Welcome to MentorEd, real conversations for startup leaders in the making.
Co-hosted by Ed Roberto, a seasoned founder and executive, and Adel Hameed, a startup operator in the Middle East, this podcast brings two perspectives from two different worlds. In short, candid minisodes, Ed mentors Adel live and unscripted, tackling the messy realities of scaling, M&A, and leadership.
Built for builders, made for moments of doubt, and grounded in real experience.
Subscribe for sharp insights, one raw conversation at a time.
Minisode 32: How to Manage Difficult Conversations
"Look, I do have some constructive feedback for you... I don't want the answer right then and there because it will be likely emotional and defensive. I want them to go away and stew on that topic for a couple of days, and then let's sit down and have a conversation." - Ed Roberto
In this episode, Ed and Adel talk about:
How to properly vet a startup's culture in an interview by asking questions that go beyond salary and benefits.
The key behavioral questions every leader should ask to understand a candidate's true personality under stress.
A 3-step playbook for giving difficult, constructive feedback in a way that avoids defensiveness and builds trust.
Why a serious conversation deserves 100% of your undivided attention to be valuable.
Chapters / Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:50 - How to Spot Alarming Signs in a CEO During an Interview
02:30 - Going Beyond the Paycheck: What to Ask For in an Opportunity
03:20 - Probing Questions to Uncover a Startup's True Culture
05:20 - A Manager's Role: Ask Candidates Where They Want to Be in 3 Years
06:20 - Behavioral Questions to Ask to Understand a Candidate's Character
07:20 - How to Handle Receiving Constructive Criticism
08:30 - The Playbook: How to Give Difficult Feedback Effectively
10:30 - Why a Serious Conversation Demands 100% Attention
Listen, Watch & Follow:
🎧 Listen to The MentorEd Show on Spotify & other platforms: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NMOJapcl4JQUTsvTwfaUH?si=8108c9fb34b44cda
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unscripted lessons on building and scaling your business: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2gKrx_-cmCctiPxTrOUkKA
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mentor.ed.podcast/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mentored-show/
Learn More:
SAUS here: https://sausleadership.com/
Ed Roberto's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/ed-roberto
Adel Hameed's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/adel-hameed
The MentorEd Show is an A8 strategy Original Podcast.
3 Sept 2025
Minisode 31: The Art of Prioritization & Leading Up
"If the CEO says, 'Hey, we've gotta make this product enhancement today'...the first question anyone should ask...is 'Great. I understand what we need to do. I have two other projects on my plate that are due by this date. Are you okay if they're late?'" - Ed Roberto
In this episode, Ed and Adel talk about:
The delicate balance between a slow, hierarchical culture and a chaotic, debate-driven one.
Why does a CEO who makes every decision become a bottleneck that kills growth?
The critical skill of "leading up" and how to teach your team to manage conflicting priorities.
Why the most important asset in any business is not the idea or the money, but the people.
How to handle a "cocky" but talented employee and turn their confidence into a positive outcome.
Chapters / Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:50 - Does the Boss's New Task Always Come First?
02:20 - The Balance: Hierarchy vs. Chaos in Company Culture
04:00 - The CEO Bottleneck: Why You Must Empower Your Team
05:15 - The Framework for Prioritization and "Leading Up"
06:20 - Why You Must Get Comfortable with "Conscious Communication"
07:20 - The Problem with Founders Hogging the Limelight
09:20 - The Most Important Thing in a Business (It's Not the Idea)
13:00 - How to Handle a "Cocky" but Talented Employee
Listen, Watch & Follow:
🎧 Listen to The MentorEd Show on Spotify & other platforms: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NMOJapcl4JQUTsvTwfaUH?si=8108c9fb34b44cda
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unscripted lessons on building and scaling your business: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2gKrx_-cmCctiPxTrOUkKA
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mentor.ed.podcast/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mentored-show/
Learn More:
SAUS here: https://sausleadership.com/
Ed Roberto's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/ed-roberto
Adel Hameed's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/adel-hameed
The MentorEd Show is an A8 strategy Original Podcast.
27 Aug 2025
Minisode 30: The CEO's Mirror: A Guide to Building Team Trust
"As the CEO you, you need to start looking in the mirror and asking yourself, what are the behaviors that I bring to my business, my management team that holds us back? Because you could be the problem, certainly." - Ed Roberto
In this episode, Ed and Adel talk about:
Why a lack of team trust almost always starts with the CEO's own behaviors and mindset.
How to deal with the "smartest guy in the room"—the brilliant but toxic team member who destroys collaboration.
The dangers of relying too much on one "superstar" and how to use their success as a catalyst for the whole team.
A simple framework to empower your team: be clear on the "what" and "why," then get out of their way and let them own the "how."
Chapters / Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:45 - What is the root cause of a lack of team trust?
01:20 - It Starts With You: A CEO Must Look in the Mirror
02:10 - The "Smartest Guy in the Room" Problem
03:10 - The Michael Jordan Effect: Dangers of Relying on One Superstar
05:20 - A Leader's Guilt: When You're Too Bossy
06:30 - The CEO's Realization: "You Could Be The Problem"
07:50 - The Framework for Empowering Your Team
09:10 - How to Coach Your Team After a Big Win
Listen, Watch & Follow:
🎧 Listen to The MentorEd Show on Spotify & other platforms: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NMOJapcl4JQUTsvTwfaUH?si=8108c9fb34b44cda
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unscripted lessons on building and scaling your business: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2gKrx_-cmCctiPxTrOUkKA
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mentor.ed.podcast/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mentored-show/
Learn More:
SAUS here: https://sausleadership.com/
Ed Roberto's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/ed-roberto
Adel Hameed's Profile: https://www.a8innovation.com/our-team/adel-hameed
The MentorEd Show is an A8 strategy Original Podcast.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
4,394
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
56
Social presence
90
YouTube
68
Engagement
0
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