An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
You need to be passionate about your work — If you’re not passionate about your work, it’s going to be tough to succeed. You need to be willing to put in the hard work and dedication if you want to be a successful executive.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Mateen Motavaf. Mateen is the co-founder of SundaeSwap Labs, a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol. Mateen is responsible for SundaeSwap Lab’s branding, business growth, talent acquisition, and UI/UX design.
In his work as a healthcare advocate, Mateen has pioneered two non-profit organizations where he manages and leads 20 researchers across the United States, publishing scientific papers and meta-analyses on a biweekly basis. The non-profits he currently runs are the Type One Advocates and Chronic Illness Education and Prevention Association Movement. These organizations aim to support people with type 1 diabetes and chronic diseases. Mateen makes a fervent effort to raise awareness regarding chronic diseases. Mateen and his team give lectures based on scientific education and modern research that help people with chronic illnesses to improve their quality of life through articles, healthy recipes, and motivational stories.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us the story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I have always had the approach that a career path should be one that is motivated by passion and making a difference. I believe that my generation has been one that really supports this type of thinking; that you should find an industry where you are driven and then the success will come naturally. Therefore, in areas such as my education, I pursued options that would help me to establish a solid foundation for the areas in which I care deeply. Additionally, I enjoy finding new and innovative solutions to modern-day puzzles. So when I have had opportunities to branch out into entrepreneurial ventures, I have been open to them. My background as a student of medicine has played a large role in being able to start the two nonprofits in areas where I am excited to be making a difference. Diabetes affects so many individuals around the world, as well as chronic pain. It seems as though more and more younger people are struggling with chronic pain while trying to lead busy lives as students, parents, business owners, and more. I am happy to support these ones and any that are struggling with the issues involving chronic pain and illnesses.
My start with using DeFi protocols came towards the end of 2020. Quickly after being introduced, I knew that I wanted to build something that contributed to this space myself. I chose Cardano due to it being the perfect blockchain to support Decentralized Finance in a way that would be even more user-friendly. Thus, SundaeSwap Labs was born.
Can you share one of the major challenges you encountered when first leading the company? And what lesson did you learn from that?
When you have a part in founding a business or nonprofit, everything is a new experience for you. I learned much about running a business along the way. While I was certainly up for this challenge, I still learned many valuable lessons throughout the process. For instance, I learned how to find the right people to work with. As I perfected the art of really being able to explain my vision to others, it became easier to find those whose values aligned with my own.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The funniest mistake that I made when I was first starting out was probably the time when I almost forgot my own name as I was introducing myself to a potential investor. Sometimes you just get nervous and so laser-focused on what you are going to say about your venture, that your brain blocks out small bits of info that it thinks isn’t important at that moment, like my own name, I guess!
None of us is able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person you’re grateful to who helped you get to where you are? And can you share a story?
I’m grateful to my team of people who have been with me from the beginning. They are passionate about what we’re doing and are always willing to work hard. It is also very important to have a great group of mentors guiding you along the way. I will always be forever grateful to my mentors. I would also like to thank our investors who have faith in us and continue to support us. My family and friends have been great sources of support. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have today.
As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?
First, having a diverse team allows for different perspectives and ideas to be heard. This can help the company make better decisions and grow in a more holistic way. Second, a diverse team reflects the community that the company is serving. It’s important for companies to be aware of and represent the diversity of their customers or clients. Finally, it is more likely to be successful in the long run. A recent study found that companies with more diverse executive teams are more profitable and have a higher return on equity. So, having a diverse team is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also good for business. When choosing with whom you will be working, you should be focused on those that share your vision, both short and long-term. Companies that do not demonstrate equality and inclusion will no doubt fail to have the right ones working. The ones that are going to propel the company into the future and that deserve to be part of the company.
As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.
We need to be aware of the privilege that we all have. We need to listen to marginalized groups and learn from their experiences. We also need to take action. We can’t just talk about being inclusive and representative, we need to do the work to make it happen. This includes things like hiring a diverse team, creating an equal playing field, and giving back to the community. I think it’s important to start with small steps and gradually make more changes as we become more aware. As a business leader, I will always support equal pay as well. The pay you earn should be based on your ability to do your job, and nothing else. As someone who is working to improve the health industry through my nonprofits, I, unfortunately, see the very real and damaging effects that things like not having access to proper medical care can have on those that are being discriminated against face. I hope to be a big part in changing issues such as these. As a society we should not stand for anyone receiving less than adequate healthcare.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words, can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?
An executive is responsible for the overall success of the company. They make sure that the company is heading in the right direction and that all departments are working together towards common goals. They also oversee the financials of the company and make sure that it is profitable. Essentially, they are setting the tone for the whole company culture.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?
One is that you have to be ruthless and cutthroat in order to succeed. Another is that you have to be Ivy League-educated. I think both of these myths are damaging because they scare people away from pursuing these careers. The reality is that there are a lot of different paths to becoming a CEO or executive, and you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be passionate about your work and be willing to put in the hard work.
What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?
There are a lot of long hours and a lot of responsibility, but it’s also very rewarding to see your company grow and succeed. I am also excited to see that the things I am accomplishing can make a big difference. Of course, you always want to make a difference and hope that you will, but actually seeing it and experiencing that you can have a far-reaching effect on people, is amazing.
Do you think everyone is cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?
I don’t think everyone is cut out to be an executive. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. You also need to be able to manage people and make tough decisions. I think it’s important to be humble and willing to learn. You also need to have thick skin because you’re going to face a lot of criticism.
What advice would you give to other business leaders to help create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?
I would advise business leaders to be transparent and honest with their employees. They should also be willing to listen to feedback. I think it’s important to create a culture where employees feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas. I remember having a job as a teenager where the work environment was not the best. I would see coworkers that were run down and not at all excited about their jobs. It came as no surprise to me when that establishment was shut down. You need to treat your employees well if you want to succeed.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I think it’s important to give back to the community. I’m involved with a lot of charities and I try to donate money and time whenever I can. With my business and nonprofits, I also aim to help as many as possible, especially when it comes to bringing things into the hands of those that may never have been able to experience them before.
Fantastic. Here is the primary question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
1. It’s going to be a lot of work — I think this is the biggest surprise for most people. The hours are long and the job is demanding, but it’s also very rewarding.
2. Be prepared to make tough decisions — As a CEO or executive, you’re going to have to make a lot of tough decisions. Sometimes you’re going to make the wrong decision, but you have to be willing to take risks and learn from your mistakes.
3. You need to be passionate about your work — If you’re not passionate about your work, it’s going to be tough to succeed. You need to be willing to put in the hard work and dedication if you want to be a successful executive.
4. You’re going to face a lot of criticism — As a CEO or executive, you’re going to face a lot of criticism. You need to have thick skin and be prepared to take it in stride.
5. It’s important to give back to the community — I think it’s important to give back to the community and support charities. I also think it’s important to hire people from marginalized groups and give them a chance to succeed.
So, you are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would enhance people’s lives in some way, what would it be? You never know what your idea could trigger.
I would like to see a movement where people are more conscious about their spending and saving habits. I think it’s important for people to be aware of the importance of financial literacy and how it can help them in the long run. Educating people on the different aspects of finance can help them make better financial decisions for themselves and their families.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the best.” This is a quote by John D. Rockefeller and I think it’s important to remember this whenever you’re making a big decision. You need to be willing to sacrifice short-term gratification for long-term success.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Someone that I admire, whom I would enjoy having a great conversation with, would be Thom Scher. We have some common interests as Thom is the CEO of Beyond Type 1. Beyond Type 1 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to redefining what it means to live with diabetes. Beyond Type 1 is uniting the worldwide diabetes community through platforms, initiatives, resources, and grants in order to provide solutions now.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Mateen Motavaf Of SundaeSwap: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.