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        <title>Motivation Toronto</title>
        <link>https://redcircle.com/shows/motivation-toronto1</link>
        <language>en-US</language>
        <copyright>All rights reserved.</copyright>
        <itunes:author>Motivation Toronto</itunes:author>
        <itunes:summary>Motivation Toronto is a podcast spotlighting the real journeys of Toronto’s most driven founders, creators, and entrepreneurs.

Hosted by Abrham Bisrat, each episode goes deeper than surface level success to explore the mindset, discipline, failures, and decisions behind building meaningful companies, careers, and creative work. These are honest conversations about execution, resilience, and growth without shortcuts or hype.

From early struggles to defining breakthroughs, guests share what it actually takes to stay motivated while building in business, tech, and culture. Motivation Toronto is for ambitious listeners who want real lessons they can apply to their own path.

New episodes feature founders, builders, and leaders shaping Toronto’s future.</itunes:summary>
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        <description><![CDATA[<p>Motivation Toronto is a podcast spotlighting the real journeys of Toronto’s most driven founders, creators, and entrepreneurs.</p><p>Hosted by Abrham Bisrat, each episode goes deeper than surface level success to explore the mindset, discipline, failures, and decisions behind building meaningful companies, careers, and creative work. These are honest conversations about execution, resilience, and growth without shortcuts or hype.</p><p>From early struggles to defining breakthroughs, guests share what it actually takes to stay motivated while building in business, tech, and culture. Motivation Toronto is for ambitious listeners who want real lessons they can apply to their own path.</p><p>New episodes feature founders, builders, and leaders shaping Toronto’s future.</p><p><br></p>]]></description>
        
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            <itunes:name>Motivation Toronto</itunes:name>
            <itunes:email>motivationtoronto@gmail.com</itunes:email>
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            <itunes:category text="Business" />

            

        
        
            
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                <itunes:title>How a Toronto AI Startup Went From $0 → $200K in 90 Days</itunes:title>
                <title>How a Toronto AI Startup Went From $0 → $200K in 90 Days</title>

                
                
                <itunes:author>Motivation Toronto</itunes:author>
                
                <description><![CDATA[<p><span>How two founders built a Toronto AI startup from $0 to $200K in just 90 days.</span></p><p><span>No hype. Just mindset, discipline, and execution.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>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.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>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.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>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.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>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.</span></p><p>Timestamps</p><p><span>00:00 How a Toronto AI startup went from $0 to $200K in 90 days</span></p><p>01:07 Meet Zeeshan, a 10 year startup founder who’s seen it all</p><p>01:24 From Wall Street quant to AI startup founder</p><p>02:09 Why Jack walked away from Wall Street</p><p>02:59 Why Zeeshan chose entrepreneurship over safety</p><p>05:16 Jack’s biggest wins and painful failures</p><p>07:05 Zeeshan’s hardest lessons as a founder</p><p>08:48 The failed startup idea that taught them everything</p><p>11:10 What Searcle AI actually does and why it matters</p><p>14:37 Who their real customers are</p><p>17:10 The biggest mistake founders make with AI search</p><p>19:15 How Searcle gets companies discovered by AI tools</p><p>20:10 The content strategy founders should be using right now</p><p>21:27 How to market in an AI driven search world</p><p>23:18 The exact playbook behind $0 to $200K ARR in 90 days</p><p>24:14 How joining Focal Ventures changed everything</p><p>26:05 The mistakes killing most early stage startups</p><p>26:32 First principles thinking every founder needs</p><p>27:20 Why sales comes before product</p><p>28:10 Do you actually need a great idea to win?</p><p>29:49 The fastest way to validate before building</p><p>30:04 How smart founders get early insights</p><p>31:24 Jack’s real strategy for landing customers</p><p>33:00 How to run discovery calls that convert</p><p>34:31 Zeeshan’s outreach strategy that works</p><p>35:41 Why getting a job might make you a better founder</p><p>36:46 How to cold call without sounding desperate</p><p>38:12 Why authenticity beats tactics every time</p><p>39:04 Preparation and proactivity separate winners</p><p>39:56 Generic vs personalized outreach and what actually converts</p><p>43:33 Toronto vs SF vs NYC for startups, the truth</p><p>43:53 Inside the Toronto hacker house</p><p>45:10 What SF teaches founders fast</p><p>46:17 Build for customers, not VCs</p><p>47:47 The vision they’re building toward</p><p>49:01 Why pivots are inevitable in AI startups</p><p>49:31 The mindset that separates AI founders</p><p>50:01 How lean their team really is</p><p>50:36 Where to find Jack and Zeeshan</p><p><br></p><p><span>🎙️ Topics We Cover</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>How Searcle AI went from $0 → $200K in 90 days</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Early mistakes and lessons learned</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>The mindset required to move fast without burning out</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Building an AI startup in Toronto</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Staying motivated through uncertainty</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Advice for aspiring founders and entrepreneurs</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><span>🚀 About the Guests</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Jack Lau – Co-Founder, Searcle AI</span></p><p><span>🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacktlau/</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Zeeshan – Co-Founder, Searcle AI</span></p><p><span>🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeeshansh/</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>🔗 Learn more about Searcle AI: https://www.searcle.ai/</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>🎧 About Motivation Toronto</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>Motivation Toronto is a podcast highlighting driven, disciplined, and ambitious people who are building meaningful careers, companies, and lives in Toronto and beyond.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could use the motivation.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>For inquiries, collaborations, or guest opportunities, reach out at motivationtoronto@gmail.com</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><span>👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations with founders, builders, and high performers.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span>#MotivationToronto #Entrepreneurship #StartupPodcast #TorontoTech #AIStartup</span></p>]]></description>
                <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;How two founders built a Toronto AI startup from $0 to $200K in just 90 days.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;No hype. Just mindset, discipline, and execution.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;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.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;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.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;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.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;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.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Timestamps&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;00:00 How a Toronto AI startup went from $0 to $200K in 90 days&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;01:07 Meet Zeeshan, a 10 year startup founder who’s seen it all&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;01:24 From Wall Street quant to AI startup founder&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;02:09 Why Jack walked away from Wall Street&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;02:59 Why Zeeshan chose entrepreneurship over safety&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;05:16 Jack’s biggest wins and painful failures&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;07:05 Zeeshan’s hardest lessons as a founder&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;08:48 The failed startup idea that taught them everything&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;11:10 What Searcle AI actually does and why it matters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;14:37 Who their real customers are&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;17:10 The biggest mistake founders make with AI search&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;19:15 How Searcle gets companies discovered by AI tools&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;20:10 The content strategy founders should be using right now&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;21:27 How to market in an AI driven search world&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;23:18 The exact playbook behind $0 to $200K ARR in 90 days&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;24:14 How joining Focal Ventures changed everything&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;26:05 The mistakes killing most early stage startups&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;26:32 First principles thinking every founder needs&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;27:20 Why sales comes before product&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;28:10 Do you actually need a great idea to win?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;29:49 The fastest way to validate before building&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;30:04 How smart founders get early insights&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;31:24 Jack’s real strategy for landing customers&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;33:00 How to run discovery calls that convert&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;34:31 Zeeshan’s outreach strategy that works&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;35:41 Why getting a job might make you a better founder&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;36:46 How to cold call without sounding desperate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;38:12 Why authenticity beats tactics every time&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;39:04 Preparation and proactivity separate winners&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;39:56 Generic vs personalized outreach and what actually converts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;43:33 Toronto vs SF vs NYC for startups, the truth&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;43:53 Inside the Toronto hacker house&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;45:10 What SF teaches founders fast&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;46:17 Build for customers, not VCs&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;47:47 The vision they’re building toward&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;49:01 Why pivots are inevitable in AI startups&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;49:31 The mindset that separates AI founders&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;50:01 How lean their team really is&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;50:36 Where to find Jack and Zeeshan&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🎙️ Topics We Cover&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;How Searcle AI went from $0 → $200K in 90 days&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Early mistakes and lessons learned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The mindset required to move fast without burning out&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Building an AI startup in Toronto&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Staying motivated through uncertainty&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Advice for aspiring founders and entrepreneurs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🚀 About the Guests&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Jack Lau – Co-Founder, Searcle AI&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacktlau/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Zeeshan – Co-Founder, Searcle AI&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeeshansh/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🔗 Learn more about Searcle AI: https://www.searcle.ai/&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;🎧 About Motivation Toronto&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Motivation Toronto is a podcast highlighting driven, disciplined, and ambitious people who are building meaningful careers, companies, and lives in Toronto and beyond.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could use the motivation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;For inquiries, collaborations, or guest opportunities, reach out at motivationtoronto@gmail.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations with founders, builders, and high performers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;#MotivationToronto #Entrepreneurship #StartupPodcast #TorontoTech #AIStartup&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content:encoded>
                
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                <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:48:10 &#43;0000</pubDate>
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