About
Operator.
Photographer.
Montreal, 2024
Before I build anything, I slow down and look at what's actually there. The data point that doesn't quite fit. The workflow that'll break at scale. The light that's almost right but not quite. Most mistakes I've seen — in business and on a roll of film — come from skipping that step.
I've spent six years at Series B startups in Montreal and New York, doing the work that actually moves the needle — the SQL queries, the dashboards, the CRM migrations, the processes that scale with the business instead of breaking under it. The goal is always the same: give the business a clear picture of itself so it can make better decisions and grow without things falling apart.
I shoot on film. Portra 400, mostly. What I like about it is that you can't be lazy. You have 36 frames, they cost money, and once you click you can't undo it. So you actually stop and think before you shoot. Then you drop off the roll and wait a few days to see the results. That gap between taking the photo and seeing it — I actually enjoy that part. It keeps you honest.
I also co-founded 961 Collective, a non-profit that raised funds for NGOs in Lebanon. It taught me a lot about doing real work with limited resources and people who care.
I speak English, French, and Arabic — which comes in handy more often than you'd think. I've called Beirut, Montreal, and New York home at different points, and I'm not sure I'd have it any other way.
Want to get in touch? marwan.sultani@gmail.com