How a Toronto AI Startup Went From $0 → $200K in 90 Days
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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