Scaling, Resilience, and AI: Expert Advice for Young Entrepreneurs by Ziaul Haque

Md. Ziaul Haque Bhuiyan is Chief of Staff at ShopUp and a startup builder, advisor and investor with experience across technology, business growth and youth leadership. He is also a founding Director of Oleyn and has advised startups including DoctorKoi and PulseTech. He was also President of IUT Alumni Association (IUTAA) and Junior Chamber International Bangladesh (JCI).
 
What does it take to build a successful startup?
An idea is just a starting point. You need to solve a real problem and build a repeatable system around it. At ShopUp, for instance, scaling Mokam required directly solving logistics bottlenecks for over thousands of small retailers. Success demands deep customer understanding, strong team alignment, and disciplined execution.

What separates a startup that can scale from one that cannot?
Market size sets the absolute ceiling, even brilliant execution stalls if the opportunity is too small. Once market potential is clear, I evaluate unit economics to ensure efficient expansion. Finally, it comes down to the founders' resilience and capability to navigate increasingly complex operational challenges.

What makes you believe in a startup or its founders?
Execution history creates trust. I look for founders who deeply understand their market and can lead strong teams. Working with platforms like DoctorKoi and PulseTech showed me that real traction and adaptability matter far more than a flashy initial pitch.

What is the most common growth challenge you see?
Scaling prematurely without understanding what actually drives growth. Startups often hit walls in distribution or unit economics. Identifying and fixing just one or two core operational bottlenecks usually unlocks massive momentum.

How can emerging tech like AI reshape early-stage ventures?
AI is an efficiency engine. At Oleyn, we leverage AI to streamline business tech workflows and MSME operations. Startups embedding AI early to solve specific operational pain points will scale significantly faster.

What is your primary advice for young entrepreneurs?
Don't play the part of an entrepreneur, build something people genuinely need. Talk to customers early, launch fast, learn from feedback, and know your numbers cold. Adaptability beats a 'perfect' plan every time.