Dan Hakim joins Always Business Class to unpack how CUB grew from a premium members club into one of Australia’s most influential business communities. We talk work ethic, proximity, culture, systems for scaling networking, and the real travel hacks founders use, from points strategy to VIP airport shortcuts.

What happens when you “turn left” instead of following the obvious path?

We dive into the psychology of premium communities, why culture is the hardest thing to scale, and the two traits Dan believes every highly successful founder shares. We also go deep on travel: the comfort equation, status versus points, how business owners can use travel as a competitive advantage, and the “VIP airport” experiences that change the way you fly forever.

If you are building a business, craving better rooms and better people, or simply want smarter ways to travel while staying in founder mode, this one is for you.

Sponsors:

Join Flights Club: https://iflyflat.com.au/membership/
Accor Plus Explorer Membership: https://www.accorplus.com/explorer-membership/

Guest: Daniel Hakim

CUB: https://www.instagram.com/clubofunitedbusiness/

https://cub.club/

Daniel: https://www.instagram.com/the.danielhakim/

Key topics covered

How Dan’s upbringing overseas shaped CUB’s “premium club” DNA
Why CUB started without a rigid plan, and what it became once Dan listened to members
The reality of scaling a community: systems, intentionality, and maintaining culture
Why “the product is the members”, and what that means operationally
The role of pricing and eligibility in creating a high-trust, high-engagement room
Proximity, environments, and why location and relationships shape outcomes
The two traits Dan sees in every ultra-successful founder: work ethic + network
Travel as a business advantage: more in-person time, better deals, faster learning
Status vs points: when loyalty matters and when points win
Points strategy using business expenses and high-volume hospitality spend
Dan’s travel preferences: privacy, seat width, lounge quality, and comfort routines
VIP airport services and the shortcuts founders use to save time and friction
Bucket list travel, short trips, and why “waiting for two weeks” stops people travelling
Where Dan wants to take CUB next: global clubhouses and tiers for every stage

Chapters

00:00 Intro: Turning left and the business class mindset
00:47 Dan’s last 10 years and why CUB exists
03:00 The accidental pivot: from club to networking engine
05:15 “Just start”: how founders get stuck before they begin
07:23 The hardest part: scaling culture when members are the product
09:46 Relationship managers and “uncommon connections”
10:58 Proximity, environment, and why the right room changes everything
14:07 Travel as a competitive advantage for founders
17:31 The North Star: building the world’s largest business networking organisation
18:59 What travel means to Dan: privacy, comfort and airline choices
21:49 Status vs points and loyalty decisions
26:17 Memorable travel moments and VIP airport stories
31:35 Using points to unlock more travel and better business outcomes
36:30 Bucket list travel and why short trips matter
40:00 Hotel routines, tipping systems and getting looked after
43:51 How CUB and travel will fuse as it expands globally
47:23 Wrap and what’s next for CUB

CUB community, Dan Hakeem, premium networking Australia, business owners community, founders networking, leadership and culture, proximity and success, business class mindset, status vs points, points strategy for business owners, Virgin status, Singapore Airlines lounge, Emirates business class, VIP airport service, travel hacks for entrepreneurs, building community systems.

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