Jonathan Azouri: Lessons I Learned From Last Year To Take Our Organization to the Next Level in 2024
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Continuous Learning: I’m always going to be learning… and that is a great thing!
This series aims to discuss the experiences and lessons learned by top executives over the past year, and how these insights are shaping the landscape for change and innovation in 2024. The past year has been a time of unprecedented challenges and opportunities, requiring adaptive leadership and innovative strategies. We believe that sharing these experiences can inspire and guide others in their endeavors to drive positive change in their organizations and industries. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonathan Azouri.
Jonathan Azouri, a Canadian entrepreneur, serves as the co-founder and CEO of CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated, a first-of-its-kind app for renting sport facility venues. Named to Forbes’ North American 30 Under 30 list in 2023, Jonathan brings his passion for both sports and technology to the forefront, fueled by his Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you share a little about your background and what pivotal moments led you to your current position as an executive?
Thank you for having me! I’ve always had a passion for entrepreneurship, for learning and creating new things. I graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, during which I obtained a concentration in entrepreneurship. Being the co-founder of CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated has allowed me to learn first-hand about qualities needed to succeed in an executive role.
What were the early challenges you faced in your career, and how did they shape your approach to leadership?
In our initial years, it was definitely a challenge and learning curve for me to be able to delegate and relinquish control of tasks. I felt very close to each aspect of the company — I still do, but now with amazing individuals on my team making a big impact. As a leader, I’ve come to learn that delegation is a strategic time management tool that empowers everyone on the team. I still do not ask anyone to do any task I have not done myself, but I am more comfortable with trusting the team around me, and they have never given me a reason not to!
We often learn the most from our mistakes. Can you share one that you made that turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
Fail quickly, as I always like to tell my team. When things don’t pan out, it is very natural for sunk cost fallacy to kick in. I’m not a fan of that. Pivoting in a prompt manner is crucial. I learned this a few years ago when we continued pursuing a product category that wasn’t the best fit for our company or best use of resources. It took me a little longer to decide to remove this category, but taught me to be more decisive when my intuition tells me to do something.
As an executive, how do you define success, both personally and for your organization?
I define success by setting goals and meeting them. This is applicable to both my professional and personal life. Goal setting — daily, weekly, quarterly and annually — is a significant aspect of achieving success. This always gives me a metric to measure myself on. Being better than I was yesterday is a step towards success.
Reflecting on 2023, what was the most unexpected challenge you faced, and how did you navigate it?
A challenge in 2023 was keeping up with our massive growth. I had to look at each aspect of the company separately and ensure there were processes in place to be prepared to handle higher volume.
What was a significant risk you took this year, and how did it turn out?
A significant risk in 2023 was rapidly expanding CatchCorner into new geographic markets. Being a hub product, we carefully calculate when the time is to expand into new geographic areas. We expanded faster than we ever had in the past, in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles. Our team learned a lot along the way, continued to refine our formula of expansion, and it was a positive experience overall. CatchCorner will continue to increase the pace at which we expand, while maintaining our top-notch quality experience.
How has your company’s mission or purpose affected its overall success? Can you explain the methods or metrics you use to evaluate the impact of this purpose-driven strategy on your organization?
Mission and purpose are what drive CatchCorner’s success. A big aspect of CatchCorner’s mission has been to increase accessibility to sport facilities. We have done this by expanding our portfolio to working with all types of facilities at different affordability levels. CatchCorner allows you to rent a space at a private facility, community center,school, church, and so on.
Could you list the top five things you’ve learned in 2023, with specific examples of how these lessons impacted your decisions or strategies?
1. Customer Focused Approach: This will always be a lesson as it only becomes more of a priority for our team. Customer satisfaction is the most significant part of everything we do.
2. Team Cohesiveness and Culture: Hiring people that are not just good at their jobs, but also sync well with the people they will work with.
3. Adaptability: Changing direction where needed!
4. Continuous Learning: I’m always going to be learning… and that is a great thing!
5. Intuition and Data Combined: Trust numbers and trust your gut. They both matter.
How have these top five lessons from 2023 changed your outlook or approach for 2024?
Continuing to learn from the past and refine the formula… We are all very excited carrying these lessons into the new year.
In terms of innovation and adaptation, what’s one change you implemented in 2023 or plan to do in 2024 that you believe will be crucial for the future of your business?
One change we implemented towards the end of 2023 and into 2024 is utilizing sports spaces for more purposes, based on the demand we are seeing. For example, some spaces are being used for basketball, but not volleyball, futsal, pickleball, etc. Where we can, we will try to optimize spaces with our partners.
As a leader, how do you foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within your team or organization?
Hiring the right people is the first thing that comes to mind. An environment of continuous learning and improvement comes from within — from the top down and from the bottom up. The individuals on our team mesh so well together. When we hire, we include the people who will be interacting with the new hire, in the interview process. Having a cohesive team is the foundation in every way.
Looking at the broader industry landscape, what emerging trends do you think will be most influential in the coming year?
Similar to the change we’re making, the industry will learn towards using spaces for more purposes. We’re really seeing this now. Gyms will put in pickleball lines even if that was never the initial purpose, because there is demand for it.
If you and I were having a conversation one year from now, and we were looking back at the past 12 months, what specifically has to happen for you to be happy with your progress?
Same formula as last year, moving at a faster pace.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
Download the CatchCorner on the App Store and Google Play! And check out CatchCorner on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein, a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience as the Founder and CEO of multiple companies. He launched Choice Recovery, Inc., a healthcare collection agency, while going to The Ohio State University, His team earned national recognition, twice being ranked as the #1 business to work for in Central Ohio. In 2018, Chad launched [re]start, a career development platform connecting thousands of individuals in collections with meaningful employment opportunities, He sold Choice Recovery on his 25th anniversary and in 2023, sold the majority interest in [re]start so he can focus his transition to Built to Lead as an Executive Leadership Coach. Learn more at www.chadsilverstein.com
Jonathan Azouri: Lessons I Learned From Last Year To Take Our Organization to the Next Level in… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.