From building software to building community. The journey of how failure taught us what truly matters in tech.
It started with a simple idea: build great software for businesses that need it. In 2020, we launched Interstack as a software development company, registered in Nigeria. We were optimistic, energetic, and ready to change the world one line of code at a time.
We had the technical skills. We had the passion. We had the vision. What we didn't have was a clear understanding of the market, our positioning, or how to truly connect with the clients we wanted to serve.
The projects were few and far between. We struggled to find a sustainable business model. And slowly, the reality of running a business in a competitive market began to set in.
Every entrepreneur says "failure is a learning experience," but living through it is different. We struggled to gain traction. Marketing felt like shouting into the void. Client acquisition was painfully slow. The bills, however, kept coming.
We made mistakes. We underpriced our services. We took on projects that weren't the right fit. We said yes when we should have said no. The technical work was solid, but running a sustainable business required more than just coding skills.
Eventually, we had to make a difficult decision. We couldn't keep pushing forward the same way. Something had to change.
We didn't officially close Interstack, but we stepped away. It was a painful decision, but necessary. During this time, we took on full-time roles, freelance work, and continued building our skills. We learned from other companies, saw how successful businesses operated, and gained perspective we didn't have before.
But the idea of Interstack never truly left us. It was always there in the back of our minds, waiting for the right moment, the right approach, the right purpose.
And then something clicked.
During our time in the industry, we met incredible people. Engineers who had overcome impossible odds. Data scientists who had taught themselves from scratch. Project managers who had led teams through crisis. Product designers who had built products used by millions.
Their stories were inspiring. Their journeys were filled with lessons that could help others. But these stories weren't being told. They were hidden in casual conversations, lost in private messages, forgotten in the daily grind of work.
We realized something: the tech industry doesn't just need more software. It needs more connection, more inspiration, more human stories.
That's when we decided to bring Interstack back, but with a completely different mission.
We decided to restart Interstack, this time properly registered in the United Kingdom, with a clear vision: to share tech stories from professionals through authentic storytelling.
Instead of just building products, we would build community. Instead of just writing code, we would share stories. Instead of chasing every client, we would focus on creating value that actually matters.
We would conduct interviews with engineers, data scientists, analysts, project managers, and product designers. We would share their journeys on YouTube, create engaging short-form content for Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. We would host Twitter Spaces where the tech community could gather and learn from each other.
To sustain this mission, we've built a comprehensive platform that connects tech recruiters with talented professionals. Recruiters can subscribe to premium or personalised plans to access our talent pool, conduct video interviews, and connect with candidates. This subscription-based model allows us to maintain the platform, continue sharing authentic tech stories, and build a sustainable business that genuinely serves both recruiters and talents.
Interstack is now a comprehensive platform dedicated to sharing authentic tech stories and connecting talented professionals with recruiters worldwide. We're building a community where tech professionals can showcase their skills, share their journeys, and connect with meaningful opportunities.
We've learned that success isn't just about building the best product or having the most clients. It's about creating something meaningful, something that genuinely helps people and brings the community together.
Our failure as a traditional software company taught us what matters. And now, we're building something we truly believe in—a platform that empowers tech professionals and helps recruiters find the right talent.
A comprehensive platform connecting tech talent with recruiters through video interviews, detailed profiles, and direct communication.
Talents can upload video interviews answering custom questions, allowing recruiters to see beyond resumes and understand candidates' communication skills and personality.
Detailed talent profiles with skills, experience, education, portfolio links, CV uploads, and ratings from recruiters.
Recruiters can post job listings, and talents can browse and apply to opportunities that match their skills and interests.
Premium recruiters can communicate directly with talents through our built-in messaging system with real-time notifications.
Premium recruiters can initiate video calls with talents directly through the platform for live interviews and discussions.
Public blog featuring tech stories, career insights, and industry trends. Accessible to everyone, not just premium users.
Recruiters can filter talents by skills, experience, location, and more to find the perfect candidates quickly.
Premium recruiters get access to analytics tracking recruitment performance, response rates, and hiring insights.
We partner with coding bootcamps, universities, and tech communities to help their members connect with opportunities.
A seamless experience for both tech professionals and recruiters
Create Your Profile
Build a comprehensive profile showcasing your skills, experience, education, and portfolio links.
Upload Video Interviews
Answer custom questions through video interviews to showcase your communication skills and personality.
Browse Job Opportunities
Explore job listings from recruiters and apply to positions that match your skills and interests.
Connect with Recruiters
Receive messages from premium recruiters, join video calls, and build relationships with potential employers.
Browse Talent Profiles
Search and filter through comprehensive talent profiles with skills, experience, and video interviews.
Watch Video Interviews
View pre-recorded video interviews to understand candidates beyond their resumes.
Post Job Listings
Create and manage job postings to attract qualified candidates from our talent pool.
Connect & Hire
Premium recruiters can message talents, initiate video calls, and manage the entire hiring process.
From inception to transformation
Interstack founded in Nigeria as a software development company. Full of ambition and ready to build.
Struggled with client acquisition and market positioning. Learned hard lessons about running a business.
Stepped back to reassess. Gained industry experience and perspective working with other companies.
Discovered the power of tech storytelling. Realized the industry needs more human connection and inspiration.
Registered in the UK. Pivoted to career storytelling. Launched our mission to share tech stories worldwide.
Conducting interviews, creating content, and connecting tech professionals. The journey continues.
In conversation with Damilola Ogunsakin
Fullstack engineer with experience at RiskHub, MadeByCooper, Slidehub and Maxibuy. Passionate about building meaningful products and sharing tech stories from professionals.
Q: What inspired you to restart Interstack with a completely different focus?
Honestly, it was the people I met along the way. Every engineer, designer, or data scientist I worked with had an incredible story. But these stories stayed in Slack channels or coffee chats. I realized we're so focused on building products that we forget to celebrate the people behind them. Tech needs more humanity, and that's what Interstack is about now.
Q: What was the hardest part about the initial failure?
The hardest part wasn't the lack of sustainable income, it was the feeling of not making an impact. We were technically capable, but we weren't solving problems that mattered to people. That disconnect was painful. But it taught me that success isn't about being the best coder, it's about creating value that resonates with real people.
Q: Why did you decide to register in the UK?
I wanted to build something with global reach. Registering in the UK gives us credibility and access to a wider network of tech professionals. It also symbolizes our commitment to doing this properly, learning from our past mistakes and building something sustainable.
Q: What's your vision for Interstack in the next few years?
I want Interstack to become the go-to platform where tech professionals share their authentic stories. Not the polished LinkedIn version, but the real stuff, the failures, the pivots, the lessons learned. I want someone starting their tech career to find inspiration and guidance here. And I want to prove that you can build a sustainable business while genuinely helping people.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who's experiencing their own business failure?
Don't waste the failure. It's tempting to just move on and pretend it didn't happen, but there's so much to learn from it. Take time to understand what went wrong and why. And remember, failure doesn't define you, how you respond to it does. Our failure with the original Interstack led us to something better. Your failure might be leading you somewhere too.
Whether you have a story to share or a project to build, we'd love to hear from you. Let's create something meaningful together.