In this episode, Akeed Azmi, co-founder of Cercli, shares his journey from working at industry giants like Careem and Kitopi to launching his own venture focused on solving payroll and global team management issues for MENA businesses. Akeed discusses the problem he identified twice—first at Careem and then again at Kitopi—and how it led to the creation of Cercli. His experience navigating the challenges of payroll management in a fast-growing market shaped his determination to build a solution that automates back-office work, reducing errors and ensuring compliance. He also reveals the key insights that have driven Cercli’s rapid growth, including the importance of a customer-first mindset and leveraging strong networks to secure early customers and investors. Akeed explains how Cercli replaces legacy systems and delivers a streamlined, localized platform for MENA businesses with teams worldwide. Key takeaways: - Repeated exposure to the same problem in different companies led to the creation of a valuable solution. - Early-stage startups should focus on customer pain points and build solutions based on real-world feedback. - Building a strong network of relationships helps unlock opportunities for growth and partnerships. - Trust is crucial when handling sensitive data, especially in industries like payroll and HR. - Product development should be fast and focused on solving immediate customer needs without over-engineering. Chapters: 00:00 Akeed Azmi, co-founder of Cercli 02:30 Identifying the Payroll Problem at Careem and Kitopi 03:15 Meeting Co-Founder, MVP, Customer Discovery 11:38 Challenges in the Early Stages of Building Cercli 14:55 Reflecting on Past Experiences 19:03 A Social Founder, Networking, and Securing Investment 26:06 Navigating a Raise and Application to YC 36:01 Shipping Fast and Always Delivering 37:39 Customer Obsession and Product Differentiation 40:35 Future Growth for Cercli and MENA Focus 46:07 Biggest Scaling Challenges 49:36 Future Hiring Plans for Cercli