Growth by Design with Diraj Goel

Most agencies don’t have a talent problem.They have a systems problem.In this episode of Growth by Design, Diraj Goel sits down with Shawn Johnston, Founder & CEO of Refoundry, to break down why traditional agency models are breaking—and what replaces them.After building hundreds of websites and experiencing the same bottlenecks every agency faces, Shawn rebuilt the way work gets done. Instead of scaling teams, he scaled systems.They dive into: Why agencies are losing margin (and burning out teams)  How low-code and AI are changing delivery expectations  The hidden cost of developer bottlenecks  Why most “custom work” doesn’t need custom code  How to turn services into scalable systems and products This is a conversation about working less, moving faster, and building an agency that actually scales—without sacrificing quality or your team.If you’re an agency owner, operator, or founder thinking about productizing your service… this one will hit.

What happens when a startup operator takes over a $17B wealth management firm?In this episode of Growth by Design, Diraj Goel sits down with Chris Nicola, CEO of Nicola Wealth, to unpack the intersection of fintech innovation, legacy finance, and the future of wealth management in Canada.Chris shares his journey from early software development and startup building to co-founding one of Canada’s first robo-advisors and eventually stepping into the CEO role at Nicola Wealth. The conversation dives deep into the realities of disrupting a traditionally conservative industry, the challenges of scaling innovation within institutional systems, and how AI is already reshaping advisor workflows and client experiences.They also explore one of the biggest shifts happening today: the massive generational transfer of wealth, the hidden complexities of estate planning, and why most families are more unprepared than they think.This is a conversation about building at scale, challenging outdated systems, and designing leverage both in business and in life.

What does it really take to help founders scale without doing it alone?In this episode of Growth by Design with Diraj Goel, Diraj sits down with Angela Robertson, CEO of Acetech, to talk about the real challenges founders face as they grow and why peer support, accountability, and honest conversations matter more than ever.Angela shares her path from biochemistry and business to executive leadership, including her journey through VORUM and into leading one of British Columbia’s most established tech CEO communities. She explains how Acetech helps founders navigate scaling, roundtables, governance, AI adoption, and the personal side of leadership that often gets ignored.This conversation is a thoughtful look at what founders need beyond funding, how to avoid drift and shiny object syndrome, and why building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in BC matters right now.If you are a founder, operator, investor, or ecosystem builder, this episode offers practical insight on scaling with more clarity, support, and intention.

What happens when a founder spends three decades on both sides of the table?In this episode of Growth by Design, Diraj Goel sits down with Brent Holliday, Founder and CEO of Garibaldi Capital Advisors, to unpack what founders need to understand about capital, exits, and the real cost of venture-backed growth.Brent shares his journey from the early days of Maximizer and Internet 1.0 to venture capital, investment banking, and building one of Canada’s leading technology-focused M&A advisory firms. Together, Diraj and Brent explore the hard truths behind startup financing, why many founders raise money too early, and what actually creates lasting wealth.They also dig into the state of Canadian venture capital, the rise of family offices and growth equity, why bootstrapped companies often create better founder outcomes, and what today’s founders should be thinking about if they are raising in a volatile market.This is a must-listen for founders deciding whether to raise, scale, or sell.

In this episode of Growth by Design, host Diraj Goel sits down with Nir Kaminer, Founder and Director of Medical Reviews International (MedRev), one of Europe's leading providers of clinical reviews and second medical opinion services. Nir shares his unconventional journey from a successful career in international consulting at Accenture and T-Systems to launching his own company in 2017 - at age 40 - with no prior healthcare experience or entrepreneurial background.Discover how MedRev delivers "real human intelligence" through a global network of clinical specialists to help insurers, providers, and claims teams make faster, more informed decisions - reducing overutilization, fraud, waste, abuse, and unnecessary procedures while improving patient outcomes and cutting costs significantly. Nir opens up about the marathon (not sprint) of building in a highly regulated, slow-adopting healthcare industry, navigating GDPR challenges, technology rebuilds, the pandemic slowdown, and why emphasizing human judgment over AI has become MedRev's key differentiator in a world obsessed with algorithms.Packed with insights on family-supported risk-taking, turning setbacks into steady 25-35% annual growth, the irreplaceable human touch in healthcare decisions, and lessons from corporate-to-founder transitions. A must-listen for entrepreneurs in regulated spaces, healthcare innovators, and anyone rethinking AI's role in high-stakes industries.

In this episode of Growth by Design, host Diraj Goel sits down with Lou Adler, the pioneering CEO and founder of Performance-based Hiring Learning Systems (The Adler Group). With over four decades of experience revolutionizing talent acquisition, Lou has trained more than 50,000 recruiters and hiring managers at Fortune 500 companies like Disney, LinkedIn, McKinsey, and Stryker. A former systems engineer who worked on missile guidance systems before rising through corporate ranks in finance, operations, and executive leadership at Rockwell International and others, Lou disrupted traditional hiring by shifting from skill checklists to measurable business outcomes - what he calls a "Moneyball approach" to human capital. Lou shares his remarkable journey from engineering missiles to engineering high-performance teams, the lessons from building (and losing) a dot-com era venture, and why defining work as key performance objectives - rather than resumes - is the game-changer for founders scaling their companies. The conversation explores corporate vs. startup paths, building leverage through systems, the critical divide between "running" vs. "growing" a company, and timeless advice on hiring in an AI era: nothing is more important than hiring great people motivated to deliver real results. 

What happens when a PhD chemist leaves the lab… and builds one of North America’s leading cannabis licensing and compliance firms?In this episode of Growth by Design with Diraj Goel, Diraj sits down with Lucas McCann, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of CannDelta Inc., to unpack how science, regulation, and entrepreneurship intersect in one of the most complex industries in the world.Lucas shares:How he turned a background in organic chemistry and government inspection into a commercial advantageWhat most founders misunderstand about regulated marketsWhy cannabis marketing is education-first (not conversion-first)How CannDelta evolved from project-based licensing into ongoing advisory, M&A, and marketingWhere AI fits (and doesn’t) in highly regulated industriesThe real tension between scaling a company and raising a familyIf you’re building in a regulated market, expanding share of wallet, or engineering growth beyond your original specialization, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons.This is founder execution - without the hype.

In this Founder Spotlight episode of Growth by Design, Diraj Goel sits down with repeat founder and operator David Abbey, CEO & Co-Founder of Endlss and Penny AI, for a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to scale - and pivot - venture-backed companies.David shares the full story of scaling Penny AI during the pandemic boom, raising over $32M USD, growing from 9 to 70+ employees, and navigating the emotional and operational pressure of fundraising with only months of runway left. He opens up about the realities founders don’t talk about - from being in the fetal position before a close to managing teams you’ve never met in person.The conversation then shifts to the strategic pivot that led to Endlss, a platform built to help emerging DTC brands scale influencer and ambassador programs with enterprise-level capabilities - without enterprise cost or complexity. David breaks down how creator commerce has evolved, why micro-influencers are becoming a predictable growth channel, and how focus, positioning, and listening to customers created a powerful wedge in a crowded market.This episode is a masterclass in founder resilience, market pivots, and building growth systems that actually work in today’s AI-driven, capital-efficient environment.

What does it take to build a modern consumer brand that customers truly trust - and scale it sustainably in a volatile market?In this episode of Growth by Design, Diraj Goel sits down with Joe Parenteau, Co-Founder & CEO of Fable, one of Canada’s most thoughtful and fast-growing home décor brands.Joe shares how Fable evolved from a dinnerware startup into a multi-category lifestyle brand - spanning tableware, glassware, rugs, and beyond - while staying deeply customer-centric at every stage of growth.You’ll hear how Fable:Designed products to be mixed, matched, and built to lastBuilt a premium, sustainable alternative to disposable home goodsScaled from local Vancouver pop-ups to North American expansionUses direct customer conversations to drive product innovationNavigates omnichannel growth across e-commerce, retail, and B2BLeverages AI to increase team efficiency and revenue per employeeBuilds a product roadmap around life moments and customer intentThis is a masterclass in modern brand building - blending product, experience, systems, and customer obsession to create sustainable growth.If you’re a founder scaling a consumer or product-led business, this episode is packed with practical insights on growth, execution, and building for the long term.

On this episode of Growth by Design with Diraj Goel, we’re joined by Louis Shulman, co-founder of Orbit Marketing, a multi-faceted business powering data-driven marketing, content, and AI tools. Louis shares how he and his partners built Orbit from the ground up, their journey from middle school hustles to running multiple ventures, and how they help businesses maximize email marketing, newsletters, and AI-powered content strategies.We dive into the nuances of email marketing, scaling a content marketing agency, identifying the right clients, and why sending one thoughtful email a week can create massive ROI. Louis also shares insights into building resilient teams, structuring co-founder relationships, and the transition from agency models to productized offerings.If you’re a founder, marketer, or entrepreneur looking to scale sustainably while leveraging data and AI, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

In this episode of Growth by Design with Diraj Goel, Diraj sits down with Karen Frame, Founder and CEO of Makeena, a B2B SaaS platform that helps consumer brands connect with shoppers and drive sales both online and in-store. Karen shares her journey from law and finance to entrepreneurship, the challenges of scaling a scrappy startup, and how Makeena has amassed over 1.5 million app downloads while providing actionable consumer insights for brands.We dive into:How Makeena collects zero- and first-party consumer data at scaleKaren’s scrappy approach to growth and partnershipsBuilding a founder-first, mission-driven company cultureThe challenges of fundraising and managing a lean teamLessons on resilience, leadership, and scaling a businessWhether you’re an aspiring founder, investor, or startup enthusiast, this episode is packed with actionable insights for building high-growth, data-driven ventures.

In this episode of Growth by Design, host Diraj Goel sits down with Will Nitze, Founder & CEO of IQBAR, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a high-growth consumer brand.Will shares how a personal health transformation led him to leave SaaS, launch a protein bar company on Kickstarter, and grow IQBAR from zero to $140M+ in annual net revenue - with a team of fewer than 15 people.They dive deep into:Why Amazon was the early growth engineHow lean teams create operating leverageThe real challenges of scaling ops and supply chainWhy most startup advice is useless without contextWhat makes businesses (and tech) truly defensibleThis is a candid conversation about discipline, focus, and designing growth systems that actually scale - without hype.