The Daniel Karim Podcast Saad Saeed: How to Think Like a Unicorn Founder
Nov 23, 2025
Saad Saeed is a serial entrepreneur, former Flink co-founder, and the CEO of Layla.ai, an innovative AI travel platform. In a lively discussion, Saad shares insights on what it takes to think like a unicorn founder. He talks about the importance of adaptability, questioning norms, and the balance between persistence and pivoting. Saad also delves into predicting future trends, learning from failures, and the necessity of daily growth. He emphasizes that impactful leadership relies on empathy and motivating teams towards a shared vision.
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Generalist Founder Flow
- Saad Saeed realized he is a generalist who thrives by building products and learning across functions.
- He values making ideas real by raising capital, assembling teams, and executing rapidly.
Trauma Fuels Rebellious Drive
- Childhood deprivation can create a chip-on-the-shoulder drive that predicts founder success.
- Saad credits growing up in a military family for fostering his habit of questioning authority.
Prepare For Future Consumer Shifts
- Predict how the future will change, prepare for it, and position to capitalize when change arrives.
- Ask how fast the change will happen and how long you can sustain investment with no immediate results.
