Growth by Design with Diraj Goel

Shawn Johnston – Founder & CEO, Refoundry

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.

Chris Nicola – CEO, Nicola Wealth

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 This is a conversation about building at scale, challenging outdated systems, and designing leverage both in business and in life.

Angela Robertson - CEO, Acetech

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.

Brent Holliday - Founder & CEO, Garibaldi Capital Advisors

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.

Nir Kaminer - Founder & Director, Medical Reviews International (MedRev)

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.