Show Notes
What if your values aren’t holding your business back—but are the reason it can grow? Strategic advisor and Forerunners co-founder Awais Sheikh joins Junaid Ahmed to explore how founders can scale with purpose without being pulled away from what they believe in.
Drawing on his experience at Amazon Web Services and as an entrepreneur, Sheikh unpacks “financial gravity”—the pressures that can push growing companies to put profit ahead of mission. He shares ways to make your convictions explicit, build a values-aligned support network, and turn principles into everyday working norms.
More from Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed
I can’t reproduce The Diary of a CEO’s exact house style, but I can give this an original, curiosity-driven interview-podcast feel, with emotional stakes and an SEO-friendly structure.
What if the right business idea isn’t the one that promises easy money—but the one you can’t stop dreaming about? Jason VanDevere, founder of Goal Crazy and author of Dream Driven, shares how he walked away from a future in his family’s car dealership business to build something of his own.
You may not need more motivation—you may need a system you trust. Goal-setting coach Jason VanDevere joins Junaid Ahmed to explain why good ideas so often stall, and how planning, protected focus time, and clear boundaries can turn intentions into consistent action.
What if success isn’t about chasing the next title—or rushing into the next big opportunity? After more than 30 years in high-stakes corporate roles, Andrew Paetow stepped into a new chapter in real estate on Long Beach Island. In this conversation, he shares how he brought corporate planning and discipline into a smaller business, and why thoughtful decisions can matter more than simply moving fast.
What does it take to trust someone with a million-dollar decision—and how do you know when it’s time to leave a successful career behind? After 32 years in biotech and pharma, Andrew Paetow traded corporate leadership for luxury real estate on Long Beach Island. He joins Junaid Ahmed to share the high-stakes lessons behind that shift, what “success” means to him now, and the trust framework he built over decades of leading teams.