Dan Teo

Dan could be said to bring rationality to Radically Consulting, the Auckland-based business he leads. The University of Auckland alumnus started the management consultancy in 2018 with business partner Edwin Dando.

Radically has a customer base including such names as Fonterra, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Bankwest and Mazda. With more than 30 full-time staff in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney, where Dan is located, the firm’s reach extends throughout Australia and New Zealand. Perhaps with an excess of modesty, he describes Radically as a boutique operation.

“Our purpose as a business is to connect humanity and high performance in organisations – typically larger corporates – to modernise the way they work and operate,” says Dan, who came to management consultancy via a background in software engineering.

“Doing an engineering degree and Master of Engineering Management at the University of Auckland set me up really well for helping business leaders solve their challenges,” he says.

Armed with an appreciation of the importance of learning and figuring things out for himself, along with techniques for problem solving, he initially went into software development.

“I quickly learned I loved working with people more than I did with code. I also loved solving complex business challenges to help organisations win in the market. Businesses are no different from the complex entities you learn about in engineering.

“Basically what we do in consulting is apply the same critical thinking and methodical approach to diagnosing business challenges, then coming up with a logical plan to address them.”

If Dan makes it sound simple, he credits a number of people with helping shape his approach to problem-solving and turning those skills into a business of his own with priorities that matter to him.

“I’ve always been fascinated by leadership. I grew up working with all sorts of different types of leaders. Early in my career I committed myself to being in positions where I could create a great environment for people to learn, grow and achieve their ambitions.”

American leadership writer John Maxwell, Dan’s wife Sophia – mother of their three-year-old daughter Quinn – and Darren McTigue, the co-founder of former employer Assurity Consulting, are among his influences.

“John Maxwell taught me many lessons, especially around adding value to others as a leader, and Sophia taught me how to balance getting results with empathy, care and kindness. From Darren, I learned the importance of being commercial in professional services and how to make it easy for customers.”

The former Howick College pupil would offer some advice of his own to anyone looking at starting a business: don’t attempt it alone.

“I don't know that Radically would be as successful if I hadn’t had a great business partner in Edwin.”

Together they guided the business through the post-Covid period when sales dried up in a matter of weeks. On the upside was the shared satisfaction of winning several large customers and turning over more than $8 million in revenue just a few years into the company’s life.

“We reflected that we’d really built a good business that was making a difference in the work we did. Employing high-wage people is something we are also proud of as an economic contributor.

“I've learned that you go far when you go together. Every year there are new challenges, but none greater than balancing being a good husband, parent and leader of people in the business.”

A shift in emphasis to home life is his goal by age 40.

“I’ve still got a few years, but I would choose being a father over CEO any day. I would still love to work, but would like to spend my time helping other people start businesses and scale to success.”