Engineering Growth: Scaling a Business with Sanity and Purpose

How do you build a billion-dollar business and a life that doesn’t burn you out? At this Friday Coffee Meetup, fintech founder and growth strategist Chris Karageuzian shares the journey behind co-founding Help With My Loan—an AI-powered lending platform that scaled to over $1B in volume and was acquired in a 7-figure deal. But the real insights came during what he calls his “second startup”—rebuilding his life after a year marked by a near-death experience with COVID, divorce, and single fatherhood. In this candid and practical session, Chris reflects on the systems and strategies that helped him not only scale businesses but also reset and rebuild with clarity. He’ll explore the role of: 🤖 AI – using smart tools to reduce burnout and scale with precision 🔁 Automation – building consistency into growth 🧠 Mindset & Performance Psychology – why personal resilience is a business advantage **About the Speaker:** Chris Karageuzian is a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic advisor with over two decades of experience in real estate, banking, lending, and fintech. He’s held leadership roles at institutions like Chase, US Bank and Wells Fargo, and built high-performing teams across multiple industries. Today, through his work at Chris Alchemy Consulting, he helps founders and growth-stage businesses integrate mindset, systems, and smart technology to drive sustainable success. **🕣 Doors open at 8:15 AM \| Talk begins at 8:30 AM** **☕ Come early for coffee from Rosebud Coffee & networking!** This session is for founders, sales leaders, and anyone looking to grow more intentionally—without losing themselves in the process. Presented by: Echo-Factory & Innovate Pasadena Co-hosted by: CALE at Caltech