The Way Forward
The Way Forward
Anuj Singh-Sahni
S4/E5: How Customer Obsession Builds Winning Teams (Mahesh Muralidhar - 1st Head of People Operations at Canva)
57 minutes Posted Nov 12, 2025 at 8:00 pm.
Welcome, Sponsor, And Guest Setup
Mahesh’s Global Journey Into Recruitment
Tokyo Hustle And Early Career Lessons
MBA, GFC Shock, And Strategy Disillusion
Founder Stories, Hustle, And Tintams Pitch
Joining Canva: Hypergrowth From 25 To 4,000
Founder Intentionality And Culture By Design
Inspiring Teams Through Incentives And Mission
B2B vs B2C: Timelines, Moats, And Morale
Navigating AI Shifts And Going Global
Leadership Debt: Define, Manage, And Reduce
Commercial People Ops And Type Two Thinking
Leading Across Cultures And Local Nuance
Surviving Downturns And Killing Empire Building
Entering India, China, Indonesia: Local Partners
Product Fit Changes And Team Conviction
High-Growth Reality: Change As The Constant
Choosing Startups: Grapple With Your Why
Phase One: Community, Playbook, And US-First
Closing Thoughts And Sponsor Thanks
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Show notes
What does it actually take to go from 25 people to 4,000 without losing the plot? We sit down with Mahesh to unpack the gritty, unvarnished truths behind hypergrowth at Canva, the real timelines for B2B vs B2C, and why customer obsession—not headcount, perks, or flashy decks—decides whether a company wins. Mahesh walks us through his unconventional path: international recruitment hustle, Tokyo deal-making, an MBA wake-up call during the GFC, a startup built on persistence (and a pack of cook...