

Championing The Small Business Underdogs, With Sri Kaza
Small business strategy is getting a rethink: underdogs can win when they obsess over positioning, proximity, and purpose rather than scale alone. Sri Kaza, author of Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide and longtime small-business advocate, traces his path from McKinsey to Viking and explains the three “Underdog” principles that power niche resilience. He illustrates those ideas with stories like Toshi’s Yakitori, breaks down real-world lessons on customer acquisition costs and product-market fit, and shows how AI and intimacy can democratize entrepreneurship. Practical, candid, and strategic, this conversation offers a playbook for owners, leaders, and emerging founders who want to turn small advantages into lasting success.
Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/sri-kaza.
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