Meti Basiri from ApplyBoard

Meti Basiri from ApplyBoard

Author: Evan McCann March 10, 2025 Duration: 52:33

Meti Basiri is the Co-Founder and CEO of ApplyBoard.


ApplyBoard's mission is to empower students worldwide to unlock opportunities for the best education. With their innovative platform and expert team, they simplify the journey—from exploration and application to enrollment—helping thousands of students achieve their dreams of studying abroad.


Takeaways

- ApplyBoard's First Round of Investment.

- Mission-Driven Culture and Creating Impact.

- Scaling Challenges and Strategies

- Adapting to Recent Policy Changes

- ApplyBoard's Newest Venture - Capio

- Maintaining Startup Mentality During Growth

- Navigating Startup Culture and Growth Challenges

- The Balance of Internal Promotions vs. External Hires

- Co-Founder Dynamics: Family and Business

- International Expansion: Cultural Adaptation and Challenges


Chapters

00:00 The Founding Story of ApplyBoard

06:23 Navigating Early Investments

09:11 Mission-Driven Culture and Impact

13:58 Scaling Challenges and Strategies

17:07 Adapting to Policy Changes

21:09 Innovating with New Ventures

24:05 Maintaining Startup Mentality During Growth

26:29 Navigating Startup Culture and Growth Challenges

29:13 The Balance of Internal Promotions vs. External Hires

35:57 Co-Founder Dynamics: Family and Business

39:30 International Expansion: Cultural Adaptation and Challenges

43:27 Personal Growth and Resilience in Business

47:37 Finding Balance: Hobbies and Positive Mindset


Keywords

ApplyBoard, entrepreneurship, international students, education, startup culture, investment, scaling, mission-driven, policy changes, innovation, startup culture, hiring practices, co-founder relationships, international expansion, personal growth, resilience, business challenges, company values, team dynamics, leadership


Evan McCann sits down with the people shaping Canada's business landscape, moving past the polished success stories to get into the real work that happens behind the scenes. The Hard Part with Evan McCann is built on conversations with founders, investors, and leaders who have navigated unique challenges, focusing on the pivotal decisions and often overlooked struggles that define a venture. This podcast explores the specific strategies and personal playbooks that have driven impact, offering a rare look at the operational truths of building something significant. While the spotlight frequently falls on innovators elsewhere, these episodes are dedicated to the Canadian visionaries whose work is redefining global entrepreneurship from here at home. You'll hear candid reflections on risk, resilience, and the moments that tested their conviction, providing not just inspiration but tangible insight into the mechanics of leadership and growth. Each discussion aims to unpack the nuance of achievement, making it an essential listen for anyone curious about the substance behind the headlines in the Canadian business world.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

The Hard Part with Evan McCann
Podcast Episodes
Frédérick Lavoie from Deck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
Frédérick Lavoie is the Co-Founder and President of Deck.Deck is the developer infrastructure to access user-permissioned data simply, and at scale. Takeaways- The Genesis of Flinks- Timing and Tailwinds in Business- Les…
Eliot Pence from Tofino Capital [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
Eliot Pence is the Founder and General Partner of Tofino Capital.Tofino Capital invests in frontier markets and frontier technologies. Eliot is also the Chief Business Officer of Osmo. Osmo is giving computers a sense of…
Kevin Callahan from Uniblock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:30
Kevin Callahan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Uniblock.Uniblock is a fully automated orchestration layer that combines 100s of APIs from 50+ partners into a single unified API.Takeaways- Learnings from Wattpad, Twitter/X a…
Farhan Thawar from Shopify [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:19
Farhan Thawar is a VP and Head of Engineering at Shopify.Takeaways- Why Xtreme Labs Was So Special- Why Xtreme Labs Did Almost Zero Interviews- The Role of AI in Engineering- Pair Programming and Collaboration- Story Beh…
Samuel Witherspoon from ANVIL [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:20
Samuel Witherspoon is the Co-Founder and CEO of ANVIL.ANVIL is a Mission First organization. They work with defence, public safety, law enforcement, and national security organizations to accelerate mission-critical deci…
Simon Leroux from Optionality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:48
Simon Leroux is the Founder and CEO of Optionality.Optionality is the AI-powered co-pilot designed to help M&A advisors, corporate finance teams, consultants, accountants, and Private Equity investors discover, qualify,…
Andrew Graham from Borrowell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:40
Andrew Graham is the Co-Founder and CEO of Borrowell.Trusted by 1 in 10 Canadians, Borrowell provides over 3 million members with comprehensive credit monitoring and personalized insights. Their innovative services, incl…
Mike Silagadze from EtherFi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
Mike Silagadze is the Founder and CEO of EtherFi.EtherFi is a decentralized non-custodial ETH staking protocol. It is the only staking protocol that allows stakers to retain control of their keys while delegating validat…
Roger Kirkness from Convictional [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
Roger Kirkness is the Founder and CEO of Convictional.Convictional is the infrastructure that powers decisions at the world's most ambitious companies. Takeaways- The Value of Y Combinator Programs- Modern Dropship Acqui…