Paul M. RafalowskiAustin, TX
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Paul M. Rafalowski

CEO · PE-backed vertical software · Built to exit

My focus is building PE-backed vertical software companies to exit. Across the last six, that has meant driving organic growth, M&A, transformation and, more recently, AI. The work that energizes me most, and has created the most value, is in companies where one or more of those levers has stalled and the business is ready for professionalization.

Four value levers · six companies

Value creation patterns

20%+
Organic growth
Organic CAGR at Empyrean, TCP and Routeware (20–26%)
16
M&A
Acquisitions and carve-outs integrated on plan
6
Transformation
Six organizations built and right-sized · EBITDA result shared on request
2
AI
Last two companies: AI in product and the operating model
One operating system behind the levers: Lencioni's organizational-health model, used at all six companies and introduced at four, with a fixed operating cadence and board alignment.See by company ›
  • SolovisLencioni model and operating cadence already in place; ran them inside go-to-market
  • RoutewareLencioni model, operating cadence and board alignment introduced company-wide as CEO
  • TCPLencioni model and operating cadence already in place; ran them inside go-to-market
  • EmpyreanLencioni model and operating cadence introduced
  • AccruentLencioni model and operating cadence introduced company-wide in 2010 as part of the ELT
  • IntralinksFirst use: Rally Cry and Defining Objectives introduced to run Asia Pacific

Experience

Solovis

Dec 2025 – Jul 2026

Insight Partners and ST6 Partners platform; portfolio analytics and reporting for institutional investors

Interim Chief Revenue Officer

Scale: $25–50M ARR

Combined two carve-outs into one go-to-market engine and made it AI-native in seven months.

4 results: organic growth · M&A · transformation · AI

Routeware, Inc.

Dec 2022 – Nov 2025

K1 portfolio company; vertical SaaS for waste and recycling collection · Austin, TX

Chief Executive Officer May 2023 – Nov 2025

Chief Revenue Officer and member of the four-person Office of the CEO Dec 2022 – May 2023

Scale: $25–50M → $50–100M revenue

Led as CEO through three years of growth, four acquisitions and a recap that returned capital to LPs.

4 results: organic growth · M&A · transformation · AI

TCP, Inc.

2020 – 2022

Providence Equity Partners portfolio company; workforce management software and hardware · Austin, TX

Chief Revenue Officer

Scale: $50–100M revenue

Grew revenue while rebuilding go-to-market through the Great Resignation and four acquisitions.

3 results: organic growth · M&A · transformation

Empyrean Benefit Solutions, Inc.

2014 – 2020

FTV Capital portfolio company; employee benefits administration software and services · Austin, TX

Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Ran go-to-market as Empyrean grew from ~$30M to ~$95M, almost entirely organically, through its sale to Securian Financial.

  • Organic growthRebuilt the sales operating and distribution model, taking net new ARR bookings from under $5M to $15M+ a year.
  • M&AIntegrated one acquisition, a decision-support product that filled a gap in the platform.
  • TransformationBuilt marketing from nothing and rebranded the company; marketing grew to 10K+ inquiries a year and influenced 20–30% of bookings.

Accruent, LLC

2010 – 2013

Vista Equity Partners portfolio company; real estate and facilities management software; sold to TA Associates, 2013 · Austin, TX

Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Ran go-to-market as Accruent grew from $19M to $39M in revenue and from $0 to $10.5M EBITDA, exiting 2013 at a $68M revenue and $16M EBITDA run rate.

  • Organic growthRebuilt the sales operating model. Net new sales grew 500%+, averaging 125%+ a year; #1 sales organization across Vista's portfolio in 2012.
  • M&AIntegrated five acquisitions.
  • TransformationRebuilt go-to-market for the company's shift from on-premises software to SaaS.

Intralinks, Inc.

2006 – 2010

TA Associates portfolio company; secure deal and data exchange for M&A, banking and capital markets · Hong Kong · Chicago

Intralinks grew from $70M to $144M in revenue through its 2010 IPO at a $1B+ enterprise value.

Managing Director, Asia Pacific Hong Kong, 2007 – 2010

  • Organic growthBuilt the Asia Pacific business across six markets; grew regional bookings 130%+ and active customers ~75%.
  • TransformationTook a small, unstructured regional team and rebuilt sales, marketing, customer success and implementation across six markets, making Asia Pacific part of the growth story for the 2010 IPO.

Vice President of Sales, Central North America Chicago, 2006 – 2007

  • Organic growthDoubled territory bookings in a year, from $5.8M to ~$11.5M.

Request the full results

Solovis, Routeware and TCP detail is shared on approval. Paul reviews each request personally; approved readers get a link by email that works for 10 days.

Additional experience

Metal Networks, Inc.Investor · Advisor · Operator · 2013 – 2016

Cloud marketplace for the metals industry; sold to Leap Group, 2016. Set up go-to-market, landed the first customers, and helped raise a $900K+ angel round and a $5M Series A.

InnerIQ, Inc.VP Sales → President · 2003 – 2006

Business process management software. Company valuation grew from $500K to $10M.

PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation)Buffalo · Boston · Tokyo · Chicago · 1995 – 2002

Rose from Application Engineer to Head of North American Global Services ($50M consulting and training) and Head of the Global Services Innovation Center ($100M services portfolio).

Education

University of Pittsburgh — Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1994

Contact

Emailpaulrafalowski@gmail.com
LinkedInLinkedIn profile
LocationAustin, TX

Updated November 2026