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In this episode, Fahd sits down with Brad Pedersen, entrepreneur and founder behind Lomi, Pela, and one of Canada's largest independent toy distributors, to explore his journey from selling flying toys out of a mall kiosk to reinventing himself again and again across toys, consumer goods, and climate tech. Brad shares how getting fired from his own merged company and clawing back from bankruptcy taught him more about leadership than any success ever did, and how a naive 21-year-old with zero capital learned to outmaneuver Goliaths who were too slow, too bloated, or too afraid to compete on the ground. From hand-selling toys at carnivals and shopping-channel gambles to reviving legacy brands like Tonka, and building Lomi, the world's first smart waste appliance, Brad discusses what it really takes for a David to survive collapse and come back stronger. He also shares insights on leadership, why keeping the wrong people off the team matters more than hiring the right ones, learning to empower instead of control, and the underdog playbook he's sharpened across four decades of building things the giants said couldn't be done.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Mike Wessinger, founder and Executive Chairman of PointClickCare, to explore his journey from installing desktop computers in nursing homes to building one of Canada's most valuable tech companies. Mike shares how a firsthand look at an industry still running on paper charts and binders led him and his brothers to bet on cloud-based software before "cloud" was even a word, taking on Goliaths in one of the most regulated industries in tech. From bootstrapping through the early days of hand-to-hand sales to de-risking adoption for an industry that couldn't afford to gamble, Mike discusses what it really takes for a David to survive long enough to win over an entire sector. He also shares insights on leadership, resetting culture through hypergrowth, and how PointClickCare has stayed nimble and innovative even after becoming the Goliath itself.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Chris Grimes, founder and CEO of Fundmore, to explore his journey from 20-year mortgage industry veteran to building one of Canada's fastest-growing fintech companies. Chris shares how firsthand frustration with a slow, paperwork-heavy mortgage system led him to walk away from a secure career and take on the entrenched Goliaths of banking and lending as a small, scrappy David. From bootstrapping through survival mode and pivoting during COVID to winning the trust of massive legacy institutions one customer at a time, Chris discusses what it really takes for a David to survive long enough to break into a highly regulated industry. He also shares insights on leadership, learning to lead through people instead of as an individual contributor, and how naivety, nimbleness, and sheer persistence can let a small company punch far above its weight.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Nic Beique, founder and CEO of Helcim, to explore his journey from self-taught programmer to building one of Canada's leading fintech companies. Nic shares how a commitment to solving real problems for small businesses led him to challenge the traditional payments industry with a transparent, people-first approach. From bootstrapping a startup to scaling a technology company in a highly competitive market, Nic discusses the importance of long-term thinking, staying true to your values, and building products that put customers before profits. He also shares insights on leadership, innovation, and what it takes to create a business that earns trust and stands the test of time.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Rick Hunter, a former Canadian National Ski Team racer who made the leap from the slopes to the waterslide industry. Rick shares the lessons he learned from competing at the highest level of sport and how those same principles of passion, innovation, and relentless self-improvement fueled his success as an entrepreneur. From chasing excellence on the mountain to creating unforgettable experiences in business, Rick discusses why it's never enough to settle for your current best—and how continuously raising the bar can lead to extraordinary results.

Samuel Witherspoon was a lawyer who walked away from a safe career to co-found a tech company. The first thing he built? A platform for selling divorces online. He was ashamed to tell people what he did for a living. So he sat in a boardroom with his co-founders and asked a dangerous question: what if we burned it all down and started over? That question launched a 12-year grind into one of the most guarded industries on Earth — Canadian defense intelligence. Someone told Sam that no one ever makes the transition from services to product, especially selling into government. His response? "Watch me." Today, Anvil's software runs on active military operations. Their unofficial company patch is a cockroach. The motto: Hard to Kill. In this episode, Samuel shares how a team of 30 competes against billion-dollar American defense contractors, why Canada's sovereignty moment is opening doors that didn't exist two years ago, and what it really takes to outlast giants when you can't outspend them.

In this episode, Fahd sits down with Vincent Ircandia, CEO of Stellar Algo, a Canadian startup that’s revolutionizing the sports industry with data-driven fan engagement solutions. Vincent takes us through his journey of building a product that gives sports teams and leagues the power to understand their fans on a deeper level, moving beyond simple metrics to actionable insights that fuel growth and loyalty. Vincent discusses the challenges of scaling in a competitive space, the importance of understanding your customer, and how Stellar Algo’s focus on solving a real problem—connecting teams to their fans more efficiently—has led to significant wins in a crowded market. From bootstrapping in the early days to securing top-tier clients, Vincent shares how the company has grown to serve over 240 sports teams globally, all while staying true to its mission to enhance fan relationships through cutting-edge data.

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/