Calling Operator with Laura Nicol Ep 44. Scaling Hnry with Karan Anand—Inside the Chief Strategy Officer Role, His Operating Philosophy, Abductive Logic
Today, I'm connecting with Karan Anand, Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Director, Australia at Hnry.
We trace his journey from 13 years in consulting to becoming Hnry’s first hire in Australia, exploring what it really means to lead without ego, think in systems, and be a force multiplier for founders.
Inside the episode:
- His experience as a new dad
- Building generational community projects, including the creation of the Young Seek Professionals Network
- The co-pilot model of the Chief Strategy Officer—and how to support founders while staying anchored to long-term goals
- What it meant to be the first hire in Australia for Hnry—and how to scale without a playbook
- Why being in rooms you're “not ready for” is often where you learn the most—and how to hold your ground when you get there
- The startup superpowers management consulting teaches: structured problem solving, corporate technique, and navigating directional tension
- Breaking a company into 26 first-principles components to build a three-year strategy—and reaching a consensus on direction
- Building Hnry’s "Sole Trader Pulse" data play—and turning underrepresented customer voices into strategic advantage
- Moving between inductive and abductive logic when data is sparse but decisions can’t wait
- The traits Karan looks for in strategy operators at early-stage startups
- His operating philosophy: Helping people become their best in service of the business
- Why systems thinking is a survival skill in fast-scaling companies
Connect with Karan Anand on LinkedIn.
Other operators mentioned in the episode:
- Brandon Palmer, Head of Marketing @ Hnry
- Sandeep Chandra, Strategy @ Atlassian
- Albert Patajo, Chief of Staff @ Nexl
- Harry Hamilton, Product @ Tracksuit, Co-Founder @ Fuzzy
Guest ideas?
Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn.
A note from your host, Laura:
My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons.
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