From $0 to $9 Million per Week: The Up & Go Startup Story

From $0 to $9 Million per Week: The Up & Go Startup Story

Author: Burak Buyukdemir July 27, 2024 Duration: 22:17

I recently had Touradj Barman on my podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and founding Up’n Go, a contactless payment solution for restaurants.

Here are some of the key lessons I took away from our conversation:

* Start with solving a specific, narrow problem - Up & Go began by simply focusing on easing check splitting

* Get a customer before building the product - Partnered with a restaurant first to customize the product to their needs

* Constraints force focus - Bootstrapping kept costs low so they could focus on the essentials rather than getting distracted

* Turn challenges into opportunities - Pandemic accelerated contactless payment adoption, driving huge transaction growth

* Persistence pays off - Depth of experience matters in competitive space; Up & Go now leads competitors in volume



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Hosted by Burak Buyukdemir, the Startup Istanbul Podcast pulls back the curtain on the fast-moving world of new ventures and innovation. This isn't about abstract theories; it's a direct line to the people building, funding, and shaping the future. Each conversation goes beyond the polished success story, delving into the real challenges and pivotal decisions faced by founders and investors navigating markets across the globe. You'll hear firsthand accounts from entrepreneurs who have scaled their ideas and the experts who help them do it, offering practical insights you won't find in a textbook. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining access to a private roundtable, where the focus is on actionable knowledge and honest reflection about what it truly takes to build something meaningful. For anyone curious about the mechanics of technology and business, these discussions provide an essential, grounded perspective on the global startup ecosystem. It’s where ambition meets experience, offering listeners a genuine understanding of the journey from concept to reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 64

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