Kareem the former Cisco systems engineer and current Lebanon-based hotelier on his family’s construction business, why he loves flying drones, and whether $450.3 million is enough to get someone out of the friend zone.

1:30 Kareem is going to start Thanksgiving in Lebanon and corner the turkey market. Then Kareem’s Turkeys will sponsor the Sup in Business podcast.

3:15 Kareem is part of Columbia Business School’s reknowned J-term program, which is full of attractive foreign billionaires and Italian consultants

5:15 The Cluster is a group of 70 people that drink together and travel together. 

6:15 Neil gets SO triggered

9:00 Kareem was a systems engineer at Cisco before business school.

12:00 Kareem left Lebanon in 2006 during the war to transfer to Tufts University.

13:45 Kareem’s family has a contracting business in Lebanon, which was founded in 1966. Contracters are not developers. Contractors come in, build, and leave. They are hired by developers.

14:45 Kareem’s grandfather moved to Lebanon with nothing - he was forced out of Syria at gunpoint.

17:00 Kareem currently is working on an eco-tourism project (in Lebanon’s Chouf region) which opened up on September 1st. www.bkerzay.com

18:00 Kareem is from a small, religious minority called the Druze, that exist in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel

21:00 Did Kareem leave business school with a special someone?

21:15 She fell for him after she saw his CBS matters, a 45-minute powerpoint presentation he made about himself. This is why J-term is dangerous. Too charming.

23:30 Kareem loves drones. But before that, he loved GoPros. GoPros are a gateway drug.  Kareem got into drones before there were any rules.

26:00 In airports, the rules of civilization don’t apply

30:00 Kareem usually didn’t have trouble getting his drone into different countries…until Costa Rica.

32:00 Kareem discusses drone brands.

34:00 FYI WeWork is buying a wave pool company. That’s completely normal for an office leasing company.

37:45 Leonardo Da Vinci is IN! Huge auction.  Is $450.3 million enough to get someone out of the friendzone?

38:00 Wynwood in Miami is also in!

Audio credit: bensounds.com