Build too long without revenue and something breaks.

In this episode of From Code to C-Suite, Liam sits down withShihab Khalil, Founder and CEO of Zag Trader, a nearly 20-year-old fintech company that started before the word “fintech” even existed.

Shihab breaks down what it really takes to bootstrap anenterprise-grade trading platform, sell into an “absolute conservative industry,” and survive the long cycles of banks and financial institutions.

He also shares the founder lesson that changed everything:

‘Go after revenue very quickly… if you build, build, buildand don’t have revenue at an early stage, something will break… break even quick, quick, quick. And then once you break even, it’s like the time stops.’

We cover:

• ⁠Why emerging markets reward broad platforms over narrow niches
• The reality of selling enterprise software into conservative banks
• Why cashflow becomes the primary concern with noinstitutional investors
• The hidden cost of not hiring senior talent early (technical debt)
• The shift into SaaS / managed services and what it unlocked for growth
• How AI is changing software building for both startups andbig banks
• The advice Shihab would give founders trying to compete in fintech

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the real founder playbook for surviving long enough to win.

📲 Connect with Liam Moir-Holland and From Code to C-Suite:

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📲Connect with Full Name of Guest:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shihab/

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