On intersectional entrepreneurship and employee engagement

Karim is a founder and entrepreneur who wears multiple hats: storyteller, facilitator, and consultant who embeds DEI, systemic change principles and communications into employee engagement strategies. Passionate about stories, DEI, and change, he brings a human-centered approach that strives to create spaces where every voice is heard and valued. 

"I grew up telling stories but didn’t know what power those hold. Then I studied the impact of stories on the world, through critical media, (pop) culture, and the impact of media and culture on how we see ourselves and engage with our identity. I wanted to learn to use those storytelling powers to connect with people, to create a safe space, and allow people to be themselves as I learned more about myself and what it means to be different. I wanted to put that to good use."

With origins in Cairo, Egypt, he moved to the Netherlands six years ago and started calling Rotterdam his home.

“Rotterdam is known as a place where things happen—that’s even the city’s motto, ‘Make it happen.’ It’s a place in constant transformation. The city’s make-up is constantly changing with new buildings, initiatives, and stories. I think that embodies the transformation that I go through every day. Every experience, every client, every facilitation, every story, every person that I meet colors my approach and makes me a better consultant, facilitator, and storyteller.”

Years of Exploration

Karim’s entrepreneurial journey ignited during his Bachelor years already. In those times of exploring and building a foundation, he went on a self-discovery journey that was marked by his passion for storytelling and communications.

"My first three years in the Netherlands, when I studied my Bachelor’s, were marked by exploration. I was finding myself while constantly learning by doing. That’s also what my first two businesses were about—trying things out, driven by creativity and passion, but still learning about business strategy and what it takes to build a team. Those were the years I had the most fun, but also knew the least about what it takes to grow a business. I look back at these years fondly, they shaped me conceptually. A lot of the principles and information I was exposed to at the time shape how I think to this day."

The Systemic Change Era

As he stepped out of the university halls, Karim had a life-changing encounter with systemic change. He didn’t know it then, but systemic change has been influencing his entrepreneurial journey by providing a framework to blend his passion for storytelling and communications with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

“I was exposed to systemic change—something that I never ever thought in a million years I would do. I had no idea what it was. I used to think of myself as purely a storyteller and communicator. That was so essential to my identity. It’s funny when you look at me now—I talk a lot more about DEI and systemic change, and this is now more central to me than storytelling and communications.

Learning about systemic change changed my life. It gave me a toolbox to translate the impact of my stories and utilize them for connections in ways I didn’t think were possible.” 

The systemic change ‘era’ that he was stepping into stretched Karim’s mind in terms of what he thought he could do. He realized that he could become a ‘safe space’ for people, that he could help organizations transform for the better by being himself, asking the right questions and bringing the right knowledge and resources in.

This is also when Karim started working with reputable organizations such as Erasmus University Rotterdam or TechLeap, and when his entrepreneurial journey really started maturing. He established and defined his unique approach of working at the intersection of DEI, systemic change, and communications. 

“I got to keep exploring how I want to work at the intersection of the two worlds I discovered. It didn't have to be just systemic change, just DEI, or just storytelling and communications. The fact that I have a foot in each of them is what makes me unique.”

The Wheels of Impact: A Brand True to Its Founder

The objective

With the Wheels of Impact, Karim wants create inclusive workspaces where employees not only feel valued but also create value. With his human-centered approach, Karim has the unique ability to show how stories and communities can truly transform organizations for the better. 

“I want to show the world that a damn good community and damn good stories can transform your organization. And that using those soft skills matter, they are vital to the survival of your teams.”

When asked what he wants to achieve with the Wheels of Impact, he simply answered: 

“Not to be cheesy, but I want to make the world a better place. I want to show that storytelling and the ‘soft’ side of business, as some people call it, has merit and value. This is for all the little boys and girls who were told they were too gentle or too creative. For the ones who were excluded because of their intersecting identities.”

The name

Karim officially launched The Wheels of Impact in October 2024, but the idea has been around for longer than that. After exploring different brands and names, such as the DEI Oracle, he came across something that he felt was truly defining who he is. 

“I initially wanted to stay away from the idea of wheels, given that I am in a wheelchair. I didn’t want it to define me. But I realized that I can only do my best work when I embody a brand that is authentic to my purest sense of self. I didn’t want to reduce my identity to my flashiness and colourfulness. I am deeper than that. The wheels symbolize who I truly am beyond the shiny sparkly cover."

The services

We are here to turn 'just a workplace' into 'the workplace to be' through inclusive employee engagement. We are showing the world that with the right approach to employee engagement, we can go beyond recruitment metrics and create lasting change that shows. 

1. Training and development

We help you inspire and engage your team with flexible workshops, inspiration sessions, and L&D programs.

2. Employee engagement strategies and execution

We help you foster teams where employees feel valued AND create value with an end-to-end engagement strategy.