Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition

We're closing out the first season of Coffee & Career Chats with one of our most powerful conversations yet. (Don't worry, we'll be back for Season 2!)"What happens when your passion can no longer pay the bills?"For many, this question leads to a dead end. For our guest, Alfredo Mathew III, it was the start of a new mission. A former public school teacher, Alfredo left a career he loved to confront a harsh reality: the systems he was part of were not setting the next generation up for financial stability or a fulfilling life.Instead of just identifying the problem, he started building the solution. Now an entrepreneur and founder, Alfredo is pioneering innovative business models focused on shared prosperity and employee ownership. He's turning his frustration into a scalable strategy that helps small, community-focused businesses compete with large conglomerates by banding together.This episode is a masterclass in turning personal crossroads into system-wide innovation and a fitting finale to our season. Alfredo shares his powerful journey, the hard lessons learned from "lateral moves" versus "leveling up," and why the future of business isn't just about profit—it's about building a sustainable asset that serves its people and its community.In this episode, you will learn:The two core reasons Alfredo left his passion career in teaching (Money & Impact).The crucial difference between a "lateral move" and "leveling up" in your career.The "Triple Bottom Line": How to build a business with a purpose beyond just profit.Why the most valuable business is an asset that can run without you.Alfredo's innovative model: using a private equity structure to create shared prosperity for small businesses.An inspiring answer to the legacy question: "You are not your company."🎧 Listen to Coffee & Career Chats on Spotify & other platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NHrXMz9vzpZtJXFEhIMbr?si=1e8794169b6d4814Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-career-chats-startup-edition/id1762027306🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unscripted lessons on building and scaling your career: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwGH4vklXmOVh127LN-Mp0hrP-IeWPGiI&feature=sharedChapters: 00:00 - When Your Passion Can't Pay the Bills 02:02 - Introducing Alfredo Mathew III: From Teacher to Entrepreneur 04:00 - The Pivot: Why I Left Teaching (Money & Impact) 06:40 - The "Lateral Move" Trap: Why You Must Level Up 09:10 - The Triple Bottom Line: Profit, People, Planet 12:15 - Why Startups Must Invest in Young People 15:10 - Seeing Around Corners: From Education to Silicon Valley 18:15 - Focusing on the 99% of Businesses, Not the 1% 23:10 - The New Model: Aggregating SMBs to Compete 25:20 - A Business vs. Self-Employment: Creating a True Asset27:10 - A Private Equity Model with a Soul 31:25 - Crucial Advice: You Are NOT Your Company 35:30 - Signature Question: What is Your Legacy? 40:40 - Adel's Final Takeaways & Season 1 Wrap-upLearn More & Connect:Alfredo Mathew III's TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxNaLassfqQAlfredo's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredomathew/Alfredo's Website: https://www.alfredomathew.com/ESO Ventures: https://www.eso-ventures.com/Shared Prosperity Incorporated (SPCC): https://www.spcc.one/Adel Hameed's Profile: [Insert Adel's Profile Link]Articles:McKinsey Article: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/future-of-america/how-does-gen-z-see-its-place-in-the-working-world-with-trepidationHBR Article: https://hbr.org/2021/05/the-big-benefits-of-employee-ownershipFollow Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sausleadership/X (Twitter): https://x.com/SAUSLeadershipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sausleadership/The Coffee & Career Chats: Startup Edition is an A8 Strategy Original Podcast

"One of the biggest risks isn't leaving your corporate job, but staying in it for too long."For seasoned professionals, the leap from a stable corporate role to the volatile startup world is filled with risk and uncertainty. How do you invest your career—and potentially your own money—into the right emerging company without getting burned? It requires a fundamental mindset shift: stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like an investor.In this episode of Coffee and Career Chats, Adel Hameed is joined by Ryaan Sharif, General Manager of Flat6Labs UAE. As a venture capital leader who has overseen more than 50 early-stage investments, Ryaan offers a rare look inside the investor's mind. He reveals the rigorous process VCs use to vet founders, the red flags that kill a deal before it starts, and the essential due diligence every professional must conduct before joining a startup.In this episode, you will learn:The key personality traits and founder dynamics VCs are willing to bet millions on.How accelerators like Flat6Labs de-risk investments by filtering 1,000 applicants down to just 10.The critical difference is between a founder with complementary skills and a team with dangerous overlaps.How to conduct your own due diligence on a startup's vision, leadership, and market potential.Actionable advice for connecting with founders and negotiating equity (ESOP) for your expertise.This is your insider's guide to making a smart, strategic move into the startup ecosystem.🎧 Listen to Coffee & Career Chats on Spotify & other platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NHrXMz9vzpZtJXFEhIMbr?si=1e8794169b6d4814Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-career-chats-startup-edition/id1762027306🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unscripted lessons on building and scaling your career: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwGH4vklXmOVh127LN-Mp0hrP-IeWPGiI&feature=sharedChapters: 00:00 - The Biggest Risk of a Corporate Career02:04 - What is a Startup Accelerator? A Funnel for Success07:40 - Introducing Ryaan Sharif, General Manager of Flat6Labs08:42 - Ryaan's Journey from Corporate Finance to Venture Capital11:47 - The Challenges of the Early Startup Ecosystem in Emerging Markets16:35 - The Founder Persona: What VCs Bet On (80% of the Decision)18:05 - The Co-Founder Red Flag: Why Opposites Attract21:28 - Inside Flat6Labs: How to De-Risk Startups27:04 - The Collaborative Nature of the UAE VC Community30:10 - How Corporate Experts Can Strategically Join a Startup35:10 - The Startup Reality: Assessing Talent and Firing Fast37:45 - The Expensive Legal Mistakes Early-Stage Founders Make41:55 - Final Takeaway: Stop Looking for a Job, Start Thinking Like an InvestorLearn More & Connect:Ryaan Sharif's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryaansharif/Adel Hameed's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/adel-hameedHBR Article: "The Big Idea: How to Start an Entrepreneurial Revolution": https://hbr.org/2010/06/the-big-idea-how-to-start-an-entrepreneurial-revolutionFlat6Labs Website: https://flat6labs.com/Follow Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sausleadership/X (Twitter): https://x.com/SAUSLeadershipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sausleadership/The Coffee & Career Chats: Startup Edition is an A8 Strategy Original Podcast

In this episode of Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition, host Adel Hameed sits down with Jenny Du, SVP of Operations at Apeel Sciences, to explore what it really takes to build a startup from the ground up, starting in a garage and scaling to a global operation.Jenny shares her journey from chemistry research to startup leadership, offering a rare inside look at the early days of Apeel and the operational pivots that made scale possible. From pioneering food-safe innovation to navigating complex global supply chains, Jenny brings clarity to the messy, non-linear path of startup growth.They unpack how Apeel’s mission to reduce food waste evolved into a purpose-driven company with a distinctive culture, and how values-based leadership can shape everything from hiring practices to international expansion.Tune in to learn:How to grow into a role you didn’t plan for, and thriveThe power of defining your company values early and living them dailyWhy solving hard problems requires personal humility and operational gritWhether you’re building a product, a team, or a mission-driven brand, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insight for navigating the uncertainty of startup life.Jenny Du’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-du-09616914/Apeel’s company website: https://www.apeel.com/Articles:“Sustainability as a Business-Model Transformation” by ⁠Ivanka Visnjic⁠, ⁠Felipe Monteiro⁠ and ⁠Michael L. Tushman⁠: ⁠https://hbr.org/2025/05/sustainability-as-a-business-model-transformation⁠“Building food and agriculture businesses for a green future” by Tom Brennan, Shane Bryan, Summit Byrne, and Chris Rogers https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/building-food-and-agriculture-businesses-for-a-green-future

In this episode of Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition, host Adel Hameed sits down with Elizabeth Dominicci-Greer, COO of EPHY, to explore the operational challenges and opportunities of building remote-first teams. With over 15 years of experience in scaling tech startups, Elizabeth shares her lessons on fostering trust, accountability, and resilience in distributed teams.They discuss the global shift toward remote work and how startups can use it as a competitive advantage to access top talent, optimize operations, and build adaptable teams. Elizabeth breaks down her three-pillar framework—Volume, Velocity, and Quality—and explains why measuring these metrics is critical to operational success.From hiring practices that prioritize flexibility to creative tactics like “sunglasses day” to build virtual team culture, this episode offers practical, actionable advice for leaders navigating the complexities of remote work.Tune in to learn:Why remote teams require more intentional leadershipHow cultural differences impact collaboration and performanceStrategies for measuring team performance beyond traditional productivity metricsIf you’re leading a remote or hybrid team—or considering the shift—this episode is packed with insights to help you build a thriving, engaged workforce.Elizabeth Dominicci-Geer’s Linkedin Profile Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethdominiccigreer/Articles:Remote Work Has Opened the Door to a New Approach to Hiring by Adam Ozimek and Christopher Stantonhttps://hbr.org/2022/03/remote-work-has-opened-the-door-to-a-new-approach-to-hiringResearch: Where Managers and Employees Disagree About Remote Work by Nicholas Bloom, Jose Maria Barrero, Steven Davis, Brent Meyer and Emil Mihaylovhttps://hbr.org/2023/01/research-where-managers-and-employees-disagree-about-remote-workSurvey: Remote Work Isn’t Going Away — and Executives Know It by Nicholas Bloom, Jose Maria Barrero, Steven Davis, Brent Meyer and Emil Mihaylovhttps://hbr.org/2023/08/survey-remote-work-isnt-going-away-and-executives-know-itBook: The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth by Ilya Strabulaev

In this episode of Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition, host Adel Hameed unpacks the “Authenticity Paradox”—the tension between staying true to oneself and adapting in a fast-changing world. Joined by Dr. Jana Habson, founder of Dubai’s MCM Conscious Mental Wellness Center, they explore how authenticity can sometimes conflict with leadership demands, especially in diverse cultural settings. Dr. Habson examines the impact of collectivistic and individualistic cultures on leadership, offering insights into how these cultural differences shape perceptions of authenticity. Together, they discuss how societal norms and national backgrounds can challenge leaders to rethink what it means to be “authentic” and offer strategies to balance genuine leadership with cultural adaptability. Whether you’re leading a team or aspiring to start your own venture, this episode provides practical takeaways on maintaining core values while being mindful of cultural dynamics in today’s globalized landscape. Dr. Jana Habson’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janarahabson/ Links to the two articles:  The Authenticity Paradox, by Hermania Ibarra, https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-authenticity-paradox. When Your Good Mentor Goes Bad, by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins, https://hbr.org/2010/07/how-to-makeover-your-mentoring Music by WaveMaster from ⁠⁠Pixabay

In this episode of Coffee and Career Chat: Startup Edition, host Adel Hameed discusses the essentials of startup leadership. Whether you're scaling your team or navigating the complexities of leading a fast-paced startup, this episode offers actionable insights to help you become a more effective leader. We explore the LEDA Leadership Framework—Leading with Empathy, Empowering Employees, Decisive Decision-Making, and Adaptability to Change—to highlight the key qualities that define successful startup leaders. Adel also shares her insights from the Action-Based Mastery (ABM) leadership framework, emphasizing the importance of balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. Finally, we discuss practical ways to create a feedback-rich culture in your startup, drawing on insights from Ron Carucci’s Harvard Business Review article, "4 Ways to Get Honest, Critical Feedback from Your Employees." Learn how to ask for pushback, read nonverbal cues, and foster an environment where your team feels safe to speak up. Tune in for practical tips, personal anecdotes, and expert advice on how to lead with confidence and adaptability in the dynamic world of startups. Don’t miss out—listen now, and level up your leadership skills! Music by WaveMaster from ⁠Pixabay

In today’s episode of Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition, we dive into one of the most critical phases in a startup’s journey—scaling. We'll explore the challenges of scaling a startup, from maintaining product or service quality as your customer base expands, to talent acquisition and financial management. Discover practical strategies that successful startup leaders swear by to scale effectively without losing your way. Our case study in this episode is inspired by an insightful article by Michael Redbord from Harvard Business Review titled "Scaling Customer Service as Your Startup Grows." We relate it to our own experience at PayTabs, where we turned our TrustPilot rating from under 1 in 2019 to consistently maintaining above 4 out of 5 for nearly four years through customer-centricity and proactive service strategies. Don't miss out on this episode if you're in the midst of scaling your startup or aspiring to grow your business. Remember, growth isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about getting better while keeping your customers at the heart of it all. Be sure to check out the full article by Michael Redbord [link in the description], and don't forget to share, rate, and subscribe for more actionable insights! #StartupGrowth #ScalingStrategies #CustomerCentricity #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SaaS #StartupChallenges Music by WaveMaster from Pixabay

Welcome to the first episode of "Coffee and Career Chats: Startup Edition" with your host, Adel Hameed. Join us as we explore essential leadership skills and strategies for startup success. Learn how visionary leadership, strategic agility, and collaboration can empower you to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Whether you're a founder or a rising star in a startup, this episode provides valuable insights to enhance your entrepreneurial journey. Grab your coffee and tune in to kickstart your path to scaling up! Music by WaveMaster from Pixabay