Interview with AUK Student Entrepreneurs
AUK Content Writer Michael Collins sat down with two student entrepreneurs for an interview on December 12. The students, Fatima Ahmed and Dilovan Matini, are both seniors studying in the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology.
These AUK students are currently working together on – and at – a tech startup, Lelav. Lelav’s mission is to turn good ideas into great software.
How did AUK prepare these students for their startup experience? What words of encouragement do they have for other AUK students with interest in a startup? What do they think about doing business in Kurdistan? Read on to find out!
What gave you the idea – and the confidence – to start a business?
Fatima:
“My partner Dilovan was initially going to start the project alone, but after renting an office he looked around at all that space and wondered why he did not have people to help him. He had been my classmate for years, and he came to me about his startup. I found I had the same entrepreneurial spirit.
I have always had confidence in my ability to start a business. In the back of my mind, I was already thinking of starting one. When Dilovan came to me, I saw my opportunity for a partnership.”
Dilovan:
“I spent my entire career as an employee and a freelancer for other people’s projects before becoming a co-founder of Lelav. Working for others restricted my horizons, and I believed I could accomplish much more if I started my own business. Even though I was still a junior in university, I felt the time was right to launch a business.
I honestly think that planning breeds business confidence; if you believe in what you do and are prepared to have others evaluate your processes as you go, you can achieve a lot. Lelav was founded on a leap of faith because no one else offered high-quality products in our local market. This significantly boosted my self-confidence. As we continue to develop, one team member at a time, we are cautiously staying true to our fundamental values of transparency, honesty, and product quality. By taking our time and consulting the community in which we are active, we can find our way and continue to thrive.”
What is the most exciting thing about launching a startup, and what is the scariest?
Fatima:
“The best part about starting your own company is the people you start it with. The personal growth of the new members you bring on board will directly impact your business’s success, for both startups and established companies. As a startup, you begin with nothing. All you have are some ideas, a rough product or a service, and a few dollars to keep you going. But you can find good people. They are the foundation of your future success.
Undoubtedly, teaming with like-minded people can be the most exciting aspect of starting a business. The scariest part when starting a business is developing an environment where staff care about one another and act on their mutual care. Taking a step back to allow exceptional staff to do their best work is important. Failing to develop this environment will probably lead to the overall failure of the business.”
Dilovan:
“I spent years as a freelancer, and I was looking for a chance to start something with other open-minded people at my side. This joint quest for quality with likeminded people is, to me, the most exciting aspect. I think the scariest thing is having a serious disagreement with another leader of the new company about how to manage it. This can be very stressful personally and professionally, and it could lead to the ruin of the company.”
What AUK course prepared you best for your current business endeavors? How?
Fatima:
“‘Technology Entrepreneurship,’ ‘Research Methods,’ and ‘Information System Analysis and Design.’ These three courses taught me that you start with a problem, which might be viewed as a business opportunity, and then you go through several steps of trying to find a solution. In our case, this approach is called the ‘software development lifecycle.’”
Dilovan:
“‘Information System Analysis and Design’: This course taught me to research topics related to scenario analysis, the fundamentals of system design, the fundamentals of project management, and methodologies for documenting and presenting project findings.
‘eCommerce’: This course provided me with knowledge of several important topics, such as system usability, system integration, and online reliability.”
What advice would you give to other AUK students looking to start a business?
Fatima:
“If there is something you keep thinking about over and over again, it could mean you are meant to become an expert on this. If what you are thinking about relates to a business need, do your best to work out a solution and market it. The best-case scenario involves partnering with friends who recognize the same business need and have skills that complement your own. Start small, but start anyway.”
Dilovan:
“If you are aimlessly wandering around, the right moment won’t present itself. Start anything you’re interested in doing right away.”
Even though you two have partnered to start an actual business, neither of you studies in the AUK College of Business. Do you ever talk to AUK College of Business students about their own business connections and ideas?
Fatima:
“I said to myself, ‘Whatever you get your Bachelor’s in, you should get a Master’s in Business.’ After I decided to specialize in IT, I would talk to College of Business students periodically, mostly socially. But I have not spoken to them about business ideas since becoming involved in this startup. Now that you mention it, I think I should put more effort into exchanging ideas with College of Business students. I have already looked to AUK faculty in the College of Business for advice, just as I have looked to the IT faculty at AUK.”
Dilovan:
“Actually, no, but during my years of work in companies I learned several business principles by doing. I knew that I did not have all the answers on my own, though, and Fatima seemed like a good partner. She is not currently studying in the College of Business, but she has the business sense appropriate for a student there.”
What do you think is special about the Kurdistan market?
Fatima:
“There are many project ideas that still need to be implemented in Kurdistan, leading to a gap in the market, and this is where we find our opportunity to step in and make improvements to the areas of greatest need.”
Dilovan:
“I think teamwork is not yet fully developed in Kurdistan, and this is part of the reason why many customers look abroad for software solutions. In our company, we want to have a true team spirit, leading to the creation of a team product. We want to inject more teamwork into the Kurdistan market and Kurdistan culture.”
If your business turns out to be very successful, would you consider establishing links with AUK? If so, what links would you establish?
Fatima:
“Some AUK students need to do internships to graduate. In fact, some AUK students have already interned with us. If we expand, we will be able to offer more internships and higher-quality internships.”
Dilovan:
“I think I can speak for both of us on this. At AUK, our business idea got started; it will be an honor for us as graduates of this university to maintain a link with the place that gave us the knowledge and understanding to start our own business.”
