Go Against the Grain: Interview with Zain Jaffer, Co-Founder of Vungle

I recently went one-on-one with Zain Jaffer, co-founder and former CEO of Vungle, which was acquired by Blackstone for $780 million. Zain started his first company at the age of 14 and currently invests across real estate and venture capital as CEO of Zain Ventures and Partner at Blue Field Capital.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Zain: Thanks for having me, Adam! My journey really kicked off with Vungle, and it’s been quite a ride. My co-founder and I were the underdogs when we joined our incubator and moved to the US. We didn’t have great technical skills like a lot of the other teams, who mostly had strong backgrounds in coding and development. Honestly, that had to be among the most intimidating and demoralizing periods in my life. But we eventually learned to lean into our resourcefulness and found ways to tackle challenges creatively.

It was a lot of trial and error, but through sheer grit and determination, we ended up finding our groove and ultimately became one of the most successful companies in that batch. I still carry the instincts of scrappiness from all those hectic years.

After Vungle’s exit, I found myself reflecting on what I wanted to do next. It became clear to me that I wanted to give back and make a real difference in people’s lives. This realization led me to explore philanthropic work, which I now do through the Zain Jaffer Foundation.

You know, looking back, every step of my journey has shaped not only how I think about business, but more importantly, what it means to be successful. I’ve come to realize that true success is more about the difference you make in other people’s lives, big or small. That’s what keeps me motivated as I move forward—I want to chase opportunities that really uplift the people I connect with.

Adam: How did you come up with your business idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas? 

Zain: Vungle was a video production company when we started. We were making videos for clients but quickly realized we were only getting paid once per project. That led us to ask ourselves, how can we get paid multiple times for the same content?

We thought, “What if these videos could be used as ads?” That was when we started looking for platforms where these ads could run, but we ran into a lot of challenges with existing options like YouTube. There wasn’t a good solution for mobile video ads, so we decided to build our own platform. That’s how Vungle began its redirection.

My advice for others looking to come up with great ideas is to start by identifying a pain point or gap in the market, something you’ve experienced firsthand. Often, the best ideas come from trying to solve your own problems. And don’t be afraid to pivot—our original business wasn’t scalable, but by thinking bigger and asking the right questions, we discovered a whole new opportunity.

Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?

Zain: Knowing Vungle was worth pursuing came from listening closely to our earliest customers. Their enthusiasm lit a fire in me. I recommend getting out there and testing your idea as soon as possible. Create a minimum viable product and share it with your target audience. Their feedback is gold. Iterate based on what you hear, and fine-tune as necessary. Sometimes, the market will tell you things you didn’t even consider!

Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?

Zain: One of the biggest factors in growing Vungle was hiring the right people. Building a strong team is essential because you can't scale a business on your own. We focused on finding people with the right skills and fit into the culture we were trying to create.

Another key step was raising venture funding. Securing the right investors gave us the resources to scale quickly, but more than just the capital, we found partners who provided guidance and opened doors for us in the industry.

We also took the time to create structural processes that allowed us to scale smoothly. As we grew and onboarded more people, we realized the importance of writing things down. It’s easy to lose consistency when your team is expanding quickly, so documenting everything became crucial to keeping everyone aligned.

For anyone looking to take their business to the next level, I’d recommend focusing on those three things: hire strategically, find the right investors, and put systems in place early to handle growth.

Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips? 

Zain: Know your audience inside and out. Create messaging that speaks directly to their needs and aspirations. Use storytelling to connect on an emotional level—people remember stories far more than statistics. I also believe in the power of authenticity. When your team shares genuine experiences, it resonates with customers. Lastly, don’t underestimate the impact of partnerships; they can amplify your reach and open doors you didn’t even know existed.

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Zain: Effective leaders need vision and empathy. You have to inspire with a clear vision and adjust when things don’t go as planned. Empathy is equally important — understanding your team’s motivations and challenges helps them perform better. When people feel heard and valued, they thrive.

To level up as a leader, I think it’s important to focus on self-awareness. Reflect on your decisions, learn from mistakes, and seek feedback. And don’t forget to delegate. You can’t do everything yourself, and empowering others lets you focus on the bigger picture.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams? 

Zain: Effective leaders are those who can blend empathy with decisiveness. They listen actively and make their teams feel valued. To elevate your leadership skills, seek feedback from those around you. Be open to vulnerability; it builds trust. I’ve found that mentorship can be transformative—find mentors who inspire you and challenge your thinking. Leadership is a journey, not a destination, so embrace the learning process.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders? 

Zain: Embrace discomfort, because growth often lies outside your comfort zone. Two, be adaptable. Adaptability is indispensable in today’s fast-paced world, so keep an eye on trends and be ready to evolve. And most importantly, give back. Whether through mentorship or philanthropy, find ways to uplift others. It not only enriches your life but also creates a ripple effect of positive change.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Zain: I can’t even begin to tell you how many different variations of the line “Hire experienced leaders” I heard when I was still building my startup. But the best business advice I ever received is the exact opposite. It came from a VP at Google — technically a competitor at the time — who told me that because we were in such a new space, junior people with lots of potential and talent were a better choice because they didn’t have the baggage of big companies.

It reaffirmed my intuition from the very start that we couldn’t win by trying to do what larger companies do. Instead, we should embrace our position as a startup and fight on our own terms.

In a way, that gave me a sense of permission to trust my instincts and ignore canned advice that didn’t apply to our specific challenges. It really drove home the idea that sometimes, the best move is to go against the grain. 

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Zain: I’d just like to emphasize the importance of impact in whatever you pursue. Whether in business, passion, or philanthropy, making a difference in people’s lives is incredibly rewarding. It’s what motivates me in my investments and the work of the Zain Jaffer Foundation. Thank you for this opportunity, Adam—I’m excited to see how others can turn their visions into reality!


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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