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Karen Farah, born and raised on Margarita Island, Venezuela, is the CEO and founder of the Melting Pot Studio, a tech firm dedicated to solving core business challenges through innovative, custom-built solutions. Farah oversees production pipelines, engages with clients across industries, and ensures the company stays agile and intentional in a fast-changing market. With a heritage rooted in her Syrian and Dominican family history, Farah embraces the “melting pot” philosophy, using diverse perspectives and capabilities to drive growth and tackle complex problems.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
I’m a civil engineer by profession, I exited my first company in construction-tech almost 10 years ago, we were doing regular residential and commercial projects but we were also pioneers in the VR tours for Real Estate even before Oculus was acquired by Meta which positioned us in the industry but even after this, I’d say my biggest accomplishment came afterwards. I went and got my MBA and instead of opening another business after finishing it, I went into 9-5s to expand my capabilities across other industries, I think being able to work in so many roles that then allowed me to fully transition into tech while also creating meaningful connections through these company’s resources and opportunities, is definitely my greatest accomplishment so far because it created the runway for me to have The Melting Pot Studio today.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
Thirty is still consider a young age so being able to mentor others is a blessing for me. Having people trust me for what I’ve gone through and have to share from a thought leadership perspective is something I never take for granted and also never thought I’d be in this position so early in my life which I take with all of the responsibility. This has also taught me the power in genuine connections and building community under any circumstances, giving support to others as well as receiving it. In addition to this, being in a position to help others at a mid-size scale, outside of mentoring others in the career, has made a huge impact in my life as well. Experiencing all of these as a collective has been my greatest personal accomplishment because it transcends across career, personal development, connections, and so on.
What do you do today to impact your community?
I advocate for all underrepresented communities so I’m currently a founder member of NYC Women in STEM where I mentor female entrepreneurs and operators in different industries and roles, all from different backgrounds. I do it because I believe in paying it forward and making the journey easy for others if I can, I’ve had amazing mentors myself and I’d like to make echo of a lot of what’s been conveyed to me. I feel proud and humbled to share my experience with other women in the space and empower them to keep innovating.
Also, through the Melting Pot Studio, we’re part of the Pledge 1% Program along with companies like Amazon, Reddit, Airbnb and Salesforce where we give 1 percent of out time, product, revenue and team towards supporting other organizations helping build tech equity for individuals in underrepresented communities. This is our core mission, in this rapid-changing pace we’re seeing in the industry, it’s only fair getting others prepared to adapt better and male better decisions, even pursue nee career paths that are more aligned with the current demand.
On the more personal side, I’m also a huge advocate for animals so I support and volunteer at local shelters here in the US but also support a lot of shelters back home in Venezuela. There are amazing organizations trying to accomplish a lot with very little given the current situation in the country; rescuing abandoned pets on the streets, sheltering and feeding them while also offering healthcare to those that need it. They’re doing the hard thing here and I admire them a lot so I try to help as much as possible.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself founding other ventures in other spaces but still growing the giving component that I align so strongly with. I see myself expanding internationally and building for other markets in the emerging tech vertical, opening doors for others to have a seat at the table. I see myself supporting the democratization of solutions for different segments of society and industries.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
Everything in our lives is turning to have some sort of overlap with the current emerging technologies so my purpose is to help create access to this knowledge and skills to all people in different levels of tech readiness. Education is power and if people know what they’re facing then they’ll know how to make the best decisions for themselves in a world that only moves faster, making a lot of people feel overwhelmed with all the new resources coming out every day. Having access to this knowledge, in context for the individual, would make them feel more ambitious than anxious during these times, in my opinion.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
I think when I decided to open my own venture again, and after working at so many other respected companies around, having managed so many teams of all levels of seniority, a lot of those people decidedto follow me and join my dream and help me grow it brick by brick. It taught me that I made impact through staying sharp, kind, compassionate and genuinely just leading by example.
Another point of validation for impact has been attracting a lot of important brands and personalities that want to work with me and us for the work we’ve done for others and it humbles me because validates the importance of good leadership.
What advice would 10-year-old you be shocked to hear you followed?
I’d be shocked but proud that I actually listened to my gut and moved to another country to expand. Even if Venezuela’s circumstances were (and are) not ideal, I come from a very hard-working family that blessed me with a comfortable life, access to education and everything I could ever need, so at the time I would have never thought of moving or building outside of my hometown. Looking at everything I’ve been able to accomplish coming from the tiny island I come from, my ten-year-old self would be very proud. I hope so!
What’s a cultural tradition that always brings you joy?
I was raised by my mom’s side of the family, which is Syrian, in Venezuela, so it was always a blessing to experience the merge of both cultures when it came to traditions. I’d say anything that involves food and family gatherings is my favorite. Something I noticed exists in Latino people and Middle Eastern people, is how warm and welcoming we are, we’re always building communities and supporting each other however we can so seeing this through the lens of both cultures, is always empowering.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
I love listening to “Mi Primer Millón” by Bacilos and also “These Words” by Natasha Bedingfield.
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