At Work With...

Ana Merchant

Step into 'At Work With...', where we uncover the real, unfiltered stories behind successful careers. Join us as industry leaders share their breakthrough moments, spectacular failures, and unconventional paths to the top. No corporate jargon or polished PR answers – just honest conversations about what it really takes to build a remarkable career. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, considering a career pivot, or building your own empire, join us as we decode success, one conversation at a time.

  1. 2D AGO

    What It Really Takes to Build a Business (No Hype Version) | Rayan Jawad, Co-Founder of GrowthStudio

    In this episode, Rayan Jawad shares his journey from growing up in a one-bedroom flat above a shop to co-founding Growth Studio, a company that has helped over 650 startups scale across 17 global markets. We discuss what success really means beyond the briefcase, the discipline of growth hacking, and how rejection is simply redirection. Rayan also opens up about surviving on Tesco meal deals in the early days, the importance of building genuine relationships with clients, and why doing good and making money don't have to be opposites.CONNECT WITH RAYAN JAWAD🌐 Growth Studio - https://growthstudio.com💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayanjawadTIMESTAMPS:00:00 🚀 Meet Rayan Jawad, Co-Founder of GrowthStudio00:52 🏠 Growing Up In A 1-Bedroom Flat Above A Shop02:26 💼 The "Briefcase" Definition Of Success (And How It Changed)06:59 🧠 The "Annoying Kid" Who Always Asked Why11:09 📉 Leaving The Corporate Ladder For The Startup World14:30 🛑 When Your Boss Rejects Your Resignation Letter15:30 ☕ Where "Growth Studio" Was Born18:24 🌍 Solving Real Problems With Tech20:19 🥪 Surviving On Tesco Meal Deals 23:44 ⚠️ The Danger Of Scaling Too Fast 25:34 🗣️ Don't Fall In Love With Your Idea27:52 🚫 "Rejection Is Just A New Direction"30:37 📱 The Power Of Authenticity34:20 🤷‍♂️ You Don't Need To Know Everything To Be An Expert35:12 ⚡ Rapid Fire Q&A39:57 🕯️ Rayan’s Legacy

    41 min
  2. 12/15/2025

    “I Realised Success Without Meaning Wasn’t Success at All.” — Purpose, EQ & Non-Linear Careers | Rich Hua

    What happens when success no longer feels meaningful? In this episode of At Work With…, I’m joined by Rich Hua — former founder of EPIC Leadership at Amazon and creator of EQ@Amazon — to talk about emotional intelligence, non-linear careers, and why compassion sits at the heart of true leadership. From immigrant beginnings to ministry, from Amazon to a bold new mission to bring EQ skills to a billion people, this conversation is thoughtful, human, and quietly powerful. 00:00 – IntroWelcome to At Work With… + why this conversation matters 02:10 – Leaving Amazon & What’s NextWhy Rich chose to step into a new chapter 06:00 – Growing Up as an ImmigrantEarly identity, language barriers, and empathy 10:30 – High IQ, Low EQWhat being “the smartest in the room” didn’t teach him 14:40 – Ministry & Missionary WorkHow working with people shaped his emotional intelligence 19:45 – Reinventing a Career at 40The Oracle story and betting on yourself 25:30 – Building EQ@AmazonHow a side passion became a global movement 30:50 – EPIC LeadershipEmpathy, Purpose, Inspiration & Connection explained 35:40 – Compassion as LeadershipWhy EQ matters more than ever in an AI-driven world 39:30 – EQ for a Billion PeopleRich’s vision for the future 43:30 – Quick-Fire RoundPersonal, fun, and reflective questions 47:30 – Closing ReflectionsWhat success really means now ⏱️ Episode Chapters / TimestampsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richhua/ Substack: https://substack.com/@richardhua

    51 min

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Step into 'At Work With...', where we uncover the real, unfiltered stories behind successful careers. Join us as industry leaders share their breakthrough moments, spectacular failures, and unconventional paths to the top. No corporate jargon or polished PR answers – just honest conversations about what it really takes to build a remarkable career. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, considering a career pivot, or building your own empire, join us as we decode success, one conversation at a time.