The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

What happens when a developer in Dubai decides to solve his own problem—and ends up building a 300M SKU e-commerce engine? In this episode, I speak with Rahul Swaminathan, the founder of Desertcart, one of the region’s most iconic tech-native e-commerce platforms.We dive deep into Rahul’s 11-year journey: from building Desertcart with Ruby on Rails and web crawlers to navigating logistics, AI, and expansion into new markets like India, Saudi, and Australia. He also shares why he resisted becoming a marketplace, how GenAI is reshaping logistics, and why curiosity might be the best startup fuel.💡 Key Takeaways • Build for yourself first — Rahul’s journey started with a personal frustration around product availability. • Scale follows pain — His obsession with solving delivery, logistics, and data issues led to organic growth. • Tech as a differentiator — From using Ruby on Rails to building proprietary warehouse systems, custom code was a moat. • E-commerce evolution — He breaks down how MENA has shifted from 10,000 SKUs online to a fully mature retail market. • AI is not just hype — Desertcart is already leveraging GenAI in supply chain and engineering.⸻📚 What You’ll Learn • How to identify scalable startup ideas from personal problems • The importance of founder-led engineering in early-stage ventures • Why building custom infrastructure (vs. off-the-shelf tools) gave Desertcart an edge • The layered evolution of e-commerce in MENA and why logistics still matters • The future of AI in e-commerce, from customer experience to supply chain👤 About the GuestRahul Swaminathan is the founder and CEO of Desertcart, a Dubai-based global e-commerce platform serving millions of users in the Middle East and beyond. With a background in computer science and a passion for solving real-world problems with code, Rahul bootstrapped the company from a personal pain point—lack of access to niche global products—to a tech-driven operation offering 300M+ products and operating across MENA, Asia, and parts of Europe and Oceania.https://www.desertcart.ae/🔍 Episode Highlights[00:02:00] – Why Desertcart started with magic tricks and niche hobbies[00:07:00] – Choosing Ruby on Rails and building the system solo[00:10:00] – Why Rahul avoided the marketplace model[00:14:00] – The 3 layers of modern e-commerce: instant, regional, and global[00:22:00] – How AI is already helping logistics and engineering at Desertcart[00:29:00] – Will AI replace coders? A nuanced view from a founder-engineer[00:35:00] – A philosophical look at how society may adapt to AI[00:38:00] – Rahul’s advice: follow your curiosity and start early

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Sondors, founder of Salesforge, to explore how AI is reshaping outbound sales, why traditional sales hiring models are broken, and how modular tools are empowering leaner, more efficient GTM motions. Frank shares his journey from Google to launching a multi-product startup that hit $3M ARR in just 12 months—without burning VC cash.Whether you’re a founder, sales leader, or tech operator, this episode breaks down the future of B2B sales and why AI agents like Agent Frank may be your next SDR hire.🎯 Key Takeaways • The myth of “more heads = more sales” — and what works instead • The rise of AI-powered SDRs and how Agent Frank works • Why modular systems beat super-apps for sales teams • The shift from labor-intensive CAC to automation-led CAC • How Salesforge built 6 products in 22 months with a lean team • The real future of sales: human + AI collaboration • Launching into underserved markets like Japan to outmaneuver competition⸻📚 What You’ll Learn • How to think about GTM efficiency in the AI era • What it takes to scale to $3M ARR profitably • Frameworks for building sales tools in red ocean markets • How “Sales Development Engineers” are reshaping pipeline generation • Why outbound is getting harder—and how to make it work again👤 About the GuestFrank Sondors is the founder and CEO of Salesforge, a platform revolutionizing outbound sales through automation, modular tools, and AI agents. With a background spanning Google, SimilarWeb, and machine learning companies, Frank brings deep insight into what it takes to scale sales in today’s hyper-competitive SaaS market.https://www.salesforge.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/franksondors/https://lunchclub.com/https://www.saleshookup.com/⏱️ Episode Highlights (Timestamps) • [00:03:00] Frank’s background: From Google to founding Salesforge • [00:07:00] The broken math of hiring more reps • [00:11:00] The real problem in outbound: Not leads, but relevance • [00:14:30] The modular vs. super-app approach to sales tools • [00:18:00] Salesforce stack vs. the Forge ecosystem • [00:21:00] Inside “Agent Frank”: An AI SDR in action • [00:28:00] Can AI replace SDRs entirely? • [00:33:00] CRM integration and how teams actually use Salesforge • [00:36:00] Entering the Japanese market: Why and how • [00:40:00] Advice to early-stage founders: Talk to 10 users a day • [00:44:00] Frank’s personal growth habits and founder mindset

In this episode, Mehmet is joined by Tyler Dunagin, Founder & CEO of Turnserv, a platform powering multiple tech-enabled service brands in the multifamily housing sector. Tyler has scaled five brands to 7-figure revenue, secured private equity backing, and earned a spot on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies. From building within arm’s reach to leading with culture and equity, Tyler shares hard-won insights into scaling non-obvious businesses with discipline and purpose.✅ Key Takeaways • Why tech isn’t the only path—service businesses can scale fast if built smart • The “within arm’s reach” framework for discovering untapped opportunities • Why specialization beats generalization in early-stage business models • Scaling operations through playbooks, KPIs, and culture codes • Fundraising lessons: services vs. software, and earning trust before capital • The underestimated power of personal branding for founders⸻🎧 What You’ll Learn • How Tyler built multiple 7-figure businesses with low ego and high focus • The hidden challenges of growing service companies (and how to solve them) • When founders must delegate—and how to do it without losing control • A real founder’s mindset on burnout, motivation, and purpose • How to align your team with equity, not just expectations👤 About the GuestTyler Dunagin is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Turnserv, a tech-enabled service platform for property management. He has directed $250M+ in asset management, developed patented products, and been nominated for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. Tyler is also a strong advocate for founder mental health, team equity, and personal branding done right.https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerdunagin/https://dunagincollective.com/https://www.turnserv.com/Episode Highlights (Chapters)00:00 – Introduction & Tyler’s journey03:00 – Building within arm’s reach06:00 – Frameworks for fast, focused scaling10:00 – Bottlenecks and solving for scale in service businesses15:00 – Scaling company culture with speed21:00 – Delegation, burnout, and breaking founder bottlenecks27:00 – Managing $250M in assets and applying it to entrepreneurship30:00 – Fundraising for service businesses vs. tech35:00 – Personal branding and its impact on recruiting, sales, and trust44:00 – The founder mindset: staying grounded through uncertainty49:00 – Final reflections and how to connect with Tyler

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Tom Basey, a former engineer and project manager turned entrepreneur, to unpack what it really takes to pivot from corporate life to a lean, scalable business in an unexpected space—insurance. Tom shares lessons from 30+ years in tech and telecom, why he believes insurance is a smart entry point for aspiring entrepreneurs, and how he’s leveraging digital tools and AI to scale impact without the traditional overhead.🔑 Key Takeaways • Why simplicity and execution often outperform innovation • How to build a scalable business with no payroll or supply chain • The overlooked power of insurance as a lean startup model • What Web3 and blockchain can teach us about ownership and decentralization • Why lifelong learning and digital mentorship are the future of education⸻📚 What You’ll Learn • How corporate experience can prepare you for entrepreneurship • The pros and cons of entering a crowded market • What “doing the work once and getting paid repeatedly” looks like • Real-life use cases for blockchain in fraud prevention, insurance, and creator economy • How to rethink traditional education in an AI-first world👤 About the GuestTom Basey is a self-described “recovering engineer” who spent decades in corporate America before launching a successful entrepreneurial career in the insurance industry. Drawing from his background in engineering, telecom, and medical devices, Tom now helps people secure their futures through insurance, while mentoring others on digital learning and distributed ownership.https://www.basey-insurance.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombasey/⏱️ Episode Highlights00:00 – Tom’s journey: from engineering to entrepreneurship03:00 – Why he chose insurance and how it scales lean07:00 – Competing in a crowded market through consultative selling09:00 – Incentives, recurring revenue, and trust in sales11:00 – How AI is transforming underwriting in insurance14:00 – Leaving corporate: mindset shifts and myths to break18:00 – Digital learning, mentorship, and monetizing expertise27:00 – Web3, blockchain, and decentralizing ownership36:00 – Use cases for blockchain in insurance, identity, and tickets41:00 – Staying human in a digital world43:00 – Final advice: Own your future, stay curious, and keep learningWe’re proud to share that The CTO Show was recently featured by Million Podcasts as a top show across several categories:100 Best Business Technology Podcasts100 Best Digital Business Podcasts100 Best Digital Transformation Podcasts100 Best Future of Work Podcasts100 Best Future Tech Podcasts100 Best Startup PodcastsCheck it out here: Million Podcasts Feature

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with strategy and finance advisor Moataz Mukhaimer, joining from Jordan, to unpack the most overlooked blind spots in early-stage startups. From pricing pitfalls to financial illiteracy, Moataz reveals the top three areas founders consistently ignore—and why getting these right can be the difference between scaling and stalling. A must-listen for any entrepreneur serious about building fundable, resilient companies.Key Takeaways • Why external research is the #1 blind spot for most founders. • The critical link between pricing strategy and sustainable profitability. • How to simplify financial modeling—even if you’re not a numbers person. • The psychology of founders: knowing when to say no. • The anatomy of investor due diligence and how to prepare. • Why culture and failure acceptance matter in MENA’s startup ecosystem.⸻What You’ll Learn • How to avoid “build, build, build” syndrome without losing focus • The real reason investors care more about cash flow than your pitch • How to use value-based pricing to strengthen your margins • What it means to be funding-ready—from story to spreadsheetsAbout the GuestMoataz Mukhaimer is a seasoned strategic and financial advisor with 20+ years of experience supporting SMEs across the MENA region. Based in Jordan, he has worked with a wide range of clients—from family businesses to international brands—across sectors like retail, medtech, edtech, e-commerce, manufacturing, and software. Moataz specializes in strategy, pricing, financial modeling, and business valuation, helping founders make smarter decisions and build fundable companies.https://www.linkedin.com/in/moataz-mukhaimer/https://moatazmukhaimeradvisory.comEpisode Highlights⏱️ 03:00 – The top 3 blind spots Moataz sees in startups⏱️ 08:30 – Why founders avoid financial modeling (and how to simplify it)⏱️ 14:45 – Burn rate, cash flow, and pricing as strategic tools⏱️ 23:10 – Strategy vs. operations: defining the big picture⏱️ 29:30 – The founder mindset: ego, FOMO, and resilience⏱️ 36:00 – How to know you’re ready to raise funding⏱️ 45:00 – Financial due diligence: what investors actually look at⏱️ 52:30 – The rise of the MENA ecosystem and what still needs work

In this bold and thought-provoking episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, UK-based serial entrepreneur and investor Steve Endacott joins the show to discuss the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship, and legacy. From backing disruptive startups to launching Neural Voice, a conversational AI platform for the travel industry, and Life’s Echo, a digital legacy tool that lets people speak at their own funerals—Steve is turning ambitious ideas into impactful ventures.You’ll hear why Steve believes AI is still at the “engine” stage, why implementation is the real frontier, and how his AI incubator is matching technical founders with seasoned business leaders to accelerate market-ready innovation.🎯 Key Takeaways • Why AI startups need real business models, not just tech • The danger of overestimating big tech’s dominance in AI • Why UK founders struggle to scale—and how Dubai is emerging as an alternative funding hub • How AI can preserve human stories through voice and memory • The funding death zone: why early UK startups thrive but Series A remains elusive • Why failure is embraced in the US—but still taboo in the UK⸻🎓 What You’ll Learn • How to build scalable AI startups with B2B2C models • What it means to “build a car, not just the AI engine” • How to make your startup fundable through SEIS and EIS • Real examples of AI products in travel, legacy tech, and politics • Why founders need to surround themselves with “gray hair” and business realism👤 About the Guest: Steve EndacottSTEVE ENDACOTT (AI-STEVE)NON-EXEC CHAIRMAN NEURAL RIVER (AI), NEURAL VOICE (AI) AND TRAVEL SOLUTIONS NETWORK AND FOUNDER OF ECO–ELECTRIC CAR ORGANISATION.He had an extensive business career before Steve created the SmarterUK party and exploded into political work by standing as AI Steve to become the UK's first AI Member of Parliament in Brighton Pavilion. Steve has the unusual distinction of having successful careers within both corporate and entrepreneurial environments. Steve is now “Semi-Retired”, having sold Holiday Taxis Ltd (Jan 2019) and Rock Insurance Ltd in multimillion-pound deals. He, however, continues to invest in startup businesses and has recently launched a range of new companies.⏱ Episode Highlights (Timestamps)00:00 – Intro and Steve’s entrepreneurial background03:00 – The “AI car” metaphor: why implementation is everything06:00 – Neural Voice: building travel-focused conversational AI10:00 – Running for office as AI Steve14:00 – Politics vs AI: fear of disruption17:00 – The UK startup environment: good for early-stage, hard for scaling20:00 – Why Steve is looking to Dubai for follow-on funding22:00 – Life’s Echo: creating digital legacies and posthumous storytelling27:00 – Public reactions: love, hate, and death threats32:00 – Startup building lessons: team balance, sweat equity, and valuation realism38:00 – Global-first thinking: building 25-language, 24/7 AI products42:00 – Final advice: move fast, go global, and build meaningful businesses

In this episode, I’m joined by two tech veterans, Garrett Rice (former Apple) and Philippe Cailloux (former Head of Product Design at Adobe), co-founders of Callings.ai—a platform that’s rethinking how we search for jobs in the AI era. We dive into how the traditional job-hunting process is broken, what’s wrong with the resume as we know it, and how AI can help job seekers know themselves better, stand out, and land more meaningful work.💡 Key Takeaways: • Why resumes and job portals are built for companies, not candidates—and how that’s failing job seekers. • The origin story of Callings.ai and how Garrett & Philippe used their own job hunt frustration to build a new solution. • How AI can help users reflect, self-brand, and generate tailored applications at scale. • The importance of personal intention and identity in an increasingly automated hiring world. • The philosophical and practical shift from “spray and pray” to focused, purposeful job searching.⸻🎓 What You’ll Learn: • How AI is changing the job search process • The flaws of applicant tracking systems (ATS) • How to use personal branding to stand out • Why self-awareness matters more than ever • The role of LLMs in reimagining career platforms👤 About the Guests:Garrett Rice is a former Apple executive and startup operator with deep expertise in technology, product, and business building. Garrett is a leader with a 25-year record of shipping innovative products, developing meaningful partnerships, designing effective processes and leading dynamic teams. Experience with startups, medium and large companies. Love building things and solving problems to make customers happy and companies better.https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettrice/Philippe Cailloux  has 20+ Years of Experience, he engaged in emerging technology product strategy and design, leading teams to develop products appreciated by a global user base (hundreds of millions).He has led product design at Adobe and several other companies, and brings a unique lens to merging user-centric design with cutting-edge AI.https://www.linkedin.com/in/cailloux/Together, they co-founded Callings.ai, a platform focused on empowering job seekers—not employers—with AI-driven tools to navigate the modern hiring landscape.https://callings.ai/Episode Highlights:⏱️ [00:04:20] – Why traditional job search tools ignore the candidate’s experience⏱️ [00:08:40] – Building tools out of frustration: the founding story of Callings.ai⏱️ [00:16:00] – Resume ≠ identity: how AI helps uncover the real value behind your past roles⏱️ [00:27:30] – The “My Insights” feature and how AI personalizes the career journey⏱️ [00:34:50] – LLMs as enablers: using tech to accelerate self-discovery, not replace it⏱️ [00:45:00] – The role of purpose, personal branding, and the future of work⏱️ [01:03:00] – Will AI lead to one-person unicorns? The myth, the reality, and the nuance

In this inspiring episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, I sit down with Ahmed Mahmoud (Founder & CEO) and Ahmed Elshahawy (CTO) of DXwand, a MENA-born AI startup reshaping how businesses unlock growth with generative AI, knowledge mining, and document intelligence.The conversation takes you through their courageous leap from successful corporate careers (Microsoft, IBM, EY) into the startup trenches, the reality of building a tech company in emerging markets, the transformative impact of generative AI, and their ambitious expansion from the MENA region to global markets like the U.S. and U.K.If you’re passionate about startups, AI innovation, or scaling tech businesses across borders, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Key Takeaways: • Why pivoting early is critical for startup survival (and success) • How the MENA region’s linguistic and cultural diversity shapes AI development • The real-world business challenges generative AI can (and cannot) solve • Building AI solutions that balance innovation, hallucination control, and data privacy • Why document intelligence and knowledge mining are the new frontier • Lessons on leading tech teams and driving innovation beyond the buzz • How DXwand cracked the formula to serve SMBs with advanced AI • The mindset required to jump from corporate life into true entrepreneurship⸻What You Will Learn: • How GenAI unlocked new growth opportunities in enterprise and SMB sectors • Why combining structured and unstructured data is reshaping data analysis • Practical insights into deploying AI in highly regulated industries • Why agent tech is exciting — but not a silver bullet for every problem • The power of resilience, grit, and passion in startup success stories from emerging marketsAbout the Guests:Ahmed Mahmoud is the Founder and CEO of DXwand. With over two decades of experience in technology and enterprise sales, including leadership roles at Microsoft, Ahmed transitioned from a successful corporate career to build one of the region’s leading AI companies. He is passionate about using AI to empower businesses of all sizes and believes in creating meaningful, lasting impact through technology.Ahmed Elshahawy is the CTO of DXwand. An experienced technology leader, Ahmed has a rich background in solution architecture, delivery management, and data analytics, having worked at global organizations like IBM, EY, and various startups across Egypt and Malaysia. At DXwand, he leads the technical strategy, focusing on generative AI, knowledge mining, and enterprise AI adoption, driving innovation in emerging markets and beyond.https://dxwand.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmedmmohammed/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashahawy/Episode Highlights:[00:02:00] - Founders’ backstory: From Microsoft and IBM to DXwand[00:05:00] - Identifying a major gap: Arabic language and regional AI support[00:08:00] - Pivoting into generative AI and knowledge mining[00:13:00] - Early business wins: Serving financial services and trading platforms[00:19:00] - Moving beyond chatbots: Document intelligence and compliance solutions[00:22:00] - Tackling multilingual and multi-dialect challenges[00:25:00] - How GenAI changed data analysis forever[00:30:00] - Addressing hallucination, security, and enterprise adoption[00:37:00] - Real talk on agent tech: Separating hype from real-world value[00:40:00] - DXwand’s global expansion strategy and new mid-market offerings[00:43:00] - Honest reflections on entrepreneurship: Courage, risk, and fulfillment

Tim O’Hearn, a software engineer and author known for his book, Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media, shares insights from his experience as a former black-hat growth engineer. He reveals the hidden mechanisms behind social media addiction and how algorithms manipulate users for profit. O’Hearn discusses the blurred lines between ethical marketing and exploitation, the impact of social media on youth, and offers practical advice for healthier digital habits. This conversation shifts the paradigm on how we view online interactions and engagement.

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the unique intersection of venture capital, healthcare innovation, and frontier tech with Cameron Sabet, a Georgetown medical student and Principal at Multifaceted Capital. Cameron shares his unconventional path from academia to venture capital, and how he evaluates startups through both a clinical and investor lens.From AI-powered health tools to biotech innovation in space, this episode explores what it takes to build and back the next wave of MedTech startups.💡 Key Takeaways • Why domain expertise is critical in healthcare startups • Cameron’s 3 red flags that kill MedTech deals before they start • The rise of AI-driven patient intake systems • Why the future of medicine might be built… in space • How founders can get VC attention—with or without early revenue⸻🎓 What You’ll Learn • How Cameron balances being a med student and VC investor • How to assess healthtech traction when clinical trials take years • The strategic importance of your board composition • How grants, institutional backing, and timing can replace seed funding👤 About the GuestCameron Sabet is a U.S.-based medical student, VC investor, angel backer of Y Combinator startups, and advisor to early-stage healthtech ventures. At Multifaceted Capital, he backs high-potential founders with a bias toward deep domain understanding and global scalability.https://www.cameronsabet.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-sabet-178079250/⏱️ Episode Highlights 00:00 – Intro and Cameron’s background03:00 – From Georgetown to VC: Why Cameron got into investing07:00 – What defines a good healthtech investment thesis10:30 – The 3 biggest red flags in early-stage MedTech15:00 – How founders should pitch health investors17:00 – Moats, speed, and defensibility in an AI-driven world21:00 – Can AI close the healthcare knowledge gap?25:00 – Cancer care in Africa and AI in low-resource settings27:00 – Why space is the next frontier in biotech30:00 – Regrets, missed startups, and lessons learned33:00 – What traction really looks like in healthcare36:00 – Non-traditional paths to early-stage MedTech funding40:00 – Final advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in healthcare