I growedtech startups.

Founder of Catalyst Creatives, a marketing studio for EdTech and alternative education.

Six years in. 15+ startups grown, 200K+ subscribers, and a handful of products I built because nobody else had.

Let’s talk See the work

I run a marketing studio.

Catalyst Creatives works with companies in education and alternative education. Positioning, websites, campaigns, and the systems underneath. A small number of clients a year, growth owned end to end.

A marketing studio for EdTech and alternative education companies. I take a small number of clients a year and own growth end to end: positioning, website, campaigns, and the automation underneath.

Visit Catalyst Creatives

Products I made because I wanted them to exist, and companies I helped grow.

CareerHackers

Zero to acquisition by Wasabi Ventures. Growth, brand, and the systems underneath.

Open

Praxis

Fifteen months through an acquisition, a migration and a rebuild. Read the case study.

Open

Second Read

A Chrome extension that captures any text on screen with local OCR, including text you can't highlight, and resurfaces it on your new tab.

Open

The Startup Career Compass

A weekly newsletter on building a career in startups. Every Tuesday.

Open

Content Creation

Writing and posting about startups, career building, learning and growth, alongside the life around it.

Open

AltEd Directory

220+ alternative education startups in the US, in one searchable place.

Open

People who have actually worked with me.

Joel Bein

Waris is a conscientious person who has the "it" factor when it comes to a 21st century mindset of creating value without waiting for permission. I appreciate his design skills, and admire his self-confidence while also being open to feedback and willing to learn. Grateful to get to work with him!

Chief of Content, CareerHackers