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 thrive

• The power of defining your company values early and living them daily

• Why solving hard problems requires personal humility and operational grit

Whether 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 leadership

• How cultural differences impact collaboration and performance

• Strategies for measuring team performance beyond traditional productivity metrics

If 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 Stanton

https://hbr.org/2022/03/remote-work-has-opened-the-door-to-a-new-approach-to-hiring

• Research: Where Managers and Employees Disagree About Remote Work by Nicholas Bloom, Jose Maria Barrero, Steven Davis, Brent Meyer and Emil Mihaylov

https://hbr.org/2023/01/research-where-managers-and-employees-disagree-about-remote-work

• Survey: Remote Work Isn’t Going Away — and Executives Know It by Nicholas Bloom, Jose Maria Barrero, Steven Davis, Brent Meyer and Emil Mihaylov

https://hbr.org/2023/08/survey-remote-work-isnt-going-away-and-executives-know-it

Book: 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:

1. The Authenticity Paradox, by Hermania Ibarra, https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-authenticity-paradox.

2. 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