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Scaling Unicorns with Style: Karim Zuhri's Inspirational Path to GM & COO of Cascade.

Welcome back to Startup Life: Unscripted! Get ready for an inspiring conversation today, as we connect with Karim Zuhri, the GM & Chief Operating Officer at Cascade, the world’s top strategy execution platform.

Karim's unique journey from his roots in Lebanon to becoming the GM & COO of Cascade is filled with lessons in perseverance, empathy, and adaptability. From leading a cross-functional team to orchestrating Cascade's global operations, Karim's role is central to the company's success.

Whether he's navigating the complexities of market expansion or ensuring that the company's core values permeate every aspect of the business, his leadership and vision are driving forces behind Cascade's continued growth.

Key interview takeaways:

💼 We explore Karim's incredible journey, filled with resilience, leadership, and global impact. From understanding the intricacies of startup culture to weathering adversity, Karim's experience offers unparalleled insights.

💡 We discuss Cascade's unique approach, with a remote-first team representing diverse cultures and backgrounds. Karim's take on fostering intersectionality and maintaining core culture as a startup grows is both refreshing and valuable.

🎉 What fuels his passion? The intersection of vision, impact, and people. Karim loves building a culture where everyone can thrive and the tangible differences Cascade is making in the world, from rolling out vaccines to accelerating medical research.

🚀 Aspiring to pivot into the startup world? Karim has got advice: Understand your strengths, embrace uncertainty, keep learning, and strive to make a positive change in the world. His wisdom is a powerful guide for anyone looking to make a mark in the startup universe.

Hey Karim, thank you for joining us today! You have an impressive record of helping companies scale and grow into unicorns. Can you share what, in your opinion, are some of the key factors in successfully scaling a startup, and how does Cascade embody these principles?

When I think about what it takes to scale a startup, three things immediately come to mind: a compelling vision, resilient leadership, and a team that believes deeply in the mission.

However, this simplification does not encapsulate the multifaceted journey of turning a startup into a successful business. In my experience with Cascade, resilience has been paramount. Born and raised myself amid the tumultuous backdrop of Lebanon, I understood early on when I joined almost 3 years ago the importance of resilience in a startup like a country in war. It's this intrinsic understanding of weathering adversity and emerging stronger that informs my leadership style.

But what makes Cascade unique is the diversity and intersectionality we have fostered in our team on top of that. We're remote-first, with our nearly hundred-strong team representing different cultures, backgrounds, and countries. Witnessing these individuals brainstorm, create, and build has been a career highlight for me.

Let me be honest, we've had our fair share of setbacks. As we aimed to scale, we sometimes brought in the wrong profiles. High-profile hires from big brands were not always the right fit for us; they were in a different stage in their career, with different expectations and connection to our company's mission. It's crucial for startups, no matter how big they get, to maintain their core culture and purpose. These are essential as you grow, and failing to focus on these aspects can lead to significant issues, as we have experienced firsthand.

From your experience, could you describe a day in the life of a GM & Chief Operating Officer at a rapidly growing startup like Cascade? How does this differ from your past roles in more established companies?

As the GM & COO at Cascade, every day is an adventure in resilience and resourcefulness. My schedule is a whirlwind of strategy discussions, team meetings, 101s, and problem-solving/decision making sessions. It’s the human connections that truly enrich my role though.

I get to work with a diverse team of highly passionate individuals who constantly push the boundaries of what's possible. Even though we're dispersed across different time zones, we’re united by a shared respect towards each other and our mission.

The pace and demands of a rapidly growing startup like Cascade are very different from my previous roles at more established companies like Expedia and Amadeus. In those environments, processes were already set, and teams were established. Whereas in a startup, you're often building the plane as you fly it. It's more about pioneering new paths, making bold decisions, and learning from missteps. I am incredibly fortunate to have experienced both worlds, and I believe this has made me a better leader.

Shifting from a management consulting background to operating roles in startups must have been a notable transition. Could you share some insights about this shift and what skills were transferable?

Shifting from management consulting to startups was a journey that took me through various landscapes. Management consulting honed my strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, which have been invaluable. It was in a way my MBA on steroids.

However, transitioning to roles at large tech companies like Expedia and Amadeus, where culture bore similarities to startups, allowed me to immerse myself in a more dynamic environment. The ability to pivot quickly, lead with empathy, and maintain resilience despite the highs and lows were some of the skills I was able to transfer as I moved into startups.

What would you say are some of the unique challenges and rewards that come with a career in the startup world? Any specific anecdotes from your time at Cascade or SafetyCulture?

Working in the startup world is a constant dance between challenge and reward. One day, you're celebrating a milestone; the next, you're dealing with a setback that threatens to halt your momentum. Throughout my time at Cascade and SafetyCulture, I've learned that the impact of hiring decisions can never be underestimated. A single wrong fit can cause a ripple effect of challenges, but it's these mistakes that have taught us the most valuable lessons.

The stress of navigating these challenges is real and it’s crucial to ensure it doesn't negatively impact the team's mental health. I've learned to manage my stress (the hard way) and aim to cultivate an environment that supports the mental well-being of our teams.

🚀 Job opportunities at Cascade 🌟

Ever wondered what it takes to be part of a startup that's rewriting the rules of strategy execution? Cascade is on the hunt for the right people to fill several customer-facing roles. What do they mean by the "right" people? Think passion, determination, integrity, creativity, love for customers, and a good dollop of business knowledge (after all, they're in the strategy execution game!). Experience? It's important, but it's not the biggest driver. They're looking for potential over skills, with roles ideally suited for those with 4+ years under their belt. Sound interesting to you? Get in touch with Karim and find out more!

You mentioned a mantra: "build a people culture, guide with data and lead for impact." How have you put this mantra into practice in your roles, and how has it influenced your leadership style in a fast-paced startup environment?

The mantra "Build a people culture, guide with data and lead for impact" is something I carry with me every day. It's the core of my leadership philosophy and a guiding principle for me to make decisions.

• Building a people culture means ensuring an environment where everyone feels comfortable being themselves and can find joy and fulfilment in their work. In this culture, we celebrate both our successes and resilience in the face of challenges. It's about creating an inclusive space where every voice matters, and every team member can contribute and grow. This approach also extends to how we handle stress. Leading a startup is a high-pressure endeavour, and it's crucial to acknowledge this stress and create support mechanisms to safeguard our team's mental health.

• Guiding with data is critical, but it's equally important to remember that behind each data point is a person, a story, and a context. We must not lose sight of the human element, and we need to remember that data doesn't exist in a vacuum. Understanding the story behind the numbers, using our human intelligence to interpret and apply the data, that’s what makes the difference.

• Leading for impact is all about making a tangible difference in the world through our work. At Cascade, we see this impact every day. Our platform has been used to roll out Covid vaccines effectively, support NGOs fighting against AIDS and domestic violence, help football teams win and give back to their communities and the environment, accelerate STD testing, and even advance medical research to cure cancers and various other diseases. Seeing the impact we're making in these different areas, knowing that our work is helping to change lives, that's the most rewarding part of what we do. It's about more than just building a successful technology; it's about creating something that has a real, positive effect on the world.

How did founding a startup incubator during your university years influence your career path? Would you recommend entrepreneurship as a viable path for students today?

I did not start a business during my university years, but the path to entrepreneurship and startup success is seldom straightforward. I experienced failure twice in my entrepreneurial journey later on after my consulting experience.

My early endeavours in entrepreneurship, although they didn't pan out as planned, had a profound impact on my career trajectory and led me to deep insights about my strengths and passions. I learned that while I may not excel at initiating startups from scratch, I have a keen ability to drive significant impact in startups that have already laid their foundations. In other words, I discovered that it's perfectly acceptable if you're not the "zero to 1" hero, as long as you can excel in the "1 to 100" journey.

For students today, I strongly recommend exploring entrepreneurship. Even if your startup doesn't succeed, the lessons you'll learn about resilience, innovation, strategic thinking, and yourself are invaluable. These are skills and insights that will serve you well in any career path.

What advice would you give to someone looking to transition from a more traditional career path into the startup world?

Start by understanding your own strengths, passion, and the value you can bring to a startup. If you've been in a traditional role, you've likely developed a set of skills that can be incredibly beneficial in a startup environment. Your experience could be the stabilising factor that a fast-paced startup needs. However, be prepared for a cultural shift.

Startups often require a more flexible, adaptable approach than what you might be used to in a traditional role. You’ll need to embrace uncertainty and become comfortable with fast-paced decision-making. Always remember, learning doesn't stop and it's your biggest weapon.

Lastly, considering your significant experience in growing startups into unicorns, how do you see the startup ecosystem evolving over the next few years? What trends should aspiring startup professionals be aware of?

Looking ahead, I see the startup ecosystem embracing the necessity of tangible, far-reaching impact more than ever before. Profitability will always be a cornerstone of business, but in our increasingly interconnected world, it will be the businesses that solve crucial, worldwide problems that rise above the rest.

The narrative of local-to-global is being rewritten; startups are dreaming globally from day one, aiming for scalable solutions that aren't bound by borders or cultures. It's an expansive mindset that creates the potential for monumental impact.

Moreover, sustainability will shift from being a 'nice-to-have' to a core business tenet. This means the assurance of long-term viability in all facets: from business models and supply chains to workplace culture.

Our workforce is becoming ever more decentralised and global. Therefore, the art of managing globally dispersed teams and understanding the nuances of global customers is set to become a fundamental skill.

Lastly, in an era where authenticity and transparency are highly valued, startups will need to put their people first, unequivocally. This means not only contributing to the wellbeing of their employees but also giving back to their communities and making positive contributions to society at large.

My advice to aspiring startup fanatics is to cultivate a global mindset, commit to sustainability, and hold authenticity in the highest regard. Aim to build and contribute to companies that are not only financially successful but also create lasting positive change in the world. Remember, a startup's true success lies in its impact, in its ability to make the world a better place. After all, what could be more inspiring than that?

From the Startup Life team

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