Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in software development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nick Massachi, Founder of Incite, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Incite is an AI-driven decision-making platform with an initial focus on the stock and cryptocurrency markets. Our platform stands out for offering exceptionally precise financial insights, made possible by our unique Polymorphic Algorithm. This algorithm is versatile, adapting its behavior based on the data it encounters, making it a cornerstone of our OMNISIGHT technology.
What sets Incite apart is our ability to offer answers to questions that were once deemed impossible, such as 'Should I buy Apple now?' or 'Will my Bitcoin value increase again?'.
Our primary customers are individuals and businesses looking for data-driven guidance in their decision-making processes. This ranges from individual investors in the stock market and cryptocurrency enthusiasts to companies seeking insights into consumer behavior and market trends.
As the scope of our data widens, we hope to empower our users with every decision, from smart investments to lifestyle choices. Our goal is to transform complex data into actionable insights for all, optimizing the world and fostering success in both personal and professional realms.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a 33-year-old entrepreneur, and my journey into business started early on, rooted in a deep-seated passion for building and creating. As a child, whether it was constructing imaginative structures with Legos, crafting paper boats, or baking elaborate cakes, I always found joy and fulfillment in creation. This innate love for building things set the foundation for my entrepreneurial path.
Despite exploring various internships and roles in finance during my college years, I constantly felt a sense of restlessness, a feeling that I was destined for something more impactful. My father and uncle, Persian-American immigrants who came to America in the 1970s and started an automotive shop, instilled in me the entrepreneurial spirit I carry today. Their journey greatly influenced my outlook and aspirations.
My defining moment came when I ventured into the stock market in 2010. Investing all my savings in a bank stock right before the financial collapse was a hard lesson. Losing everything made me realize that the market isn't just a random mystery; it can be understood and navigated. This realization ignited my mission to make sense of the market's complexities. It was a challenging eight-year journey of personal and professional growth that led to the creation of the Polymorphic Algorithm.
What motivates me daily is the desire to empower others who, like me, have faced losses due to a lack of access to information and guidance. I've seen firsthand how poor decisions based on limited insights can have profound consequences. My goal is to ensure others don't experience what I and many others have gone through. Incite is more than just a business to me. It's a platform to level the playing field, offering everyone the insights and tools they need to make informed, confident decisions.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner isn't measured in financial terms or accolades but rather in the personal growth and transformation I've undergone. The journey to where I stand today has been a challenging one, laden with moments of doubt and a negative mindset. However, these experiences have been instrumental in shaping me.
I am immensely proud of the wisdom, optimism, and generosity I have cultivated over the years. These traits were forged through adversity and are now the core of my entrepreneurial spirit. They are not just virtues but tools that have enabled me to navigate the complex path of business ownership.
The transformation from a person with a bleak outlook to someone who embodies resilience and positivity is my most significant achievement. While I recognize that I am still evolving and have more to learn and grow, the journey thus far has been my greatest success. It's not just about what I've built in terms of business but who I've become in the process. This personal evolution gives me confidence that no matter what challenges lie ahead, I am becoming the man who can face and overcome them.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest aspects of being a business owner, I've found, is the constant, all-encompassing nature of the responsibility. It's akin to raising a child – there are no fixed hours, and the sense of accountability is profound. Failure is not just a personal setback; it affects everyone connected to the business. This responsibility extends not just to the business itself but to the people it serves and employs.
As a business owner, you are constantly called upon to remain calm under pressure, trust your intuition, and persistently move forward, irrespective of the challenges you face. It's a delicate balance of leading with both your head and your heart. Every decision carries weight, and every action has consequences.
This relentless commitment, while undoubtedly the hardest part, is also what makes entrepreneurship deeply rewarding. It's about creating and living by your own design rather than conforming to someone else's blueprint. This path has taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of steadfast determination.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
If I were to offer three key pieces of advice to anyone embarking on the journey of starting, running, and growing a business, they would be:
- Nurture Your Passion: First and foremost, love what you do. Starting a business requires a significant investment of time and effort, and it's your passion that will sustain you through the inevitable ups and downs. This passion is the fuel for perseverance, especially when the road ahead gets tough.
- Embrace Patience and Long-Term Vision: Business success rarely happens overnight. It's important to be patient and maintain a long-term perspective. Remember, value is built over years, and a business evolves over decades. The initial idea is just the beginning; both the business and you, as an entrepreneur, will undergo many transformations.
- Value Your Support System: Never underestimate the importance of your family and friends. Building a business, particularly something you've never done before, can be an arduous journey filled with challenges. Your loved ones will be your pillars of support, offering love, guidance, and encouragement when you need it most. A saying I once heard resonates deeply with me: 'When times are tough, keep your head high, and when times are good, keep your head down.'
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.inciteai.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550369581234
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incite.ai/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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