EP 007: Financial Operating System For Africa - WorkPay

“I really admire African founders who are trying to build continent-wide solutions, solving continent-wide problems. The story that we're having right now, of challenges of funding in this space, they are the pioneers who are actually paving way for many.” - Paul Kimani

In this episode, we have the pleasure of talking to Paul Kimani, founder and CEO of WorkPay Africa, a cloud-based employee management and salary processing system.

Paul is a graduate of Y Combinator, and before pivoting into startups, had a career in industries as wide-ranging as banking, app development, and business intelligence. WorkPay came about as a product of years of providing solutions in these various fields. 

Paul shares with us a distinct first-hand experience in building and expanding a startup from his home country of Kenya. He presents the many unique challenges that African startups face, especially the ups and downs of fundraising. He also gives us his personal and professional insights regarding the future of tech startups in the continent.

List of resources mentioned in this episode:

The Lean Startup by Eric Reis

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

For questions or to recommend someone to be interviewed on the show, reach out to podcast@studentsofbusiness.com

To learn more about Joseph Rutakangwa: LinkedIn | Twitter

To learn more about WorkPay: Company website

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The episode touches on the following key topics and ideas:

• Brian introduces Paul (00:37)

• The idea behind WorkPay: a product of evolving business solutions (01:05)

• The best products come from solving day-to-day challenges (2:42)

• What WorkPay is, and what it does (3:48)

• Expanding outside Kenya (5:38)

• Running the company in the era of COVID (08:06)

• How WorkPay makes money (12:48)

• Paul’s early days: his educational, early influences, and ventures before WorkPay(16:48)

• WorkPay’s application and acceptance to Y Combinator (27:21)

• Fundraising ups and downs (33:51)

• Final Five Question #1: Paul’s favorite business books (42:06)

• Final Five Question #2: A unique hobby of his (43:56)

• Final Five Question #3: His business idols (45:39)

• Final Five Question #4: His first memory of money (49:43)

• Final Five Question #5: Favorite quote (52:27)

• Farewells (55:10)