I didn't start my journey knowing I wanted to be a product builder. I just knew I liked solving problems, working with people, and building things that actually help. It started in university, where I was just curious — always saying yes to opportunities. That curiosity turned into leadership. That leadership turned into building.
From the beginning, I wasn't interested in making "just another app." I wanted to build something that mattered. That mindset shaped everything I've worked on — from social impact through Sani, to redefining the student experience with Rowad, and now pushing boundaries in the software development lifecycle with Cycle.
Lesson 1: Real problems are messy — and that's where the gold is.
When we started working on Cycle, we weren't chasing a trend. We were trying to solve a real pain we experienced: how fragmented and frustrating the BA and QA process can be. People underestimate how much time is wasted because of unclear requirements, disconnected tools, and missing context.
So we built Cycle not as a tool — but as a companion. Something that asks smart questions, connects dots, and guides you through the chaos. The impact? Teams move faster. Communication gets clearer. And quality becomes something you can actually trust.
Lesson 2: Empathy beats ideas.
One of the most important things I've learned — especially through Sani — is that you can't build great things in isolation. You need to listen, observe, and understand deeply. Sometimes we think the solution is obvious, but the people you're building for will always surprise you. The most useful features we've shipped came not from a brainstorming session, but from a conversation where someone casually said, "I wish I didn't have to do this manually every time."
That's the kind of sentence I live for. Because behind it is the real insight.
Lesson 3: Start before you're ready. Build before it's perfect.
I've led projects where we didn't have everything figured out. In fact, we never had everything figured out. But we showed up. We ran the hackathon. We launched the product. We met with the client. We learned on the go.
The truth is: perfect is the enemy of progress. You'll never know everything. But if you're willing to listen, adapt, and lead through uncertainty — you'll build things that move people.
Lesson 4: Impact is the metric that matters.
I've won hackathons, joined elite programs, and led amazing teams. But the real win? When someone tells me that something I built made their work easier, their learning faster, or their life better. That's the moment I know I'm on the right path.
Whether it was helping a student land a job through Sani, or seeing a product manager reduce QA cycles using Cycle — that's what I build for.
Final thoughts:
I'm still learning. Still building. Still figuring it out. But if there's one thing I'd tell anyone who wants to build — it's this:
Don't just chase ideas. Chase problems. And then build with care, empathy, and courage.
That's how you make things that last.