85. "Don't be afraid of the tech," lessons from a non-technical founder

Nasi Rwigema doesn't have a background in software, but that didn't stop him from building his tech platform: Umwuga, a social network for blue collar workers in South Africa. To his surprise, he found that figuring out what people want is much harder than learning about tech.

Nasi is one of Sophia's students from London Business School. He took her course three years ago, and used his knowledge, network and resilience to build his platform.

If you have an idea for a tech venture, as a founder or a corporate innovator, or you want to invest in tech businesses, but don't have a tech background, this episode is for you.

Learning notes from this episode:

• "Don't be afraid of the tech and don't let not having a tech person hold you back," says Nasi. "Instead, focus on the customer and the problem you are solving."
• Show traction from the start. This doesn't necessarily mean revenue or explosive user growth. It means doing whatever you can to solve the problem for the customer.
• Outsourcing is a great way to build your product. Your needs will change as you grow, and a good product studio will be able to help you scale up your team. For advice on how to hire great product teams, get Sophia's e-book: How To Hire Your Product Team & Go From Idea To App: The Non-Technical Founder's Guide

To learn the core concepts Nasi learnt from Sophia to build his business, join this FREE class:

Break Into Tech: Masterclass For Non-Technical Founders

 

Join the Tech for Non-Techies membership community. As a community member, you'll get:

• Monthly coaching with Sophia Matveeva
• Live masterclasses with global experts
• Supportive Online Community
• Library of masterclasses
• Exclusive Resources & Perks

Learn more and sign up at https://www.techfornontechies.co/membership

 

Say hi to Sophia on Twitter.

Following us on Facebook and Instagram will make you smarter.