The $2 Million Business Card with Ghazenfer Mansoor

What if your journey from poverty to six countries was shaped by stepping stones of relationships?

In this episode, Ghazenfer Mansoor shares how Technology Rivers helps health tech companies build HIPAA compliant software products and helps healthcare service businesses 10x their operations through AI and technology. With a computer science background and experience building a recruitment SaaS company, Ghazenfer started Technology Rivers with one core philosophy: build it right the first time. Too many founders hire developers and end up with never-ending products that keep building but never launch. His team focuses on helping startups with limited money build the right MVP so they can get traction, get customers, and secure more funding. The work creates a double bottom line: supporting businesses solving world problems while creating opportunities and livelihoods for people across six countries.

He reveals that his journey wasn't shaped by one person, but by stepping stones of relationships. Growing up in Pakistan in poverty, mentors and friends guided him toward education and opportunities that eventually brought him to the US. Coaches, entrepreneurial groups like EO, and books like "Who Not How" all shaped his direction. The most powerful story? Exchanging business cards at a conference. Months later, that person called about a project. Over six years, that one card exchange generated close to $2 million in business.

 

[00:05:20] What Technology Rivers Does

• Software development business serving health tech companies primarily

• Started helping all verticals but gradually focused just on health tech

• Help companies build HIPAA compliant software products

• Work with healthcare service businesses, help them 10x operations through AI and technology

[00:06:00] Build It Right the First Time

• Wanted to fix problem of never-ending products that keep building but never launch

• Companies hiring developers with products that are never ending

• Founders have limited money, need to build right MVP to get traction and funding

• Help startups build products right the first time so they're not broke if it doesn't work

[00:08:00] Creating Double Bottom Line Impact

• Help companies create solutions that solve world's problems

• Every founder working with them is solving something, changing the world

• Also creating opportunities for people supporting those projects

• Team in six different countries, many in growing economies, creating livelihoods

[00:10:20] AI is the Biggest Shift

• Started career in early web, but AI is even much bigger shift

• Mind blowing how things are moving, but also creating opportunities

• Much easier now for people who want to create companies and solutions

• AI not just solving existing problems but bringing new problems to solve

[00:12:00] Journey Shaped by Series of Relationships

• Not just one person, journey shaped by series of relationships as stepping stones

• Growing up in Pakistan, mentor guided him to take risky opportunity

• That opportunity created by colleague in same company

• Friend said "you have to do your master's degree" when Ghazenfer only had diploma

[00:13:00] From Poverty to Possibility

• Friend showed the path, arranged meeting, pushed toward higher education

• Was in poverty, didn't have means for education

• People supported along the way giving opportunities on jobs or introducing to something

• Each opportunity helped get to next step

[00:13:40] Coming to the United States

• Would not have been in US without those opportunities

• Friend introduced to recruiter who was recruiting for company in US

• Coach helped see certain things in way he hadn't seen before

• Entrepreneurial groups (EO, Vistage forums) helped shape journey

[00:14:40] Books That Shaped Direction

• "The Great Game of Business" by Jack Stack - partnership made based on this book

• "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan - amazing book

• "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith

• "How to Win Friends and Influence Others" by Dale Carnegie

[00:15:40] Taking the Leap

• Created own podcast, started speaking engagements

• Wrote first book "Beyond the Download: How to Build Mobile Apps That People Love, Use, and Share Every Day"

• Now writing another book

• All these people contributed to growth, wouldn't be fair to point to just one person

[00:19:20] Clients as Partners and Coaches

• Client gave guidance and tips that helped do things in certain way

• Coaching came directly from client to team: "If you do it this way, this would help me"

• Relationship with clients has always been as partners

• Client guided in terms of how to do things, shaped development effort

[00:22:00] Co-Creation is Key

• Software development and product development can only work if co-creating

• Not about giving instructions and just doing it

• Believe in co-creation as collaborative effort

• Client comes with idea, have to discuss, brainstorm, come up with right way

[00:23:40] Challenging in a Positive Way

• Someone said "you would challenge our client's business approaches"

• Don't challenge their decision, communicate and make sure they hear alternate options

• Challenge in positive way: "Have you thought about this alternate option?"

• Show three ways of doing something with one recommendation

[00:24:40] Three Options, One Recommendation

• Not making decision for client, letting client make decision

• Giving enough information to make the decision

• If only give one option and it doesn't go well, it's a problem

• Software products need that product approach with enough guidance and information

[00:27:00] The Power of Physical Business Cards

• At conferences, people say "Who uses cards nowadays?"

• Challenge: Once you leave a conference, how do you remember who you connected with?

• If just connect on LinkedIn, no reference left when you have thousands of contacts

• Physical cards are cheaper and provide tangible reminder

[00:27:40] The $2 Million Card Exchange

• Years ago at conference, sitting with someone, exchanged cards

• Few months later, guy called: "We were on same table, you gave me your card"

• Working on global software project, needed help

• Got that project, then partner introduced them to another company

[00:28:40] Six Years of Business from One Card

• After six months of work, got another project, then another one

• Over six years timeframe, got close to $2 million in business

• From that one card exchange

• From that point, focused on improving quality of card and keeps bunch with him

[00:29:20] Cards Keep You Top of Mind

• Cards are cheap but provide reminder when back at home or office

• In sales they talk about follow ups: be in front of people at right time

• Traditional way but works for Ghazenfer

• Still keeps bunch with him all the time

[00:36:20] Be the Go-To Person

• Book "Networking is Not Working" by Derek Coburn resonated

• Want to be go-to person for anything - even if someone needs a plumber

• Are you the person who's connected to many that friends always call?

• If you are that person, makes huge difference

 

KEY QUOTES

"Software development, product development can only work if you are co-creating something. If the clients are giving instructions, then we're just like everybody else, then we are not really doing our work. We believe in co-creation." - Ghazenfer Mansoor

"You wanna be the go-to person for anything. If somebody even needs a plumber, who do they call? Are you the person who's connected to many that your friends are always calling you?" - Ghazenfer Mansoor (quoting Derek Coburn)

CONNECT WITH GHAZENFER MANSOOR 

🌐 Business Website: https://www.technologyrivers.com 

🌐 Personal Website: https://www.ghazenfer.com 

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gmansoor 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmansoor 

📚 Book: "Beyond the Download: How to Build Mobile Apps That People Love, Use, and Share Every Day" (releasing end of year) 

🎙️ Podcast: Lessons from the Leap

 

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