Kareem Azees

Head of Marketing

Bio

Kareem Azees is the Head of Marketing at ResQ, a platform designed to streamline repair and maintenance operations for restaurants. With over nine years of experience in building growth teams and scaling SaaS products, Kareem specializes in creating compelling marketing narratives and taking a data-driven approach to marketing strategies.

Kareem Azees is the Head of Marketing at ResQ, a platform designed to streamline repair…

Company:

ResQ

Location:

Greater Toronto Area, Canada

Description:

ResQ is a technology platform that assists restaurants in managing their repair and maintenance needs efficiently. By providing a centralized system, ResQ allows restaurant operators to submit, manage, and pay for repairs while ensuring high-quality work through a curated vendor marketplace. The platform aims to reduce maintenance costs and downtime, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency for restaurants.

ResQ is a technology platform that assists restaurants in managing their repair and maintenance needs…

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Conversation
Highlights

Welcome to Marketing From the Front Lines, where we have unfiltered conversations with the B2B marketers who are bringing innovative technology to market. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Kareem Azees, Head of Marketing at ResQ, a restaurant technology platform that’s raised over $40 Million in funding.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

From Growth Hacking to Full-Fledged Marketing: Kareem’s journey into marketing started with a childhood fascination with online gaming communities and eventually led to a career through a growth hacking internship.
Marketing’s Blend of Creativity and Analytics: Kareem highlights how marketing satisfies both the creative and analytical sides of his skillset, a blend that drives his passion for the field.
B2B Marketing in Crowded Markets: Kareem points to companies like ClickUp as great examples of how to succeed in competitive spaces by executing across multiple channels and leveraging creativity.
ResQ’s Core Value Proposition: ResQ helps restaurants streamline repair and maintenance processes, solving critical operational issues such as equipment breakdowns that impact sales, customer experience, and brand reputation.
Scaling with Upper SMB Customers: ResQ targets restaurant groups with 5-100 locations, providing them with the tools to expand efficiently into new markets by sourcing qualified vendors without needing boots on the ground.
Marketing for an Offline Audience: Kareem explains how ResQ’s marketing approach focuses on in-person events and nurturing leads over time through newsletters, as their target audience—restaurant operators—aren’t always online.

Actionable
Takeaways

Leverage Events for an Offline Audience:

If your target customers aren’t online, like ResQ’s restaurant operators, in-person events can be a powerful channel for building relationships. Kareem’s team meets prospects at industry events, gathers contact lists, and nurtures those leads through follow-up marketing like newsletters. For companies targeting offline audiences, this tactic provides a direct line to decision-makers.

Tailor Your Marketing Channels to Your Audience’s Behavior:

Kareem highlights how paid advertising, which worked well at his previous company in sales tech, didn’t yield the same results at ResQ. Understanding the specific habits of your audience is key. If your customers aren't online, don’t waste resources on digital ads. Instead, focus on where your audience spends time and optimize your strategy for those channels.

Use Freelancers to Scale Efficiently:

With a small marketing team of three, Kareem relies on a network of freelancers to execute key tasks, from PR to web design. By outsourcing specialized work, ResQ can remain agile and scalable without the overhead of full-time hires. This flexible approach helps smaller teams get more done without straining resources.

Focus on Consistent Content Creation:

Kareem emphasizes the importance of consistently delivering high-quality content to the market. Whether through newsletters or educational resources, staying top-of-mind with potential customers ensures your brand remains relevant. Even if prospects aren’t ready to buy immediately, a steady content stream nurtures the relationship for when the time is right.

Prioritize Quick Wins in a New Role:

When starting a new role, Kareem advises finding a quick win in your first 90 days to build credibility. This could be improving the conversion rate on a key page, like a demo request form. Achieving an early success builds trust within the organization and provides momentum for future initiatives.