The future of work and gig economy, with Ashik Ahmed, Deputy
Aug 30, 2020
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Ashik Ahmed, founder and CEO at Deputy, shares his journey as an immigrant and the advantages it brings in entrepreneurship. He discusses the challenges faced by shift workers and introduces Deputy, an app simplifying shift work. He also talks about his experience with venture capital partners, emphasizing the importance of finding alignment with investors who care about the company's mission.
Deputy's shift from an enterprise-focused model to a product-led growth approach has driven its success and attracted a larger customer base.
Finding venture capital partners who believe in the company's vision and provide support, wisdom, and guidance is crucial for building a successful startup like Deputy.
Deep dives
Simplifying Shift Work Management
Deputy is a software app that simplifies shift work management for both employees and managers. It allows employees to easily manage their schedules, swap shifts, and communicate with colleagues. Managers can use Deputy to schedule and roster employees, track time and attendance, and ensure accurate payroll. With over 250,000 businesses worldwide using Deputy, the app has gained traction in various industries, addressing the complexities of shift work management.
The Journey of Ashik Ahmed, Founder and CEO
Ashik Ahmed, the founder and CEO of Deputy, has a compelling background. He migrated from Bangladesh to Australia at a young age, faced hardships as an immigrant, and worked as a shift worker himself. His experience in a military boarding school instilled discipline and perseverance in him, qualities that have influenced his role as an entrepreneur. Ashik's journey with Deputy started when he built a system for employee feedback, which led him to identify the pain points of shift work management. This realization motivated him to develop a product that would revolutionize the way businesses handle shift work.
The Importance of Product-Led Growth
Deputy's success can be attributed to its shift from an enterprise-focused model to a product-led growth approach. By making the software self-serviceable and user-friendly, Deputy simplified the onboarding process and attracted a larger customer base. The company's emphasis on user experience and continuous simplification has driven its growth and helped it become a trusted solution for businesses worldwide.
Navigating Challenges, Partnerships, and Investment
Building a company like Deputy hasn't come without its challenges. Ashik highlights the importance of perseverance and continuous learning as an entrepreneur. He emphasizes the significance of partnering with investors and venture capitalists who share a genuine passion for the company's mission. Ashik's experience with OpenView and Square Peg Capital reaffirmed the value of finding partners who believe in the company's vision and who will provide support, wisdom, and guidance in addition to investment capital.
On today's episode, we hear from Ashik Ahmed, the founder and CEO at Deputy. Deputy is used by 200k workplaces worldwide, and was founded to solve a problem affecting over two thirds of the world’s working population who are hourly workers or shift workers: workforce management.
Ashik shares some of his greatest lessons: why the "immigrant mindset" means saying yes, how product-led growth forces a productive customer-centric approach to building high-growth companies, how Ashik chooses his venture capital partners, advice he'd give to new and early founders.