How do you build a successful tech company with no blueprint, go toe-to-toe with blue-chip competitors, and, at the same time, innovating in a dynamic marketplace that’s evolving at a rapid pace?

And how about doing all of the above whilst engineering a unique remote workforce model that keeps customers happy, aligns with organizational goals and gives everyone a say in how things operate?That’s a mission that was both carefully handled and relished by Koray Parmaks at Telax Voice Solutions.

In this episode of A CFO’s Diary - Pathways to Growth, Koray shares his entrepreneurial journey and the core values that led his company to success.

Chapters

(2:02) Koray’s entrepreneurial roots and first business venture.

(8:07) The importance of trust and shared goals in his partnership with Mario Perez.
(10:23) The importance of building trust with both customers and employees through transparency, accountability, and a culture of empowerment.
(13:50) The value of identifying and serving the customers you can truly help. Koray shares how Telax shifted its strategy to better serve its target market.
(19:58) The need for intentional effort in fostering a self-managing culture, especially in a remote work environment.
(24:12) Koray's pursuit of knowledge at Harvard Business School demonstrates the importance of continuous learning and reflection for successful leadership.
(26:48) Having a deeper purpose beyond just financial gain and creating a legacy when securing an exit.
(30:20) Koray's advice for business success.

Links

• Koray Parmaks | LinkedIn
• Savvy-CFO

Following the status quo can be a safe path, but if you’re looking for resilience and untapped growth potential, innovation and creativity are a must.

Rubsun Ho, initially a lawyer at a large firm, grew disillusioned with traditional working conditions, prompting him to explore the start-up sphere, but that too left lots to be desired. These experiences inspired him to start his own law firm, one that rejected the status quo, and tried something entirely new. Luckily, his neighbour, Joe Milstone, also happened to be a disgruntled lawyer with the same ambition. Together, they built Caravel Law.

Rubsun and Joe discovered a niche nexus between companies looking for lower cost solutions to in-house lawyers, and lawyers who desired more flexibility and control around their work. Listening to the needs of both sides, they built a remote company long before most of the business world had even heard of the term “remote work”.

Not only did the immediate demand exceed their expectations, their forward-thinking approach also ensured resilience and growth during economic downturns like the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of A CFO’s Diary - Pathways to Growth, Rubsun reflects on how his corporate and startup background shaped Caravel's success, discusses the challenges and advantages of early adoption in remote work, and shares his best advice for entrepreneurs looking to build their own innovative businesses.

Chapters

1 - Rubsun’s background at a big law firm and a start-up

2 - Meeting Joe and beginning Caravel

3 - The model and the response from workers and clients

4 - How the model made the business resilient to downturns

5 - What he would do differently

6 - Selling the business

7 - Rubsun’s three pieces of advice for business success

Links

• Rubsun Ho | LinkedIn
• Caravel Law
• Axiom Law
• Savvy-CFO

Business isn't just about numbers. While they play a role in success, without a foundation of values, humility, and a willingness to learn from people, numbers alone are of little value.

Consider Nick Wagner, an entrepreneur from Ontario, who achieved financial success by prioritizing a human-centered approach to business. Alongside his co-founder at Premise LED, Nick's dedication to fostering relationships led to rapid growth, gaining a competitive edge, and eventually, a lucrative buyout. All this for a guy who hasn’t been in a classroom since he was a teenager.

Nick attributes his achievements to the connections he cultivated, whether with his partner, team members, or customers. For him, success wasn't just about making money, although he certainly did. It was also about collaborating with others, understanding their perspectives, and embracing valuable lessons from each encounter. Balancing employee and customer satisfaction while staying true to your principles isn't always easy, but Nick was determined to do so.

In this episode of A CFO’s Diary - Pathways to Growth, Nick shares why real relationships were pivotal to his journey and how he remained steadfast in his values even during challenging times. And as he reflects upon his career and business trajectory, he’ll share his three main takeaways from his experiences that would benefit anyone pondering their own entrepreneurial path in life.

Chapters

1 - Getting into sales (1:25)

2 - Starting CORE, which became Premise LED (4:29)

3 - The importance of partnerships (7:02)

4 - Saying no and building a team to succeed (10:24)

5 - Getting ready for an exit (17:49)
6 - Don enters the picture and time to sell the company (20:10)

7 - Nick’s three pieces of advice for business success (25:53)

Links

• Nick Wagner on LinkedIn
• SavvyCFO