Please introduce your company and describe your role as CEO within the organization.
I run VamosWatu, a talent partner built for Seed and Series A startups that need to hire the right AI Product Engineers fast. We specialize in finding tinkerers, hackers, and problem‑solvers; the kind of engineers who thrive in ambiguity and ship real product. As CEO, I focus on vision, people, and growth: ensuring we consistently identify top technical talent and embed them into high‑growth teams with zero friction. I also frequently step in as a fractional Chief of HR and a hands‑on startup advisor for our customers; helping founders design their orgs, shape their culture, and build the PeopleOps foundation they need to scale responsibly.
What is your company’s core business model?
We’re an outstaffing and employer‑of‑record partner for startups building AI products. Our customers get engineers who think like owners; curious, resourceful, and capable of moving from idea to working product quickly. We handle sourcing, vetting, payroll, contracts, labor compliance, and office management so founders can stay focused on building instead of hiring infrastructure.
How does your company differentiate itself from competitors in a crowded market?
We excel at identifying and securing a very specific type of engineer: hands‑on builders who love problem‑solving and move quickly without breaking things. Our screening is designed to surface real engineering instincts; not résumé polish. We also offer something no other outstaffing or employer‑of‑record company provides: the opportunity for engineers we place to earn stock options at the startups they join. It’s almost unheard of in this industry, and we are the only organization in Kenya enabling it. This attracts a different caliber of talent; builders who think like owners because they actually become owners. Customers choose us because our developers integrate seamlessly, contribute immediately, and thrive in early‑stage environments where clarity is scarce and speed matters.
What industries do you serve, and how has that focus evolved?
We partner with Seed and Series A startups; teams that are moving fast, building AI‑driven products, and hiring 3–12 engineers per year. As the market has shifted toward AI‑native companies, our focus has sharpened: we specialize in placing AI Product Engineers who can own features end‑to‑end, prototype rapidly, and collaborate closely with founders.
What are the most in-demand services customers approach you for?
- Talent Acquisition: sourcing, vetting, and recruiting AI‑focused engineers who thrive in early‑stage chaos.
- Payroll & Labor Compliance: ensuring customers can scale across borders without legal friction.
- Office Management: providing structure and operational support for distributed engineering teams.
Everything we offer supports one outcome: helping startups hire the right builders who can turn ideas into working product.
How do you personally stay ahead of industry shifts when most data is already yesterday’s news?
I pay attention to what founders worry about before they put it on LinkedIn: burn rate, hiring quality, delivery delays, and investor pressure. Trends show up in customer conversations months before they show up in reports. I stay close to those conversations; that’s the real signal.
Do you have a significant percentage of repeat clients? What drives that loyalty?
Yes. Customers stay with us because our developers show up, dig in, and deliver consistently. We don’t try to be flashy; we try to be reliable. When customers realize we remove friction from their hiring and payroll, and their teams run smoother, they stick around.
How do you measure and ensure high customer satisfaction?
We look at three things: delivery velocity, retention, and renewal rate. If teams are shipping, if developers stay long-term, and if customers renew, we know we’re doing our job. We also stay hands-on; real check-ins, not automated surveys.
What kind of post-project support do you provide?
Because we’re not a project shop, our support is ongoing. We stay with the customer as long as the developer is part of their team. We handle everything operational: contracts, payroll, compliance, and day-to-day PeopleOps support. They focus on building; we handle the weight.
Describe your pricing and billing structure.
Our billing follows a predictable monthly payroll rhythm. Customers are invoiced on the 15th of each month, with payments expected between the 25th and the 1st. Engineers are then paid out between the 1st and the 5th. Pricing is straightforward: $3,200 per month for junior engineers and up to $8,400 per month for lead-level talent. There is also a $250 per‑engineer coworking fee that covers all office management and operational support.
What is your typical price range, and how do you balance affordability with value?
Our pricing varies by seniority and location, but the value isn’t in affordability; it’s in precision. Startups work with us because we help them find engineers who can actually build the thing, not just talk about it. When the right people join the team, speed, clarity, and momentum follow.
Have you turned down projects based on budget or scope? What are your minimum requirements?
Yes. If a customer isn’t ready to hire in-house or doesn’t have a clear product direction, we’re not a fit. Our minimum is simple: they need to be building something real and able to support a developer for a minimum 12-month full-time commitment. Ideally, each role placed through VamosWatu operates on a 24-month agreement, which ensures stability, continuity, and meaningful product momentum.
What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was shifting from a dev agency model to a pure HR/talent model. It required discipline; saying no to revenue that didn’t fit the long-term vision. We overcame it by simplifying the business, tightening operations, and focusing on one promise: dependable people who deliver.
How do you foster innovation and adapt to emerging trends?
We keep the business simple so we can move fast. Our team has the autonomy to test new sourcing channels, refine screening processes, and build better workflows. We also reward the people who learn quickly and adapt to emerging trends; the ones who stay curious set the pace for everyone else. Innovation happens when the basics are handled flawlessly, and the team is incentivized to keep evolving.
What role does company culture play in your success?
Culture is everything. We hire people who are reliable first; people who take ownership, communicate clearly, and don’t hide from hard problems. Our core values guide everything: keep it simple, move fast without breaking trust, and obsess the details.
Where do you see the company in 5–10 years?
I want VamosWatu to be Kenya’s most trusted source of quietly excellent talent; the go-to partner for American startups that want dependable fullstack engineers without the overhead. A global brand rooted in Africa and Latin America, known for reliability and integrity.
How has your leadership style evolved?
I’ve become more direct, more decisive, and more people-focused. Early in my career, I tried to do everything myself. Now I build systems, hire strong people, and focus on clarity. When the team knows exactly where we’re going, momentum takes care of the rest.
What emerging technologies or market shifts excite you?
The rise of distributed engineering talent is the shift we’ve been preparing for. Companies no longer need 50 engineers in one expensive city; they need the right five builders who can execute with speed and autonomy. Tools like VO have made global collaboration effortless, and platforms like Claude Code are changing how engineers prototype, test, and ship features in days instead of weeks. On top of that, the introduction of MCP is reshaping how teams integrate systems, automate workflows, and push AI deeper into their products. These shifts favor resourceful, curious, self‑directed engineers; the exact kind of talent we specialize in finding. That’s the future we’re built for.
What advice would you give aspiring CEOs?
Don’t chase everything at once. Get crystal clear about the one problem you solve and commit to it. And here’s the lesson I learned the hard way: discipline scales you faster than ambition. Ambition gets you started; discipline keeps you alive. But if there’s one more truth I’d add as a people leader, it’s this: build your team with intention. Hire for curiosity, reliability, and ownership. Treat People Operations as a strategic function, not an administrative one. The right team will multiply your impact; the wrong team will drain your time, attention, and momentum.
