Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas - the Rainforest podcast

Join Al Del Degan as he welcomes Saboor Meherzad, a serial entrepreneur whose inspiring journey from Kabul, Afghanistan, led him to found Grow Easy Solution. Saboor shares how his company is revolutionizing the restaurant and hospitality sectors by automating critical operational tasks. Discover his strategic pivot from offering marketing services to developing a robust SaaS platform, GroEasy OS, which tackles the pervasive issues of paper-based checklists, lack of real-time visibility, and inconsistent equipment maintenance. Learn about the crucial support from the AWS startup program that enabled their rapid development, his collaborative entrepreneurial partnership with his wife, and his philosophy on building a strong foundational product. Saboor's dedication to solving tangible problems for businesses shines through as he outlines future enhancements, including digitized equipment maintenance schedules and chemical safety protocols, all aimed at enhancing efficiency, safety, and compliance across multiple locations.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!

HOST

Al Del Degan

From software developer to serial entrepreneur and executive, Al Del Degan has built a career focused on innovation. Grounded in a computer science education, his experience across technical, analytical, and management roles gives him a rare 360-degree view of what it takes to scale a technology business. He actively applies this perspective by building ventures designed to solve critical industry gaps and fostering the next generation of tech talent. As a recognized leader within Calgary’s innovation ecosystem, his work consistently focuses on strengthening the community and creating new opportunities for growth.

GUEST

Saboor Meherzad

Saboor Meherzad is the Founder and CEO of GrowEasy Solutions, a Canadian technology startup building AI-powered operational management solutions to help small and medium-sized businesses work smarter, improve accountability, and scale with confidence. With over a decade of experience across technology, telecommunications, project management, retail, and hospitality operations, Saboor brings a unique perspective to solving everyday business challenges. His career includes roles at TELUS, Shopify, and BC Place, giving him firsthand experience with both frontline operations and enterprise technology delivery. He holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and a bachelor's degree from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, along with PMP, Certified ScrumMaster, and ITIL certifications. Through GrowEasy OS, Saboor and his team are building tools that help businesses manage daily operational checks, verify completed work, resolve issues, and improve shift handoffs. While initially focused on restaurants and hospitality, the platform is designed to support operational execution across multiple industries. Saboor was named the winner of the 2026 SFU Idea Prize and represented Canada as a delegate at the 2026 G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance Summit in Vienna. His entrepreneurial journey reflects a commitment to practical innovation, responsible AI, and making enterprise-level operational capabilities accessible to smaller businesses.

LINKS & RESOURCES

1. Grow Easy Solutions
2. AWS Startup Program

SHOW QUOTES

"Although it has taken us longer but we see that if we build it strong initially, the foundation is strong. As we scale we will be able to bring on more features, and we won't have to spend more time or effort in having to do rework."

"We're helping them with automating it and then also providing them the visibility that they currently don't have across multiple locations."

"The feedback that he provided me was to just basically go and focus on customers. Before building anything, see if there's-- they would actually would like to pay."

CREDITS

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

Sponsor: New Idea Machine Inc.