230 The One With A Water Strategist

I got to know this week's guest over LinkedIn and it was a blast to have him on the show. Walid Khoury is a water strategist, investor, and influencer and has such a wealth of knowledge to share with the water treatment industry.  Walid has 20 years of industry experience having worked for GE, Nalco, and Danaher. Over the years, Walid built and led diverse and inclusive water teams, selling technical solutions, developing strategies for direct and indirect sales channels, re-allocating resources, and driving sustainable and profitable growth.  In 2020, Walid founded Desalytics, a company that offers a diverse portfolio of water testing and water treatment consumables in Sub-Saharan Africa. Desalytics helps municipal and industrial customers produce reliable water, optimize processes, maximize returns at a competitive cost through expertise, technologies, and local footprint. For this, Walid is partnering with, coaching, and mentoring young African entrepreneurs to grow Desalytics' presence across the African continent and be close to customers.   Desalytics was established in 2020 to help municipal and industrial customers produce reliable water, optimize processes, maximize returns at a competitive cost through expertise, technologies, and local footprint. Desalytics' innovative business model relies on an impact investing approach where the company partners with young African entrepreneurs, and helps them start or scale their businesses, through working capital injection, mentoring programs, and global supplier relationships. Walid is an active LinkedIn thought leader, inspiring engaging and insightful discussions with his 26,000 industry followers. He holds a bachelor's degree in water and environment, a master's degree in water sciences, and lastly a master's degree in management from Harvard University.     Bottom line: Walid Khoury is going to inspire you to think about water treatment on a bigger and more global level. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.  -Trace    Timestamps:  2021: the year that water treaters around the world came together to learn and grow [0:30] James' Challenge: "Make time for your family, friends, and you." [7:17] Introducing water strategist, investor, and influencer Walid Khoury [9:10] Desalytics in Africa [15:57] Attending WEFTEC 2021 [18:15] Walid's water treatment career journey  [20:47] The value of coaching [27:30] The importance of diversity in the workplace [32:00] Continuous improvement [39:00] Lightning round questions [42:45]   Quotes: "Optimize your water footprint." - Walid Khoury "It's not a straightforward job; it is interesting and exciting because you are trying to solve tough challenges. If it wasn't a tough challenge they wouldn't need us." - Walid Khoury "Find women engineers and help them grow in their careers and retain them." - Walid Khoury "Don't get stuck, there is always a constant challenge. Keep developing yourself." - Walid Khoury  "One of the best ways to learn is to teach." - Walid Khoury "If you are bored at your job, you are not learning. It's time to move on to the next one." - Walid Khoury "Africa is a similar market to other places." - Walid Khoury "I'm passionate about water." - Walid Khoury   Connect with Walid Khoury: Phone: +971 56 5362147  Email: [email protected] Vlog: walidkhoury.com   LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/walidkhoury   Links Mentioned: The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   Books Mentioned: What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter  Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company by Jeff Immelt  Africa's Business Revolution: How to Succeed in the World's Next Big Growth Market by Acha Leke The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb