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COMING IN HOT TODAY 🔥 

🗺️ How strategy builds strategy: Our interview with Karim Zuhri.
🎙 “I wouldn’t do it”: Regrets from the founder of Nvidia - trillion $ company.
💝 New building-in-public startup: Learn from others mistakes.

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PARTNERS 💫

HOUSEKEEPING 📨

You may notice something different today. Today is the first time we have sent back to back editions. You know what that means? Yep, you guessed it - we are on a weekly cadence now.

From this point forward you’ll hear from us every Saturday with an interview, deep-dive, tool or resource. Soon, we’ll also start rolling out more business stories, strategy breakdowns, alongside some exciting guest posts.

Anyway, that’s it, that’s the news. Today we have a great interview for you. Looking forward to many more exciting editions coming soon!

LEADER OF THE WEEK 🎙

Karim Zuhri - GM & COO of Cascade

Karim Zuhri, seasoned GM & COO of Cascade (Series A), a global citizen with roots in the vibrant and resilient country of Lebanon. Having lived in over 10 countries and immersed himself in a myriad of cultures, his worldview is as diverse as it is rich.

Leading Cascade, the category creator and leading player of strategy execution, Karim brings together diverse experience and an inherent adaptability to leave a worldwide imprint. From vaccine rollouts, to building Formula One cars to pioneering advances in medical research.

His leadership philosophy, remains distinctively his own. a testament to his unique journey and the colourful tapestry of cultures that have shaped it.

What is your main day to day job as GM & COO?

My day-to-day at Cascade is steering strategy discussions and making fast, impactful decisions. It’s about finding exceptional talent and placing them where they can shine, be happy, and unleash their potential. And lastly, it’s a delicate dance between leadership, innovation, and human connections to drive our mission forward.

Like Jim Collins says, getting the right people in the right seats is the catalyst for great achievements.

I thrive in building within chaos, making sense of it, and injecting order into it on a daily basis. Embracing and accepting chaos is essential. For a company of our size, as it means a more effective environment compared to structured processes and playbooks.

Playbooks themselves, are often designed for averageness and don’t align with our ambition to be unique in the market. We explore what fosters our uniqueness, whether it’s through people, concepts, or well-executed new ideas. It’s about relishing the speed that a lighter structure affords us – a bit of order is beneficial, but we’re not aiming to be another IBM at this stage.

Moving too quickly towards heavy structure can be a pitfall. My role is to maintain our agility and speed, ensuring that change and impact happen quickly.

Explain your philosophy around leadership? How do you think about it?

My leadership philosophy is a blend of resilience, empathy, and tangible impact. It’s not just about leading; it’s about igniting a flame within each individual, guiding with the nuanced stories that data unfolds, and pursuing meaningful differences. It’s an environment where each voice is valued, and every story is heard. For me, leadership is less about the walk and more about the dance, less about the talk and more about the song.

Ultimately you can read hundreds of books, but the reality is that you need to practice it and put efforts into it. Time alone in a role doesn't naturally enhance soft skills; deliberate effort is also required.

What is your north star metric inside of your company and why?

Our North Star metric is the tangible, positive impact we make globally. We’re not just about crafting stellar technology; we’re focused on making contributions to society. The positive footprint we leave in communities is what guides our path to success. For those not swept away by the philosophical side, let’s talk about the tangible side. Every company in our field should have their eyes glued to Net Revenue Retention (NRR).

It’s the clear indicator that we’re not just making a splash but influencing our customers' journeys. It confirms that they’re realizing the success they aimed for with us and that their strategy execution is reaching new heights. It’s about ensuring that every day, they’re achieving their ambitious results and inching closer to their vision.

How does a strategy startup set its strategy?

Setting strategy is like building the plane while flying it! We align our mission with the nuances of market demands and the global impact we aim to achieve. It requires boldness, creativity, calculated risks, adaptability, and a keen sense of the evolving landscape.

Using Cascade, we’re able to build, execute, track, and adapt our strategies dynamically. It’s a thrilling ride, filled with learning and adaptation!

How do you set goals?

At Cascade, we use our own platform to get things rolling – it’s where we build, track, and tweak our strategies. We aim high, but we keep it real too, making sure our goals align with the bigger picture. The thing is – setting goals is a bit like the principles in the book ‘Atomic Habits’. It’s more than just jotting down targets. It’s about building an identity, habits and systems, seeing the journey and the destination, and enjoying the ride along the way.

Just setting a goal won’t cut it – you’ve got to watch the progress, make the tweaks, and enjoy the small wins. Cascade isn’t just for scribbling down goals. It’s for building that routine, that habit where you see the results and the progress all in one place. It’s about evolving, learning, and adapting, all while keeping our eyes on the prize.

What do you do to build culture?

Building culture for me is a human-centric work, with a special focus on intersectionality. Intersectionality makes our culture richer, more diverse, and more enjoyable. When you have the luxury of being remote-first company you have to take advantage of it. We realised a dream that only large organisations can afford, bringing over 30 nationalities, making us a hub of global citizens.

Every day, these voices from different corners of the world communicate, brainstorm, and ideate together. It’s not just about getting the work done; it’s about the joy these interactions bring. This blend of backgrounds, languages, and social aspects doesn’t just diversify a culture – it organically fosters trust. In my ‘playbook’, trust isn’t something you earn; it’s given from day one. This approach ensures that everyone’s voice is heard, respected, and valued. It’s not just about building a global team; it’s about creating an environment where trust is the default. Where everyone can unlock their creative potential without having to earn their stripes first.

It's this blend of diversity and trust that makes working at Cascade, or any company I lead, a truly unique experience.

Detail your recruitment process. How do you hire all-star talent?

Recruitment is a touchy subject and the way we do it might ruffle a few feathers. For me, outbound trumps inbound every time. I harness the power of referrals, networking, and voices resonating on platforms like LinkedIn. It’s not about reference checks – it’s about knowing people who know people. It’s about the power of connections and engaging with voices that stand out in their fields. Reference checks? Important, but less so with referrals.

Another thing I swear by is potential over skills, every day. Especially when you’re carving out a new category or crafting novel concepts. Hiring from big brands doesn’t always translate to success. I've learned that successful companies don’t always mean successful individuals, and vice versa.

Also, values and character matter. We don’t hire jerks; we hire passionate humans who align with our culture and mission. Assessing cultural fit and addition is crucial during interviews. We aim for contributors who respect and enrich our culture.

And finally, speed is essential. Time is of the essence in any hiring process. When you reach out and spark an interest in potential candidates, you need to act fast. Our recruitment process respects candidates’ time – it’s concise, yet thorough, typically wrapping up within nine days.

It’s a balancing act, being thorough yet swift, valuing potential over skills, and seeking those who genuinely align with our values. It’s not about ticking boxes; it’s about finding those unique individuals who resonate with what we’re building.

Do you run hybrid, on-site or remote and why?

Around 2.5 years ago, I made a strategic decision to transition us to a 100% remote work model. This shift wasn’t about adapting to new norms; it was about embracing the vast number of opportunities that remote work unleashes. With the whole world as a talent pool, we’ve been able to bring in brilliant minds from various geographies. Each one contributing a unique flavour to our mission and approach.

Central to our model is a philosophy of trust—trust that is given, not earned. This foundation fosters seamless collaboration. Particularly when paired with inclusive and effective communication methods. We lean into asynchronous information sharing, meticulous documentation, meeting pre-reads, and minute-taking to ensure everyone is on the same page. The process is very hard but crucial.

We commit to connectivity through quick, impactful, cross-functional meetings and a one weekly company meeting. This regular gathering serves as a hub for inspiration, product discussions, customer stories, and celebratory shout-outs. It’s a time to share both monumental achievements and the small victories that move us forward.

While we love the flexibility and diversity that remote work offers, we also value human connection. I recommend quarterly regional gatherings and when it is possible an annual company-wide meet-up. These get togethers are integral to maintaining our bond. They aren’t about having a physical office; they’re about fostering a sense of belonging and unity.

Even in our remote-first environment, we find value in establishing regional hubs. These aren’t formal office spaces but communal areas where team members can occasionally meet for lunch or drinks. It’s a small gesture, but it enhances the sense of being part of something greater.

Our journey as a remote company means trust, inclusion, regular interaction, and a commitment to maintaining human connections are key. It’s blending the benefits of remote work with the essence of community. We are creating an environment where diversity and intersectionality thrive.

How do you get the best out of yourself personally and professionally?

Firstly, I recognise that the journey is far from perfect. Life is interspersed with phases of stress and challenges that spill over into one’s work. I’ve learnt that the interconnection between personal well-being and work is inextricable.

During these times, I’ve allowed myself the grace to step back and address these issues. This means I can return with renewed vigour and creativity, unburdened by concerns.

Flexibility in work schedules has been pivotal for me. My preference for early mornings and evenings allows me periods of leisure and personal pursuits. I love working out, piano classes, and achieving my daily step goal of 20,000. I find that walking, especially during brainstorming sessions, enhances my creativity.

I’ve forged invaluable friendships at work, blurring the often hard lines drawn between professional and personal life. I am not a proponent of the traditional “work-life balance” narrative. A predefined pathway. My passion for my work transcends the boundaries of a ‘job’. It is a pursuit I love, a sentiment I try to foster in others as well.

Drawing inspiration from ‘Atomic Habits’ again, I’ve adopted a gradual approach to integrating new habits. This ensures they blend into my routine rather than being overwhelming additions. Community building, particularly with those sharing my values, serves as a reservoir of energy and inspiration for me. I identify as an extroverted introvert, valuing my alone time, but the balance between solitude and community is where I find my equilibrium.

This journey, filled with imperfections, learnings, and adaptations, has been my formula for drawing the best out of myself.

Any final thought to add?

Yes I do! Building a happy, strong, and diverse workplace isn’t just a goal—it’s a journey of growing and learning. It’s not only about setting goals but also about creating good habits that help you reach those goals and see results.

Creating a diverse and welcoming culture is the heart of this. In a world where we can connect with anyone, anywhere, our differences are our strength. It’s important to make sure everyone is heard and valued, and to celebrate what makes each person unique. This mix of different backgrounds and ideas brings joy and helps us all grow together.

In conclusion, everyone should be open to change, learning, and growing. Read resources like ‘Atomic Habits’, use tools like Cascade, and most importantly, look within and around to create a welcoming, balanced environment.

Embrace your imperfections, learn, grow, and try to be always outside of your comfort zone, this for me helped me be a much happier person!

You can follow Karim Zuhri and check out Cascade if you are looking to up your orgs strategy game.

BRAIN FOOD 🧠 

Fascinating chat with Jensen Huang from Nvidia courtesy of the Acquired podcast boys. In this interview Jensen when asked what he would do if he started again he replied:

”I wouldn’t do it…building a company turned out 1 million times harder than we thought it was going to be”. He was genuine.

It remind me a lot of how hard building a startup really is. Which then led me to this glorious tweet, summing it up quite wonderfully.

BUILDING IN PUBLIC 🔎

Found an interesting new public that is opening up and building in public for all to see. Check out Zendesk alternative, Groove and their The Imperfect Startup blog.

ASK ME ANYTHING 🗣

I want to be a trusted resource for you. If you think anything I know in relation to brand, culture, global teams, sales and growth would help you unblock a problem in you weeks shoot me a line.

Ask in the comments or reply to this email and I will do my best to answer it in a future edition. 🙌🏼

HOW I CAN HELP 🥳

Here are the options I have for us to work together. If any of them are interesting to you - hit me up!

🌏 Hiring global talent: Check out my startup Athyna.
🧰 Want to outperform the competition: See a suite of tools & resources.
📆 Looking for help with your strategy: Hit me up for some advisory work.
👀 Reach thousands of tech leaders: Advertise with us here.

And that’s it! Feel free to reply to this email and spill your thoughts in a deeper more personal way as I'd love to hear what you thought of this edition.

See you next time. ✌️