In the final episode of McGill Management Insights’ first season, host Marc Ransom (BCom’24) interviews Khaled Kteily (BCom’10), a McGill alumnus and CEO and co-founder of Legacy, a male fertility company. Khaled shares his journey from McGill to co-founding Legacy, highlighting the challenges and triumphs he faced along the way.
His journey as an entrepreneur first began when he arrived in Montreal to study at McGill after being forced to leave Lebanon in the face of the 2006 Lebanon War.
“I am a Palestinian-Lebanese Canadian and grew up between Lebanon and Canada,” he says. “I remember in 2006 was deciding between McGill and the American University of Beirut, which is, you know, probably the best school in the region. And then we had war break out. And so, you know, my brother and I were smuggled across the border to Syria to in the back of a taxicab and kind of escaped our way to Montreal.”
As a student, his goal was to make it into the management program, do well and make the most of every opportunity, and eventually, to work in consulting—all things he made happen.
“I have a lot of great memories. I was very involved with case competitions,” he says. “Professor [Richard] Donovan, may he rest in peace, came with us to Les jeux de commerce. We went to ICBC, we went to Georgetown. So, we were very involved. And actually, I honed a lot of my communication and presentation skills through case class, and it's a skill I carried with me for a very, very long time.”
After graduating with his Bachelor of Commerce, Khaled worked in healthcare consulting at Oliver Wyman before making the jump to entrepreneurship, driven by personal experience and a compelling idea. This led to the founding of Legacy, a company providing at-home sperm testing and storage services.
“Legacy was born out of a personal experience,” he explains. “I realized that male fertility is often overlooked, and there’s a stigma around discussing it. We wanted to create a safe space for men to take control of their reproductive health.”
Khaled emphasizes the importance of collaboration and advises aspiring entrepreneurs not to go it alone: “You need to have trusted people by your side.”
“Entrepreneurship is about resilience,” he says. “You’ll face setbacks, but it’s how you bounce back that matters. Surround yourself with a supportive network, and don’t be afraid to pivot when needed.”
Tune into this exciting season finale to learn all about the ups and downs of launching a startup, including fundraising rounds and trademark battles, and hear what’s next in store for the innovative enterprise and the bright young mind behind it!
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This episode was hosted by
Marc Ransom
BCom'24
