Vas Daskalakis
Startup Builder & Advisor
Bio
I've spent my career in the trenches of early-stage startups — as an operator, a solo founder, a co-founder, and a mentor to first-time entrepreneurs making the leap. I've been a solo founder, navigated cofounder disputes, raised capital with no network, and made every expensive mistake so you don't have to. I built Africa.ai from zero to $1M+ in annual revenue before its acquisition, scaled a US trade school to double sales and get a sale offer, and advised startups that have collectively raised over $20M. I'm particularly good at high-stakes, crisis moments — the cofounder trying to take over your company, the investor who just went cold, the pivot decision that feels impossible. I've been there, I'm supportive, but I don't sugarcoat. I also work with people earlier in the journey or considering switching careers — corporate professionals who want to start something but don't know where to begin. If you're making the leap from a stable career into your first venture, I will help you see and choose from all the possibilities. If you want a sounding board who's been in the room and can make you feel like anything is possible, let's talk.
Expertise
Advice on funding
I've fundraised $2M from U.S. investors for my first startup, and assisted other startups raise capital as an investment advisor. I combine both perspectives to give you a realistic picture of your options, and how your world will look according to which option you choose. The decision to fundraise or not, from who, and if it fits your goals has huge implications for how your journey looks.
Building a team
I've built out 2 companies from scratch to a team size of 700 employees & contractors. I can advise on everything from whether or not to add cofounders, low-risk ways to test and hire C-suite employees, and who to hire first to achieve your goals with limited runway or time. At the early stages, your first key employees play a huge part in how fast and smooth your journey is. They shape your culture and set the pace for everyone that follows afterwards.
Career guidance
For professionals at a crossroads — whether you're leaving corporate for a startup, evaluating a career pivot, or figuring out what actually energizes you. I've made the leap from banking to Africa to founder, and I know what it actually takes. I help ambitious professionals figure out their next bold move before fear makes the decision for them.
Idea validation
I’ve built, scaled, and advised startups from zero to acquisition, and I love helping early stage entrepreneurs design, test, and launch their ideas. I'll help you navigate the countless choices according to best practices, and structure your Company for success. I'll ask the right questions to help you refine and hone in on what matters, and I especially shine in helping you validate or launch fast, with limited time, money & resources.
Imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome isn't a confidence problem — it's a fear problem. And fear is a skill you can build. I've left a stable finance career for a one-way ticket to Nairobi, built companies with no roadmap, and made every terrifying leap that looked reckless from the outside. The voice telling you you're not ready is almost never right. It's just loud. Let's figure out what's actually in your way and build the courage to move past it.
Toolkit
ActiveCampaign for Sales
4 years of experienceWe set up a series of marketing automations, sales team processes, CRM, and advanced marketing analytics to track where each of our leads came from on Active Campaign.
Thinkific
4 years of experienceThe current Trade School I'm scaling sells online & in-person courses & certifications. Our LMS platform is Thinkific, so I'm well-versed in building out products on that platform & the capabilities as well as limitations.
Zoom
5 years of experienceWe have our entire phone, text, & meeting system on Zoom, I can help you set up call queues for your team that will easily flow to relevant departments and team members.
Hubspot
2 years of experienceHubspot is our current CRM where we set up a series of marketing automations, sales team processes, and advanced marketing analytics to track where each of our leads came from.
Zoho
4 years of experienceZoho was our first CRM, we set up a series of marketing automations, sales team processes, and advanced marketing analytics to track where each of our leads came from.
Industries
Adventure Travel
I'm a Wilderness First Responder and I've spent the last decade living and traveling across Africa — overlanding, climbing, free diving, and sleeping in the bush with lions close enough to hear. I know these places because I've actually been there, not because I researched them. When I plan a trip, I'm pulling from real experience of what it feels like to be there, what goes wrong, and what makes it worth every uncomfortable moment.
Outsourcing
I built Africa.ai, a data outsourcing startup in Nairobi, from zero to $1M+ in annual revenue before its acquisition. I know what it takes to build and manage remote teams across cultures, time zones, and wildly different working contexts. If you're building an outsourcing operation or hiring internationally for the first time, I've made the mistakes and figured out what actually works.
EdTech
I've operated inside two education businesses — an early-stage German edtech startup and a U.S. trade school I helped scale and sell. I understand the specific challenges of selling education: long sales cycles, skeptical buyers, and the difficulty of proving ROI before someone signs up. If you're building in edtech, I can help you find the angle that converts.
Incubators
I've been a first-time founder with no network, no roadmap, and no idea what I was doing — and figured it out anyway. Now I help people earlier in that journey compress the learning curve. Whether you're pre-idea or pre-revenue, I help aspiring founders get clear on what they're building, who it's for, and how to get their first paying customer without wasting a year on the wrong things.
Social Entrepreneurship
I founded a nonprofit and pivoted it to a successful for-profit, fundraised startup in Nairobi. I'm very familiar with different business models in the social enterprise space after working for an investment advisor in nairobi, consulting the UN and the World Bank on various social projects. If you're trying to create real impact and be sustainable, I've lived that tension and have a lot of hard-won opinions on what works.