Blog

KARACHI:

Consistency is emerging as the defining currency of startup success, overshadowing capital, connections and even innovative ideas. This was the dominant message at Build Up 2025, an annual entrepreneurship forum hosted by Invest2Innovate (i2i) in Karachi.

Across high-impact panel discussions, founders and investors agreed that persistence, clarity of purpose, and disciplined financial behaviour are the pillars that determine which startups break through Pakistan’s challenging market environment.

The panel, “The Art of Selling: Convincing Customers, Partners & Investors,” moderated by Qist Bazaar’s Arif Lakhani, spotlighted the emotional and practical exhaustion that accompanies early-stage sales. Speakers stressed that rejection is not an obstacle but an unavoidable phase that founders must survive to get their product accepted.

One of the day’s most powerful illustrations came from Haball’s Omar bin Ahsan, who recalled meeting the same potential clients up to 40 times before finally closing a major deal, and being rejected an equal number of times along the way. “You must not give up,” he said, calling persistence the only reliable predictor of sales success in Pakistan’s B2B landscape.

Panellists explained that before a product can be sold, the founder must “sell themselves.” Building trust, they said, is the make-or-break factor in an ecosystem where clients often refuse a pitch simply because they “have not heard your name.”

For BusCaro’s Maha Shahzad and others on the panel, trust building begins with the founder’s credibility, image and consistency in fulfilling commitments. “You must deliver every promise you make about your product,” one speaker said, emphasising that quality and reliability form the foundation of customer acceptance.

Contrary to the instinct of many new entrepreneurs, some panellists strongly discouraged placing products directly in large supermarkets. Launching in big retail chains too early, they warned, destroys margins due to high listing fees, tight payment cycles and promotional costs. Instead, founders were advised to first sell through neighbourhood stores and street-level retail to build organic demand.

The panel also tackled the sensitive question of whether references to father or uncle could accelerate sales. Speakers acknowledged that powerful references may help secure an introductory meeting. A large retailer may entertain a pitch if a senior official recommends it. But beyond that initial opening, they agreed, influence has no power. Poor-quality products pushed through influence may see early traction, but cannot achieve long-term success.

Another discussion, “The Pressure to Raise & What Happens After,” moderated by i2i Ventures’ Misbah Naqvi, shifted focus from sales to funding, a topic that brought equally candid reflections. Panellists included Salesflo’s Sharoon Saleem, Myco’s Somair Rizvi and Sehat Kahani’s Dr Sara Saeed.

If consistency defines sales, the speakers argued, then clarity defines fundraising. Founders must be able to state the problem they are solving and the solution in a single sentence. Pitching, they added, is not an inherent skill but an art that must be practised repeatedly. Speakers agreed that funding comes with responsibilities.

The fundraising panel, moderated by Misbah Naqvi, Co-founder of i2i Ventures, highlighted a fundamental debate: is external funding necessary?

Panellist Sharoon Saleem of Salesflo emphasised bootstrapping, noting, “We don’t go to fundraising.” This perspective contrasts with the traditional view, acknowledging that capital infusion brings added responsibilities. Dr Sara Saeed of Sehat Kahani and other panellists agreed that funding is a continuous process that presents new tasks and challenges, as founders are liable to deliver on their promises to investors.

The key takeaway was that capital deployment demands rigour. Founders must be clear on where the money will be used and be flexible with their plans. If funds are wasted, the next investor will know, making prudent capital deployment as crucial as the pitch itself.

Omar bin Ahsan of Haball advised founders to take market risks to gauge where and why rejection is occurring. “You must assess the reasons for rejection, then effectively sell yourself and your product. Ultimately, you need to establish and earn client trust as the trust factor is critical for sales.”

Story continues