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As a part of the Morning Lazziness sequence about empowering girls who encourage and do unimaginable issues with their concepts in society, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jasmine Sayyari.
Jasmine Sayyari is an exited founder, CEO of New Technology Community, and a 2025 InspiringFifty UK winner—an award recognizing main girls in tech. Initially educated as a medical physician, Jasmine transitioned from scientific observe in 2020 to pursue her ardour for startups and innovation. Since then, she has carved out a dynamic profession in enterprise improvement and tech entrepreneurship.
At present, she is constructing Chanci AI, a data-driven profession intelligence platform that helps people uncover hidden job alternatives and upskill strategically, whereas enabling employers to benchmark expertise and promote inner mobility.
What impressed you to change into an entrepreneur within the AI trade, and what led to the creation of your present enterprise?
Once I graduated from enterprise college, many individuals approached me, interested in my journey from drugs into the world of startups and enterprise improvement. That bought me considering: how may I create one thing that helps others on an analogous path? As I delved into analysis, I rapidly realised that the way forward for work can be drastically reworked by AI developments over the subsequent 5 years. Initially, creating an AI product wasn’t my principal intention, however as I dug deeper, I realised it was one of the best ways to assist individuals navigate the modifications within the job market. That’s how I discovered myself diving into immediate engineering and, earlier than I knew it, I used to be on the trail to turning into a tech entrepreneur.
As a girl in tech and entrepreneurship, what distinctive challenges have you ever confronted, particularly within the AI area, and the way did you navigate them?
Like many different girls working on this sector, entry to funding is likely one of the principal challenges. There are lots of initiatives from the UK authorities and personal organisations geared toward together with extra girls in tech, and a few of these initiatives are fairly profitable and useful. Nonetheless, the core situation nonetheless stays: solely about 2% of VC funding goes to girls, and that poses an enormous problem with regards to scaling a tech firm. Many ladies founders find yourself utilizing their very own sources to develop their merchandise, and whereas there are a number of conversations round this situation, there’s nonetheless a necessity for extra concrete motion.
How do you handle the extraordinary calls for of constructing an AI-driven enterprise whereas sustaining private well-being and steadiness?
For me, it’s all about having a routine. I like beginning my mornings with Pilates or a swimming class, and that units a optimistic tone for the remainder of my day. It’s additionally essential to take weekends off and spend time with mates, ensuring you’re not continually occupied with work. One other factor that helps is having a crew that may verify in on you and be sure you’re not overloaded with conferences or duties. It’s all about discovering that steadiness between productiveness and well-being, and these routines actually assist me keep that steadiness.
What networking methods or communities have helped you most in constructing significant connections within the AI and tech ecosystem?
I’ve two principal methods for locating individuals who align with my targets. One is attending conferences and personal networking occasions, that are improbable for assembly like-minded individuals and discovering new alternatives within the tech ecosystem. The opposite technique is internet hosting occasions myself. As a founder, I additionally organise panels and discussions, which is a good way to deliver collectively founders and professionals who share comparable pursuits. Each approaches have actually helped me construct a community of individuals I can collaborate with in future initiatives.
How do you strategy mentorship—each receiving it and providing it—and the way has that influenced your development as a founder on this area?
Mentorship is extremely essential for any founder, particularly as a non-technical CEO within the tech sector. I desire to think about it as in search of steerage from individuals who have been via comparable journeys, however from totally different backgrounds. There are such a lot of alternatives for founders in London to entry nice mentorship. For instance, I used to be a part of the JP Morgan Startup Scheme, which actually helped me with pitching and refining my pitch deck. Alternatively, I additionally consider in giving again. I participated in Kingston College’s mentorship program for grasp’s college students, the place I guided medical college students who wished to enterprise into enterprise. I even held workshops targeted on serving to professionals enhance their private branding and presence on social media. So, I’m very lively in each in search of and offering mentorship, and it’s been an enormous a part of my development as a founder.
What methods have confirmed best in buying prospects or purchasers to your AI services or products?
Since we’re nonetheless within the early levels of Chanci AI, our best technique up to now has been constructing a robust waitlist by clearly speaking the worth of our product. We’ve had over seven thousand individuals enroll, which reveals there’s actual demand for personalised profession steerage utilizing AI.
I’ve additionally leaned into constructing my private model throughout platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. That’s helped entice individuals who belief the journey and need to be a part of the product because it evolves. Transferring ahead, we’re exploring partnerships with universities, profession coaches, and job boards to increase our attain and join with the proper customers.
Which advertising methods (digital, content material, occasions, and so on.) have labored greatest to your model, and the way do you measure their influence?
I’m an enormous fan of private branding and rising your buyer base via social media. I used this technique with one in every of my earlier startups, and I nonetheless use it now with my tech product. I spend a number of time every week creating content material, partaking with individuals, and sharing behind-the-scenes insights. It’s some of the genuine and cost-effective methods to construct belief and develop consciousness, particularly for early-stage merchandise. I measure its influence by monitoring how many individuals enroll after interacting with my posts, the messages I obtain, and the way usually individuals point out the model in dialog.
Are you able to share a serious setback or roadblock in your AI startup journey, and the way you strategically overcame it?
We have been creating our MVP and, like many early-stage startups, we confronted an enormous problem when our preliminary model didn’t meet consumer expectations. We had constructed what we thought individuals wanted, however after testing, it was clear we wanted to return and pay attention extra intently to our early customers. As a substitute of pushing forward, we paused, restructured our roadmap, and constructed a waitlist to higher perceive what options mattered most. That shift allowed us to design one thing that was extra aligned with actual consumer wants and finally helped us achieve traction quicker.
What’s one piece of recommendation you’d provide to girls who’re simply starting their entrepreneurial journey in AI or rising tech?
Don’t be intimidated by the variety of males within the room. There’s at all times area for you. Your opinion is legitimate, even when it goes in opposition to others’. Preserve refining it, continue learning, and know that you just belong. And above all, by no means surrender in your mission. If it issues to you, it’s essential.
Is there a quote, mantra, or philosophy that constantly guides your choices as an AI entrepreneur?
One mantra I come again to usually is, “Begin earlier than you’re prepared. The readability comes from motion.” Particularly within the AI area, issues transfer so rapidly that ready for every thing to be excellent simply means falling behind. I’ve realized to belief the method, take motion, and refine alongside the best way.
Right here is our principal query. “What Are The 5 Issues You Want To Overcome Self-Doubt and Construct Confidence?” (If potential, please share a narrative or instance for every one)
Overcoming self-doubt and constructing confidence is an ongoing course of, however listed here are 5 issues which have actually helped me:
- Take small dangers usually. Once we launched Chanci AI, we didn’t begin with the complete product. As a substitute, we constructed a waitlist and examined totally different concepts. Taking these small steps gave me confidence with out the stress of being excellent from day one.
- Encompass your self with believers. Having individuals round you who perceive your imaginative and prescient and consider in you makes such a distinction. In moments of doubt, these voices remind me that what I’m constructing issues.
- Construct in public. I share a number of my journey on social media. It’s helped me really feel seen, join with others going via comparable issues, and observe how far I’ve come.
- Settle for failure as information. Our first MVP didn’t work out the best way we hoped, however I didn’t deal with it as a failure, I handled it as suggestions. That mindset shift helped me keep assured via powerful pivots.
- Preserve your mission entrance and centre. On the finish of the day, I remind myself why I began. Serving to individuals navigate the way forward for work with AI isn’t only a product concept—it’s one thing I deeply care about. That function retains me going.
Okay, we’re practically accomplished. You’re a particular person of nice affect. For those who may encourage a motion that might deliver essentially the most quantity of excellent for the best variety of individuals, what would that be? You by no means know what your concept can set off.
If I may encourage a motion, it could be about democratising entry to information and AI instruments, particularly for individuals in creating international locations. There’s a lot untapped potential in these communities, however usually they’re excluded from the sources and applied sciences shaping the longer term. I’d like to see a world the place entry to AI isn’t restricted to huge firms or rich international locations, however the place younger individuals wherever can use these instruments to be taught, construct, and create actual change.
How can our readers additional observe your work on-line?
I’m very lively on LinkedIn in the meanwhile, they will observe me, Jasmine Sayyari, and get entry to all kinds of proper sources for his or her profession development!
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