Waitext was part of our first Amplify cohort, Amplify is a 6 module program that delivers a how-to guide to raising investment, pitching and scaling. Live sessions start May 4, join by April 26 to get the early bird discount, join now.

“I’d recommend Amplify to fellow founders because I found it to be a great program that sets the foundations right from the get-go. Learn how to build your MVP, recruit the right team members, fundraise, etc. You can either figure it out via trial & error - which can often be fatal or you can join Amplify to de-risk and better prepare yourself as a founder.” Shahtaj Anward, Founder, Waitext

Waitext is an early-stage startup that was part of Amplify Cohort 2. The team based in Canada are now at the pre-seed stage and are about to roll out their first product and MVP to markets. Here we talk with Co-Founder, Shahtaj about Waitext and his experience with Amplify.

About Waitext

Tell us about Waitext

I’m building a monthly subscription/loyalty program that restaurant owners can offer to their patrons. One way to think of it is Patreon for restaurants. Example: For $5 per month, always get 15% off menu pricing for direct orders/take-aways, that doesn’t apply on 3rd party apps such as Deliveroo/UberEats. 

How was the idea for your startup generated?

The idea was generated from my personal experience of working at my family’s restaurant. As the pandemic impacted our business, our most loyal customers would often tip us more or order larger bills to help us financially - so I thought why not create a solution for this informal gesture?

The Waitext Team

Why did you decide to create your startup?

I decided to create this startup to help restaurant owners such as my family members who’ve been impacted by the pandemic.

How have you found the Founder journey?

The journey has been good, but it most certainly is not as glamorous as news articles and YouTube videos make it out to be - if I can be honest, it's been a bit lonely as I’ve been working remotely with my co-founder who is oceans away in Bangladesh (I’m in Canada).  

Why are you uniquely positioned to solve the problem?

I’m uniquely positioned to solve the problem because I’ve not only experienced managing and operating restaurants but have also worked in food-tech at a company here in Toronto called Ritual and so I feel confident to say I have a strong grasp of this space.

What is your superpower?

Aside from being able to drink gallons of coffee a day, my friends would say it's my ability to tell a story and communicate!

Experience with the Amplify  

Why did you join Amplify?

I joined Amplify to better understand how to build a startup; to learn from others and hear their stories on what they did when they were at my stage to help de-risk my own decision-making.

What was your biggest takeaway from Amplify?

My biggest takeaway from Amplify would be that nothing hard comes easy. If you want to build a startup, you’ve got to put in the work, hustle and be realistic with yourself. If you’re seeking funding, you cannot reach out to 1 or 2 investors, you’ve got to qualify who you’d like support from and take the process seriously with endless reach-outs, follow-ups, etc.

Why would you recommend Amplify to fellow founders?

I’d recommend Amplify to fellow founders because I found it to be a great program that sets the foundations right from the get-go. Learn how to build your MVP, recruit the right team members, fundraise, etc. You can either figure it out via trial & error - which can often be fatal or you can join Amplify to de-risk and better prepare yourself as a founder. 

What was the highlight of the program?

Personally, the highlight of the program for me was being able to access the Accelerating Asia team directly with questions/concerns - everyone was very kind, helpful and insightful!

What sessions did you find the most useful?

All of the sessions were useful - that being said, as I look back, the one session that stood out to me was the chat with Carlos (Co-Founder, Numu), it was inspiring to hear of how he bootstrapped and built a framework around fundraising when the time was right. It sparked a light in me where I connected with a point in time that he was once at.

How did Amplify change your approach or what is the one thing/area where Amplify made a difference and how did you apply it to your startup?

Amplify changed my approach in terms of understanding metrics, to better prepare my startup before seeking funding. Speaking of funding, it was extremely insightful to get a better grasp of how the pre-seed/angel, seed level fundraising works. I know when to seek funding if it makes sense for my startup and when not to go knocking on doors.

Waitext was part of Amplify, our 6 module program that delivers a how-to guide to raising outside capital and 10x’ing your startup growth. Doors are now open to join Amplify.

If you are interested in connecting with Waitext, please reach out to us and we can help facilitate an introduction.

Disclaimer
In making an investment decision, investors must rely on their own examination of startups and the terms of the investment including the merits and risks involved. Prospective investors should not construe this content as legal, tax, investment, financial or accounting advice.