– Commercial –
As a part of the Morning Lazziness collection about empowering girls who encourage and do unbelievable issues with their concepts in society, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aliyah Kizilbash.
Aliyah Kizilbash is the founding father of TaxBack, an AI-powered platform serving to companies streamline property tax appeals by way of automation and innovation. A former tax agency proprietor turned tech entrepreneur, Aliyah is keen about creating options that make complicated processes simpler and extra accessible.
She’s additionally the host of Aliyah & Co., a podcast the place she explores matters like enterprise, mindset, and reinvention with leaders and changemakers. By way of her work and content material, Aliyah is dedicated to empowering girls to interrupt obstacles in tech, enterprise, and past.
What impressed you to turn out to be an entrepreneur within the AI business, and what led to the creation of your present enterprise?
I began a property tax agency and constructed some tech simply to maintain myself organized, as a result of fairly frankly… the method is a large number. It’s repetitive, tedious, and stuffed with all these little particulars that change case by case. Finally, I noticed it wasn’t simply me, a variety of different individuals have been fighting the identical factor. That’s after I began pondering past easy instruments and how AI might clear up these issues at scale.
At first, I didn’t totally perceive AI — it felt like this difficult, layered factor reserved for technical consultants. But it surely’s not magic; it’s simply logic and information fixing issues extra effectively. You don’t must be an engineer — you simply want to grasp sufficient to steer and ask the fitting questions.
As a girl in tech and entrepreneurship, what distinctive challenges have you ever confronted, particularly within the AI house, and the way did you navigate them?
AI can really feel difficult and closed-off, and there’s a variety of gatekeeping in how individuals speak about it. The reality is, this isn’t only a problem for ladies — it’s a problem for anybody entering into AI and not using a technical background.
For me, the problem was studying sufficient to steer with confidence, ask the fitting questions, and never get caught up in feeling like I didn’t belong. Staying curious has been key — it’s how I’ve figured issues out and continued to be taught alongside the way in which.
You don’t must be an engineer to make use of AI. What actually helped me was realizing you don’t must grasp all the things earlier than you begin. Confidence comes from taking motion, not from ready till you are feeling totally certified.
How do you handle the extreme calls for of constructing an AI-driven enterprise whereas sustaining private well-being and stability?
Stability isn’t about splitting all the things evenly. There are occasions when my enterprise requires extra of my vitality, and I give it my full consideration. Different occasions, my children want extra of me. And typically, I have to utterly unplug, no guilt. That’s how I keep grounded.
The best way I see it: you possibly can’t obtain something when you’re burned out. Sustaining stability isn’t nearly feeling good; it’s about ensuring I’ve the vitality and readability to maintain constructing, to point out up for my household, and to go after all the things I need. When you don’t shield your peace, you gained’t have the stamina to attain large issues.
What networking methods or communities have helped you most in constructing significant connections within the AI and tech ecosystem?
Be round individuals who assume large. That’s actually it. Whether or not it’s by way of communities, occasions, and even who you comply with on-line, that vitality is contagious.
I search for rooms the place individuals are constructing, rising, and sharing concepts. I keep away from transactional networking. Actual connections come from shared targets and sincere conversations, not simply swapping enterprise playing cards.
How do you strategy mentorship—each receiving it and providing it—and the way has that influenced your progress as a founder on this house?
Ask for assist. Be clear about what you want. No one will help you when you’re busy making an attempt to seem like you don’t want it.
I’ve discovered to let individuals in, to be sincere about what I’m determining, and to ask direct questions. That’s the way you get actual solutions.
I additionally mentor different girls, particularly these breaking into tech and AI, as a result of I understand how arduous it’s to determine issues out alone. Even simply being round people who find themselves open to studying and progress brings me vitality. Watching others stage up jogs my memory how far I’ve come, and it evokes me to maintain going.
What methods have confirmed simplest in buying prospects or purchasers to your AI services or products?
Constructing relationships and fostering belief has been key. I’ve partnered with consultants who have already got credibility and entry to the purchasers we wish to attain. It’s a win-win — they strengthen their community by bringing precious options, and we clear up an actual drawback collectively. On the finish of the day, individuals belief individuals greater than they belief a chilly pitch or an internet site.
Which advertising strategies (digital, content material, occasions, and so on.) have labored greatest to your model, and the way do you measure their impression?
Thought management has been enormous, talking on panels, writing content material, sharing concepts. It’s not about promoting; it’s about displaying up with one thing precious to say.
I measure success by the standard of the conversations that come from it. Are individuals reaching out? Are they asking the fitting questions? Are they turning into actual alternatives? If sure, it’s working.
Are you able to share a serious setback or roadblock in your AI startup journey, and the way you strategically overcame it?
As a non-technical founder, considered one of my greatest challenges was studying the way to speak about AI in a method that’s clear, credible, and related. There’s a giant distinction between utilizing ready-made instruments and constructing one thing customized that’s truly designed for your small business. Lots of people don’t perceive that. I needed to discover ways to clarify it to technical groups, to companions, and to purchasers.
On prime of that, AI evolves quick. Staying knowledgeable and maintaining with how issues shift is a part of the job. You don’t must construct the tech your self, however you do want to grasp sufficient to steer with confidence and keep related.
What’s one piece of recommendation you’d provide to girls who’re simply starting their entrepreneurial journey in AI or rising tech?
Leap in the place you might be. You don’t must know all the things earlier than you begin.
AI feels large and intimidating from the surface, but it surely’s extra accessible than individuals make it appear. Instruments like ChatGPT can train you quicker than any textbook. Keep curious. Ask questions. Determine it out as you go.
Is there a quote, mantra, or philosophy that persistently guides your selections as an AI entrepreneur?
“Be the individual you wish to meet.”
Any time you admire somebody, it’s often as a result of they’re reflecting one thing you wish to see in your self. That admiration is simply displaying you what’s potential for you, too. As an alternative of placing individuals on a pedestal, I remind myself to embody the qualities I respect… whether or not that’s confidence, kindness, ambition, or resilience. That’s the way you continue to grow.
5 Methods To Overcome Self-Doubt and Construct Confidence:
- Validate your self. Cease ready for somebody to present you permission.
- Be sort to your self. The best way you communicate to your self shapes all the things.
- Put your self first typically. Shield your vitality — you possibly can’t pour from empty.
- Get uncomfortable. I’ve by no means grown whereas feeling comfy. Each time I’ve grown, it’s been as a result of I allowed myself to get uncomfortable.
- Cease caring what individuals assume. Most individuals aren’t fascinated about you as a lot as you assume they’re. Simply go do it!
When you might encourage a motion that may carry probably the most quantity of fine for the best variety of individuals, what would that be?
I’d wish to encourage individuals to understand how a lot their ideas form their actuality. A whole lot of us dwell in our personal heads, being harsh and demanding with out even realizing it. That negativity consumes you and it impacts how you are feeling, the way you present up, and the way you navigate life.
If extra individuals understood they’ve the ability to vary their ideas, they’d present themselves extra compassion. They’d really feel higher, dwell higher, and cease letting limiting beliefs dictate what’s potential.
AI can help this by providing instruments and insights to assist individuals turn out to be extra conscious of their patterns. However consciousness is simply step one. You continue to must do the work in actual life- take motion, make adjustments, and present up in another way. AI can present you the trail, however it could possibly’t stroll it for you.
How can our readers additional comply with your work on-line?
Aliyah is the founding father of TaxBack, a property tax know-how platform serving to companies simplify complicated processes by way of AI and automation. She’s additionally the host of Aliyah & Co., a podcast exploring enterprise, mindset, and progress. By way of her work, talking engagements, and podcast, Aliyah is keen about empowering girls to interrupt obstacles in tech, entrepreneurship, and past. You’ll be able to comply with her on Instagram at @AliyahKizilbash and on YouTube at @aliyahandcopodcast for updates on her newest initiatives and conversations.
– Commercial –
