In this episode, Fahd sits down with Ray Newal—startup advisor, ex-Microsoft and Yahoo exec, and a founder who moved across the world to build tech that mattered. Ray’s journey spans from selling ads for AltaVista to leading Techstars India, but it’s his time building in emerging markets that shaped his sharpest lessons.

They explore what makes the real difference in David vs. Goliath battles: choosing the right Goliath to fight, timing your moves, staying close to your customer, and building the kind of team that can evolve across the S-curve of growth. Ray shares how he once thought his biggest competitor was TV—only to realize it was a guy at a cigarette stand sideloading pirated content onto SD cards.

From Canada to India, from corporate giant to hands-on founder, Ray’s story is a masterclass in strategy, humility, and helping Davids last long enough to land a real punch.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Zak Lefevre, co-founder and CEO of ChargeLab, to unpack a modern David vs. Goliath story in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries—EV infrastructure.

Zak started in 2016 with a drill, a parka, and a vision—installing EV chargers in freezing parking lots across Toronto. Today, ChargeLab powers over 15,000 chargers and is on a mission to become the universal software layer behind the future of electric mobility.

Zak shares how he pivoted from hardware to software, the patience it took to wait for the right opportunity, and how he’s quietly building the “Android of EV charging” while giants like Tesla chase vertical control.

From missing partnerships to navigating political headwinds, this is a story about timing, resilience, and redefining what it means to win.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Ron Tite—comedian, author, and founder of Church+State—to explore how creative Davids take on industry Goliaths without selling out or burning out.

Ron shares how he bootstrapped his agency through speaking gigs, built a brand that stood out by standing for something, and why the smartest move isn’t to play harder—but to play different.

He opens up about the early chaos of entrepreneurship, what nearly broke him, and the lessons that helped him lead with more trust, more honesty, and less ego. From missing payroll to rewriting the rules of growth, this is a story of survival, reinvention, and what it really means to define your own version of victory.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Stuart Lombard, founder of Ecobee, to unpack one of the most iconic David vs. Goliath stories in Canadian tech. What started as a personal mission to reduce his carbon footprint led Stuart to invent one of the world’s first smart thermostats—and take on giants like Honeywell and Google Nest in the process.

Stuart shares how Ecobee turned clunky hardware into a customer-obsessed experience, why innovation often starts with frustration, and how staying true to their mission helped them win customer trust while competitors chased channel partnerships and flashy ads.

From getting 172 VC rejections to building sensors that rewrote the rules, this is a story of what happens when a team chooses learning over ego—and how a thermostat became the first step in rethinking home energy systems.

In this episode, Fahd Alhattab sits down with Nora Beatty, VP of People Operations at Cohere, to unpack how small, high-trust teams scale in high-stakes environments. Nora shares her journey from Cohere’s 40-person startup stage to its 500-person rocketship rise—and what she’s learned about leadership, mentorship, and risk along the way. 

Together, they break down why the “self-made” leader is a myth, how founders can’t outsource culture, and what it really takes to compete for top talent in an AI-fueled market. Nora explains how Cohere built velocity into its DNA, the invisible costs of hypergrowth, and why the most powerful thing a leader can do is let their team take smart risks—and sometimes fail. 

Whether you’re building a team or leading one, this episode is packed with real, practical lessons on trust, growth, and showing up for your people. 

Find Nora here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-beatty-34b7349/

In this episode of the Unicorn Leaders podcast, Fahd Alhattab sits down with Miranda Pokoy, SVP of People Success at Partnerize, to explore how HR can be a powerful driver of business performance. Miranda shares her journey from administrative assistant to executive leadership, and the strategic mindset shift that took HR from policy enforcer to business partner.

They dive into what it really takes to lead through mergers and acquisitions, build culture across global teams, and develop managers into impactful leaders. Miranda breaks down how founders can leverage people strategy—even on lean teams—and why investing in trust, coaching, and cross-functional collaboration is the secret weapon of small, mighty teams.

Whether you’re a founder, HR leader, or people-obsessed operator, this episode is packed with practical insights on making the most of your people to scale impact—not just headcount.

Episode Mentions

Connect with Miranda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhynot/

In this episode of the Unicorn Leaders podcast, Fahd Alhattab sits down with Penny Farinha, former VP of People at Ecobee, to unpack what it really takes to scale a mission-driven startup through every phase of growth—without losing your soul (or your best people).

Penny shares the behind-the-scenes story of how Ecobee went from 75 employees to a billion-dollar acquisition, all while competing head-to-head with Google Nest. She reveals why values-based hiring (not just skill) helped them build a resilient culture, and how she approached team design at every inflection point—from scrappy startup to post-acquisition scale.

They dive into the messy reality of building people systems that evolve with the business, why staying nine years gave her the deepest leadership lessons, and how founders can avoid the trap of outgrowing their own culture.

Whether you’re navigating hypergrowth, rethinking your org design, or wondering how to lead a team that can outlearn the competition—this episode is packed with honest insights on people, purpose, and playing the long game.

Find Penny Farinha here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyfarinha/

In this episode of the Unicorn Leaders podcast, Fahd Alhattab sits down with Adam Gellert, founder of Linkus Group and Hypo, to talk all things hiring—from building high-performing teams to breaking outdated recruitment myths.

Adam shares what it really takes to find top-tier talent in startups, why the "hire slow, fire fast" mantra is broken, and how founders can avoid costly mis-hires by aligning on the real business problem behind every role. He opens up about the grit behind building two companies, what top candidates are actually looking for, and how to avoid culture-breaking overhiring.

Whether you're scaling a team, hiring your first exec, or wondering why your dream candidate said no—this one’s packed with practical insights for startup leaders who want to hire fast and hire well.

Episode Mentions

• Check out Adam Gellert: https://www.recruiteradam.com/

In this high-energy episode of the Unicorn Leaders podcast, Fahd sits down with serial entrepreneur and author Adrian Salamunovic for a raw, real, and wisdom-packed conversation on what it takes to build—and exit—category-defining companies. Adrian shares the behind-the-scenes journey from selling his first business at 21 to founding DNA11 and CanvasPop, exiting for 30x EBITDA, and now launching The Exit podcast and founder community. Together, they unpack what founders get wrong about scaling, the psychology behind great leadership, and why the smartest move isn’t always about being the smartest person in the room. From hiring to vision, from mental stamina to co-founder breakups, this episode is a tactical masterclass in how to build a business worth buying—without losing yourself along the way.

Episode Mentions

• The Play Bigger Book: https://www.playbigger.com/book
• Join Adrian’s community for exited founders: The Exit Group - https://www.theexit.group/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAack5M_B93ea5JJQkDPVRxjRi--i_RbpbaO00u2Eoq3QD5XL_JlAUQCtStee7Q_aem_OTsbTW-XT_JHFe1HQ40haQ
• Where to find Adrian: clarity.fm/adrian-salamunovic

In this episode of the Unicorn Leaders podcast, host Fahd Alhattab sits down with three-time Chief People Officer Ali Farrell, currently CPO at Apprentice, to unpack what it really takes to build high-performing teams in fast-growth startups. Ali brings a rare blend of corporate, VC-backed, PE-backed, and bootstrapped startup experience—and she’s not afraid to challenge outdated HR norms.

From navigating chaos to ditching performance improvement plans, Ali shares hard-won insights on what works (and what absolutely doesn’t) when leading through scale. You'll learn why clarity is more powerful than complexity, how to bring “just enough” structure to support growth, and why ownership and curiosity matter more than credentials.

Whether you're a founder, people leader, or scaling operator, this episode is packed with tactical advice, real talk, and fresh perspectives on how to grow teams that actually thrive in the messy middle.