suit, hanging my certificates on the wall. Even put magazines out in the waiting room, even though no one came in! But it was a leap of faith I’m really proud of.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Apart from my woodwork teacher’s classic “measure twice, cut once,” it’s something one of my first bosses told me: do a good job, a diligent job, and the work will keep coming.
It’s not about flashy sales tactics. It’s about doing the hard yards and building a strong reputation for doing good work. That’s pretty much how I’ve approached my career.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work?
Turning businesses around.
Helping a business complete a small business restructure or a deed of company arrangement, saving jobs, keeping businesses alive, that’s incredibly rewarding. Even if the outcome isn’t always perfect, sometimes just lifting the burden from directors and helping them sleep at night again is a big win. Stress affects everything your health, marriage, family life, so being able to help relieve that is something I’m really proud of.
Are there any books or podcasts that have influenced you recently?
I’ll be straight up! I don’t do podcasts or inspirational books much. I’ve never really been into that mentor stuff either.
When I read, it’s usually fiction for escapism. I love the Jack Reacher or Harry Bosch type characters who are righteous but sometimes operate on the edge. It probably helps me relax more than anything and lets me do my job better.