About
I’m Marcus. I’m based in Perth and I’ve worked in IT for around 15 years. I got into the industry by running an MSP, and my work has since spanned operations, development, solution architecture and AI. I also have a background in counselling, and the two have shaped each other more than I expected.
My counselling started with a self-help website I built for people looking for support, and it’s something I still offer today. I’ve also written several self-help books, published anonymously.
Counselling taught me to listen before trying to fix anything. That habit has carried over into everything I do in IT.
Where I can, I give some of my time pro bono to nonprofits, charities and people who need IT help but can’t easily get it.
The organisations doing this kind of work often run on small teams and tight budgets, and technology can easily become one more thing in their way. If I can help remove a few of those barriers, that feels like a good use of what I know.
People asking for help are often dealing with much more than a technical problem. I take the time to understand what’s really going on, explain things plainly, and leave people with something they can manage themselves once I’ve stepped back. I won’t always have every answer, but I can usually help work out the next step.
The same ideas carry into Sahelay and Emailmetry: build things that fit the people using them, and keep them working long after the project is finished.
A lot of this started with my own experience, and with what I heard through my counselling work. Again and again, I saw people let down by technology and workplaces that were never set up with them in mind.
Over the years I’ve supported people across these communities, sometimes directly and sometimes through the organisations that serve them. I mentor people who are starting out in IT, and I provide pro bono IT support to organisations that support these communities or make a genuine, active effort to hire from them.
Some of the people I’ve mentored are now doing well in IT, and some have gone on to mentor others. Some of the organisations I’ve supported are still running on setups we built together years ago. I’ve learned at least as much from the people I’ve worked alongside as they’ve learned from me.
Across regional and remote Western Australia, I’ve worked with First Nations communities that are too often overlooked when it comes to technology and support.
I’ve also mentored First Nations people one-on-one as they learned IT and found their first jobs in the industry. Having more First Nations people working in IT matters, because technology shaped by the people it serves tends to serve them far better.
Feeling safe at work can make as much difference to someone’s career as the skills themselves. As a team lead, I’ve worked to make sure people can be open about who they are without having to think twice about it.
For the queer organisations I support, privacy comes first, so the technology has to be set up with that in mind.
It’s a community I’m part of, and one I care about a great deal.
Stalking and harassment can quietly take over someone’s working life. Accounts get targeted, and being findable online, which most businesses and careers depend on, starts to feel like a risk. I know that from my own experience.
I’ve provided free IT support to people in that position, from locking harassers out of email, phones and social media to helping business owners keep trading while their accounts were being targeted. I’ve also worked alongside support services on keeping people safe with technology.
Every situation is different, so I go at each person’s pace. They know their situation best.
Arriving in a new country means facing a stack of online systems all at once, often in a second or third language, while trying to build a new life.
Many people arrive with skills and experience that deserve a chance to be used. I’ve supported an organisation that works with refugees, and helped people break into the IT industry when other doors just weren’t opening for them.
In remote areas, the nearest IT help can be hours away, and a reliable connection can’t be taken for granted. A problem that takes minutes to fix in the city can leave a remote service offline for days.
I’ve set up IT and internet for remote communities and services, sometimes travelling out to do the work in person and sometimes supporting people from afar.
I’ve also trained people in these communities to look after their own systems, so they don’t have to wait for someone from outside to fix things.
I’m neurodivergent myself, so this one is personal.
In teams I’ve led, I’ve changed how we work so it fits the people doing it, with things like clearer written instructions and more flexible ways of working. I’ve also helped people get the workplace adjustments they needed.
On top of that, I build learning tools for people who don’t learn best the traditional way. Neurodivergent people often have a lot to offer in IT when the environment works with them, not against them.
Helping a business get back on its feet after a ransomware attack, when they had no access to IT expertise of their own. It showed me how much it matters for a small business to have someone they can call.
Helping a person who was being stalked keep their legal documents out of reach of the person targeting them. It was a reminder that for some people, security is about staying safe.
Building software for people whose work supports vulnerable communities, so they can spend less time on their tools and more time with the people they help.
I care about helping the next generation of IT professionals grow, both technically and in how they listen to the people their work affects, whether that’s through mentoring, talks or workshops. If you’re early in your career and want someone to talk things through with, or you’re thinking about doing some pro bono work yourself, I’m always happy to have that conversation.
I’m an avid professional wrestling fan and love supporting Perth’s local wrestling scene. I’m also a strong supporter of animal welfare.
If any of this resonates, whether it’s one of my products, a problem you’re working through, or you’d just like a second opinion, I’d be glad to hear from you.
Get in touch