How two founders built a Toronto AI startup from $0 to $200K in just 90 days.

No hype. Just mindset, discipline, and execution.

In this episode, Motivation Toronto founder Abrham sits down with Jack Lau and Zeeshan, co founders of Searcle, an AI startup disrupting the marketing industry, to break down how they built a Toronto based company from $0 to $200,000 in revenue in just 90 days.

Jack brings a sharp analytical edge from his background as a quant on Wall Street, while Zeeshan is a four time startup founder who has built and scaled companies across multiple industries. Together, they combine deep technical thinking with real world execution.

Jack and Zeeshan share their unfiltered journey from early ideas and tough decisions to the mindset, discipline, and systems that fueled rapid growth without hype. We dive into entrepreneurship, fear, momentum, consistency, and what it truly takes to build something meaningful in today’s tech landscape.

If you are a founder, builder, or someone questioning the safe path, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, risk, and what it really means to bet on yourself.

Timestamps

00:00 How a Toronto AI startup went from $0 to $200K in 90 days

01:07 Meet Zeeshan, a 10 year startup founder who’s seen it all

01:24 From Wall Street quant to AI startup founder

02:09 Why Jack walked away from Wall Street

02:59 Why Zeeshan chose entrepreneurship over safety

05:16 Jack’s biggest wins and painful failures

07:05 Zeeshan’s hardest lessons as a founder

08:48 The failed startup idea that taught them everything

11:10 What Searcle AI actually does and why it matters

14:37 Who their real customers are

17:10 The biggest mistake founders make with AI search

19:15 How Searcle gets companies discovered by AI tools

20:10 The content strategy founders should be using right now

21:27 How to market in an AI driven search world

23:18 The exact playbook behind $0 to $200K ARR in 90 days

24:14 How joining Focal Ventures changed everything

26:05 The mistakes killing most early stage startups

26:32 First principles thinking every founder needs

27:20 Why sales comes before product

28:10 Do you actually need a great idea to win?

29:49 The fastest way to validate before building

30:04 How smart founders get early insights

31:24 Jack’s real strategy for landing customers

33:00 How to run discovery calls that convert

34:31 Zeeshan’s outreach strategy that works

35:41 Why getting a job might make you a better founder

36:46 How to cold call without sounding desperate

38:12 Why authenticity beats tactics every time

39:04 Preparation and proactivity separate winners

39:56 Generic vs personalized outreach and what actually converts

43:33 Toronto vs SF vs NYC for startups, the truth

43:53 Inside the Toronto hacker house

45:10 What SF teaches founders fast

46:17 Build for customers, not VCs

47:47 The vision they’re building toward

49:01 Why pivots are inevitable in AI startups

49:31 The mindset that separates AI founders

50:01 How lean their team really is

50:36 Where to find Jack and Zeeshan

🎙️ Topics We Cover

How Searcle AI went from $0 → $200K in 90 days

Early mistakes and lessons learned

The mindset required to move fast without burning out

Building an AI startup in Toronto

Staying motivated through uncertainty

Advice for aspiring founders and entrepreneurs

🚀 About the Guests

Jack Lau – Co-Founder, Searcle AI

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacktlau/

Zeeshan – Co-Founder, Searcle AI

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeeshansh/

🔗 Learn more about Searcle AI: https://www.searcle.ai/

🎧 About Motivation Toronto

Motivation Toronto is a podcast highlighting driven, disciplined, and ambitious people who are building meaningful careers, companies, and lives in Toronto and beyond.

If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could use the motivation.

For inquiries, collaborations, or guest opportunities, reach out at motivationtoronto@gmail.com

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