the Executives: A Dialogue with Majid

Andre Kiwitz: Building Ventura Travel - 23 Years of Redefining Sustainable Tourism in South America

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Andre Kiwitz, a German entrepreneur who founded Viventura in 2001 and grew it into the Ventura Travel empire. From a single trip in Ecuador to becoming the #1 tour operator for group trips in South America within just 2-3 years, Andre shares his journey of making travel more meaningful, locally impactful, and sustainable. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * How Andre built Ventura from scratch in Peru after moving from Germany * The philosophy behind small-group, authentic travel experiences * How Ventura became #1 in South America within 2-3 years * The VSocial Foundation's impact: building schools and supporting communities * Behind the scenes of managing 100+ employees across multiple countries * The difference between mass tourism and responsible travel * Why Trip.me connects travelers with local guides differently * Future plans: UK expansion, 3 new brand launches, and IPO in 2 years ⏱️ Chapters: 01:25 Introduction to Andre Kiwitz and Ventura Travel 09:24 25 years of Ventura Travels - Going back to the roots 11:10 WiFi vs Luggage - What if Andre lost one of these for a week? 13:24 How is Ventura Travel structured? 16:50 Difference between Fancy Travel Boards and Community-Based Tourism 22:01 Maintaining the quality of the trips across multiple brands 39:00 Buying assets of a business  42:11 Different kinds of business sellers 43:30 What is trip.me  (now called Travel Local) 50:43 The Reality of a company going Public 53:40 How is Ventura Trave using AI 56:26 Market Size of Community-Based Tourism (Estimated to reach 2 Trillion by 2032) 59:34 Team is an asset to build an organization 01:02:09 Is Sustainability real or just marketing and greenwashing?  01:07:28 Most Impactful Story of Ventura Travel 01:08:47 Big Plans for Ventura Travel for the next years 01:10:17 Closing Remarks About the Guest Andre Kiwitz, the German entrepreneur who founded ViVentura in 2001 and grew it into the Ventura TRAVEL empire - a collection of niche travel brands that's redefining responsible tourism. From building schools in Peru through his VSocial Foundation to launching trip.me [http://trip.me/] and revolutionizing how travelers connect with local guides, Andre has spent 23+ years making travel more meaningful and locally impactful. 📢 Connect with Andre Kiwitz: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiwitz/ * Ventura Travel: https://www.venturatravel.de/ 📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ * X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial * Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial  * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official  * Majid M: https://www.majidm.com  📢 Follow the Executives: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

Zaid Munir: From Commodore 64 to Blockchain CTO | Building the Bridge Between Web 2.0 & Web 3.0

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Zaid Munir, CTO of Immersifi and CEO of Scytale Labs, a telecommunications engineer who saw blockchain's potential in 2016 when the world called it hype. Eight years later, he's building solutions for the United Nations and leading the charge in Web3 innovation. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * Why curiosity is the defining trait of successful tech leaders * From selling his first software at 15 to building blockchain solutions today * How he got into Bitcoin during the first hype cycle and never left * The reality of automating businesses with AI (without replacing humans) * Client retention secrets: Why quality beats quantity every time * Managing chaotic deployments across continents and time zones * The difference between perceived quality and internal build quality * Why blockchain keeps him engaged after 8+ years * His philosophy on health, productivity, and staying mentally sharp * What's next: AI automation and building better solutions ⏱️ Chapters: 01:12 Introduction to Zaid Munir: Curiosity Personified 08:55 The reality of cryptocurrency in 2025  09:15 Why He Never Left Blockchain After 8 Years 12:00 Pivotal moment when Zaid moved from academia to blockchain consulting 14:23 The Philosophy Behind Scytalelabs 16:40 ICP for Scytalelabs 19:10 Building the best traceability solution for the United Nations 26:34 Friction in payment solutions 38:32 AI Fundraising vs Real AI Innovation 42:05 The Skills Gap Crisis: Not Training the Next Generation 52:00 The Chaotic Deployment Story: Australian Client at Midnight 57:01 Final Question: What's Next for You and Your Ventures? 01:00:29 Closing: Thank You and Where to Find Zaid About the Guest Zaid Munir has been a critical contributor to many blockchain product teams for the last 8+ years. His technical skills and practical communication skills make him a reliable partner, and clients trust him to pull through no matter what the project entails. At Scytale Labs, he works tirelessly to deliver advice and innovative solutions for enabling Web 2.0 businesses to transition into Web 3.0. Scytale Labs is a Blockchain product, service, and consultancy company that delivers quality and compliant solutions to standards such as FIPS, NIST-800-63, FIDO, W3C-VC, and W3C-DID. Currently, Scytale Labs is developing full-scale, full-stack AMM and lending protocols for upcoming POS Blockchains such as CasperLabs and has developed an industry-leading yet intuitive NFT Marketplace that helps customers offer digital collectibles tailored to market segments. 📢 Connect with Zaid Munir:  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrzaidmunir/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrzaidmunir/]  * Scytale Labs: https://scytalelabs.com/ [https://scytalelabs.com/] * Immersifi: https://immersifi.xyz/ [https://immersifi.xyz/] 📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/] * X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial [https://x.com/majidmofficial] * Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial [https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage [https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official [https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official] * Majid M: https://www.majidm.com [https://www.majidm.com] 📢 Follow the Executives: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/]

Jörg Dietzel: From Audi's Global Creative Head to Teaching Brands How to Win | Branding, Strategy & Ambition

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Jörg Dietzel, former global head of creative at Audi, four-time author, and award-winning brand strategist who has spent over 25 years shaping brands and minds across continents from Berlin to Singapore. Today, he's teaching the next generation how to build brands that matter. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * The origin of Jörg's unique personal brand (and his signature cocktail in Seoul) * What it really takes to build a brand that stands out * How AI is fundamentally changing the branding landscape * The difference between authentic brands and fake ones * Why personal branding matters more than ever * How to pivot when your brand goes off track * The unwritten expectations that separate good employees from great ones * Why Germany (and the world) needs more ambition right now * Jörg's unpopular opinions on branding and authenticity * How to measure if your brand is actually working ⏱️ Chapters: * 01:17 Who is Jörg Dietzel? * 02:18 The Cocktail Question: If Your Brand Were a Drink * 03:58 The Story Behind the "Jörg Dietzel" Cocktail in Seoul * 05:27 From Advertising to Teaching: Finding His True Calling * 15:40 Balancing Introversion with Teaching and Public Speaking * 08:52 Then vs Now: Evolution of Creative Tools * 13:00 Teaching Gen Z: Struggling with Their Vocabulary?  * 16:48 Why is it important to build a personal brand? * 19:32 Aspiring to Success: Does Surrounding Yourself Work? * 21:11 Growing Apart: When Ambition Divides Friendships * 23:01 Living Across Continents: How Culture Shapes Storytelling * 27:21 Defining Your Target: The First Rule of Personal Branding * 32:43 Brand Story vs Ambition: Perception vs Goals * 38:32 Beyond Advertising: What Experience Branding Looks Like * 47:56 Biggest Misconceptions Business Leaders Have About Branding * 58:38 Breaking Down Hierarchy: Why Leaders Need to Be Contradicted * 01:01:33 Traditional Advertising vs Everyone Being Their Own Brand Manager * 01:08:47 Behind the Scenes: Unusual Moments Giving Brand Advice * 01:13:43 The Big Reset * 01:19:43 Your Funniest Career Moment * 01:27:40 Final Advice: Challenge Yourself and Find Reasons Why It CAN Work About Jörg Dietzel Jörg Dietzel is the former Global Head of Creative at Audi, a four-time published author, and an award-winning brand strategist with over 25 years of experience shaping iconic brands across four continents. From running advertising agencies in London, Berlin, and Beijing to leading Audi Korea's marketing department and teaching at Singapore Management University for 20 years, Jörg has built a career at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and education. Today, he runs his own brand consultancies in Singapore and Germany, mentoring startups and teaching the next generation of brand leaders at top business schools, including Stellenbosch University. 📢 Connect with Jörg Dietzel: * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jorgdietzel * Website: https://jorgdietzel.com/ 📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ * X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial * Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial  * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official  * Majid M : https://www.majidm.com  📢 Follow the Executives: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

Scott Jones: Building the Future of Identity Verification at Billion-Scale | Vision AI, Fraud Prevention & Digital Sovereignty

In this episode of The Executives, I sit down with Scott Jones, VP of Product at Realeyes, where he's building revolutionary Vision AI technology for human measurement of attention, emotion, and identity. Scott is a patent-holding product leader who built a mid-seven-figure ARR identity solution from zero to one in just 18 months, and he's also a Dream Cymbals artist who's been perfecting his craft as a professional drummer for over 30 years. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * How Realeyes built the world's largest ethically-sourced face dataset across 93 countries * Why traditional identity verification methods like CAPTCHA are failing * The "Better CAPTCHA" approach: validating personhood in seconds for cents * How one big tech customer scaled to billions of identity verifications per month * The future of digital sovereignty and zero-knowledge-proof biometrics * Why most AI face models are biased and how to build fair ones * The product management journey from analyst to VP of Product * Why creativity and spirituality tie together in unexpected ways ⏱️ Chapters:  01:51 Who is Scott Jones? 07:20 If You Were CEO of Spotify 10:38 What is Realeyes? 14:19 Are Social Media Apps Tracking Your Emotions? 18:25 The Ethics of Consent in Emotion Tracking 24:23 From Economics & Film to Product Management 30:06 The Roller Coaster of a PM Career 31:37 How Realeyes' Vision AI Differs from Competitors 39:53 Scaling to Billions of Transactions Per Month 47:29 Intersection of Privacy Concerns, and Detecting Emotions and Facial Expressions 51:00 The Future of Decentralized Identity 58:23 Zero to Mid-7 Figure ARR in 18 Months 01:03:43 Biggest Misconceptions About AI 01:07:24 The Power of No-Code & AI Tools for PMs 01:12:28 Jazz Musicians vs Fortune 500 CEOs: Who's More Demanding? 01:15:56 Final Remarks & Closing About Scott Jones,  Scott Jones is the VP of Product at Realeyes, the pioneering Vision AI company, where he's building revolutionary platform technology for human measurement of attention, emotion, and identity. Scott is a patent-holding product leader who built a mid-seven-figure ARR Identity solutions business from zero to one in just 18 months, and he's also a Dream Cymbals artist who's been perfecting his craft as a professional drummer for over 30 years. 📢 Connect with Scott Jones:  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottjeezey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottjeezey/]  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottjeezey/ [https://www.instagram.com/scottjeezey/] 📢 Learn More About Realeyes:  * Website: https://www.realeyesit.com/ [https://www.realeyesit.com/]  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/realeyesit/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/realeyesit/]  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realeyesit [https://www.instagram.com/realeyesit]_ 📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/]  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/] * X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial [https://x.com/majidmofficial]  * Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial [https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage [https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage]  * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official [https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official] * Majid M: https://www.majidm.com [https://www.majidm.com] 📢 Follow The Executives: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcas [https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcas] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/]

Richard Abi-Chahla: The Product Expert Who Turns Vision into Execution | Founder at Purple Brains

In this episode of The Executives, I sit down with Richard Abi-Chahla, a four-time founder and the mind behind Purple Brains. With over 18 years of experience across 15 industries, Richard shares how he transforms bold ideas into market-shaping products, minimizes risk for founders, and blends intuition with frameworks to deliver results. 🎯 What You’ll Learn: * What Richard learned while building 50+ products globally * The mindset and systems behind Purple Brains' success * How Lebanese resilience shapes his product leadership * Red flags Richard looks for before working with founders * The real role of a product manager and the misconceptions * Why most startups fail at product-market fit (and how to avoid it) * The cultural layer of product validation and localization * Why launching to early adopters is key, not everyone ⏱️ Chapters: 00:54 Richard’s background & founding Purple Brains 02:00 Explaining Purple Brains to a 10-year-old 02:58 Red flags Richard watches for before taking on clients 04:42 Blueberry jam and Chicken Shawarma 06:40 Lessons from Lebanon: Internet redundancy & product resilience 11:54 Experience that made Richard think about building a startup to help companies with digital products 22:00 What does Product Market Fit (PMF) look like for founders 26:35 A look at the case of Lovable and Replit 33:20 Finding and Validating Market Gaps for brilliant product ideas 38:12 How does Purple Brains help founders and startups 41:10 What is the unicorn of a customer 44:30 Why product managers manage “nothing” yet carry all responsibility 51:25 Uncommon scenarios as a Product Manager 01:04:40 Ideal Customer Profile for Purple Brains 01:10:30 Funny story with clients 01:18:50 Concluding Remark About Richard Abi Chahla Richard Abi Chahla is a seasoned product manager and 4-time tech founder with over 18 years of experience building and scaling digital products across 15+ industries. As the founder of Purple Brains, he supports startups and enterprises as a fractional CPO, guiding them from idea to launch. Richard has led more than 50 product initiatives worldwide, blending strategy, technology, and execution to help teams deliver real impact. 📢 Connect with Richard: * LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardabichahla/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardabichahla/]  * X/Twitter: https://x.com/richyabichahla [https://x.com/richyabichahla]  * Purple Brains: https://www.purplebrains.com [https://www.purplebrains.com]  * LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/purple.brains.lb [https://www.instagram.com/purple.brains.lb]  * Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/purple-brains/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/purple-brains/]  📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/] * X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial [https://x.com/majidmofficial] * Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial [https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage [https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official [https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official] * Website: https://www.majidm.com [https://www.majidm.com] 📢 Follow The Executives: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast] * Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/] #MajidM #TheExecutives #ProductManagement #Startups #PurpleBrains #LebanonTech #FractionalCPO #PMLeadership #ProductMarketFit #TechFounder