
Paul Vanhauw
Strategic Business Advisor & CEO Coach
What I do
I support and invest in ventures that drive social and environmental impact, combining financial resources with active involvement.
About me
After selling my company and achieving my primary objective of securing my family’s economic stability, my life took a complete 180-degree turn. With newfound clarity, I realized it was finally time to pursue the personal and professional aspirations I had long postponed.
Defining my purpose has been both a journey and a challenge. I have come to understand that my goal is to create opportunities for meaningful, positive change in various forms—leveraging my experience and resources to empower others and contribute to a more sustainable future. Seeking opportunities to combine financial impact investment with active involvement, I found Generous Minds to be an excellent platform to fulfill this aspiration, especially with a long-term perspective in mind.
After completing university (chemical Engineer) and Belgian military service (1993), I returned to Venezuela and started a small industrial raw material distribution, the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. Starting with almost nothing, the Venezuela operation grew to $30 million in revenue and in 2004 expanded the business progressively by opening offices in 10+ Latin American countries—all while navigating the region's persistent political and economic uncertainties.
This 30-year endeavor culminated in a successful M&A event with a Dutch-listed multinational, demonstrating the resilience, adaptability, and strategic vision that defined my entrepreneurial career.
How I help customers
The industries I have expertise in are logistics, international sourcing, and industrial raw materials. Extended industry network and deep knowledge in specific areas such as polyurethane foams, paintings, rubber, plastics, and others.
But after 30+ years of experience, my real core expertise resides in management, common to most industries, building and leading teams, creating structures, and driving vision and implementation across industries.
Number of deliverables
- Experienced CEO Coaching:
Strategic and operational guidance to address blind spots that entrepreneurs often overlook during day-to-day immersion.
Decision-making support for CEOs navigating crucial and often solitary challenges.
- Critical, Constructive Thinking:
Common sense, decision-making processes and others. Facilitating brainstorming sessions to refine strategies and implementation plans.
- Extensive Network:
Providing access to an established network across Spanish-speaking Latin America and beyond.
Sample customers
Pronuvo, CRDC, Genera Holdings