From soldier to entrepreneur

Ian Lindgren, the 442nd person I've met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, had been in the Australian Defence Force for almost two decades, when he was posted to the Multinational Force & Observers, an independent international organisation with peacekeeping responsibilities in the Sinai border region between Israel and Egypt.

Ian loved his time with MFO: he was able to soak up the history of the Middle East and Rome (where the organisation was headquartered), mix with the other peacekeepers (who came from 18 countries) and build relationships with the Israelis and Egyptians.

But one day, while in Egypt, he accidentally ingested some non-potable water, which happened to contain a parasite. Within hours, Ian’s body was wracked with pain; remarkably, that severe pain would remain with him for the next 15 years.

Ian, who had joined the ADF straight out of school, loved army life and expected to spend his entire career as a soldier. However, due to the chronic pain, he was forced to leave the army in 2002.

Ian had initially served as an engineer, before gaining IT skills and specialising in signals – his role with MFO had been as chief information officer. So once he returned to civilian life, he found work as an IT contractor. But every day was a struggle: Ian was in so much pain that even wearing clothes was excruciating.

Due to the difficulty of working in an office, Ian eventually concluded that he needed to work from home, and therefore start his own business. So, in 2006, Ian founded PayMe Australia, which provides payroll and salary packaging for IT contractors. The only way Ian could manage the pain during his workday was by lying on his side, naked, with a blanket over himself.

PayMe grew rapidly due to its compelling value proposition and high standards of customer service. Later, Ian added two complementary businesses: Alliance Leasing Australia, a novated leasing provider he founded in 2014, and Effective People, a recruitment agency he acquired in 2016.

While soldiering might seem like an occupation where you just follow orders, Ian said it actually taught him valuable critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which have helped him become the very successful business person he is.

These days, though, Ian spends most of his time in unpaid work, as chair of the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association. 

Many former soldiers have severe mental health challenges, he says, due to such things as witnessing horrific sights or being sexually assaulted (which is frighteningly common for female personnel, according to Ian). 

To make matters worse, personnel can struggle to receive the support they’re entitled to because of an adversarial system that forces them to repeatedly tell their story and prove their health problem. When Ian initially reported his chronic pain, he was literally laughed at, despite being a lieutenant colonel. Many others have had similar experiences, he says, which can be psychologically devastating. The Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association provides these veterans with both moral support and practical advocacy support. 

Ian is courteous and softly spoken, but also forthright and strong. He believes in acting honourably and honestly, even when it’s not convenient. I admire his success in business and greatly respect his contribution to the veterans community.