252 Kajabi CEO Ahad Khan on Work-Life Integration, Values-Driven Leadership, and the Future of the Creator Economy

THE SHOW

Ahad Khan, CEO of Kajabi, shares how his Midwestern roots shaped his approach to building software for “regular people,” his experiences navigating investment banking, startup acquisitions, and the creator economy. Ahad reveals his philosophy on people-first decision making, the power of work-life integration over balance, and why choosing character over compensation has been the thread connecting every major career move. The conversation explores the evolution of the creator economy, the challenges of remote leadership, and practical strategies for staying present as both a CEO and father of three.

Behind His Brilliance: Immigrant parents who modeled hard work, presence, and the courage to build a life around what matters most

Get the show notes here. 

TOPICS COVERED

·       Why pivoting early (or late) is worth it

·       Growing up in Northeast Ohio and the “regular people” advantage in tech

·       Why his father said “you can be any kind of engineer you want”

·       Investment banking culture in Chicago vs. New York stereotypes

·       The power of choosing people over compensation in career decisions

·       Early startup lessons and the importance of founder character

·       MileIQ: solving real problems for people who drive for work

·       Navigating Microsoft’s acquisition and cultural transformation under Satya Nadella

·       The bootstrap advantage: how 9 years without funding built Kajabi differently

·       Creator economy vs. entertainment: building sustainable businesses

·       The $6 billion paid out to Kajabi creators and the subscription vs. take-rate model

·       Transitioning from CFO to CEO and the weight of leadership

·       Work-life integration: taking kids to school as non-negotiable priority

·       Remote leadership strategies and building a documentation culture

·       Why human customer support beats automation every time

·       The hardest part of being CEO: communicating the “why” behind decisions

·       Redefining success: involved parent, good husband, teammates who like you

Behind Your Brilliance: What’s one decision you could make this week to better align your work life with your core values?