Scaling a Software Business While Preserving Culture

Ashish Patel is the Founder and CEO of Simpat Tech, a custom software development consultancy. With a background in engineering and product management, he has scaled the company to become a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in Application Development. Ashish is also the Owner and Manager of Austin .NET User Group. 

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [3:00] How Ashish Patel’s parents moved from India to Kenya, London, and the United States
• [7:38] Ashish’s early interest in coding, inspired by his father’s career as a software engineer
• [11:06] Ashish talks about how he built a Craigslist search app and why he shut it down
• [16:57] Launching Simpat Tech with help from a mentor and the EO Accelerator program
• [20:55] How Ashish overcame scaling challenges by partnering with a co-founder and building a nearshoring team
• [24:16] Strategies for building and maintaining company culture across US and Mexican teams
• [28:47] The impact of AI coding on Simpat Tech’s software development process
• [35:21] Ashish expresses gratitude for the mentors who supported his entrepreneurial journey

In this episode…

Starting a business often entails facing uncertainty about when to take risks, how to scale, and how to differentiate in a competitive market. Many founders struggle to balance growth while maintaining culture and controlling costs, especially when talent demands skyrocket. How can entrepreneurs scale while managing financial, operational, and cultural challenges?

Software developer and entrepreneur Ashish Patel scaled his company by starting small, securing early mentorship, and leveraging nearshore talent to manage costs without sacrificing quality. Ashish partnered with a trusted colleague to build a development team in Mexico, where he facilitated cultural alignment to enhance collaboration. He emphasizes the importance of investing in company culture through regular in-person visits and open communication.

In this episode, John Corcoran hosts Ashish Patel, Founder and CEO of Simpat Tech, to discuss scaling a software development company. Ashish shares his immigrant and entrepreneurial upbringing, how he leverages AI for coding efficiency, and the role of mentorship in his entrepreneurial journey.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Eric Evans on LinkedIn
• Pipes.AI
• Scott Thomas on LinkedIn
• MODintelechy
• Entrepreneurs’ Organization EO
• EO Austin
• John Corcoran on LinkedIn
• Rise25
• Ashish Patel on LinkedIn
• Simpat Tech

Quotable Moments:

• “I was on there like every hour, seeing what popped up. I was like, there’s got to be a better way.”
• “The core drive to be successful can be applied across all types of areas.”
• “My parents made that leap to leave their entire family in London to move here.”
• “The risk-free path is not the path I want to go on.”
• “Culture is… one of the most important pieces for me.”

Action Steps:

1. Start small and validate demand before scaling: Launching with a single client or project minimizes risk while testing market fit. This approach builds confidence and a foundation for sustainable business growth.
2. Build culture intentionally from the start: A strong, unified culture fosters team cohesion, especially when managing distributed or nearshore teams across borders. Prioritizing culture early prevents misalignment as the company expands.
3. Leverage mentorship for early-stage guidance: Experienced mentors can offer critical advice, open doors, and help avoid common entrepreneurial pitfalls. Their support can accelerate learning curves and decision-making confidence.
4. Integrate AI tools thoughtfully into development workflows: Empower senior developers to guide AI-driven coding for higher efficiency without sacrificing code quality. This balances innovation with necessary oversight to prevent downstream issues.
5. Invest in in-person engagement with remote teams: Regular visits and informal interactions build trust and personal connections within distributed teams. Strong relationships enhance communication, collaboration, and long-term retention.

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by EO Austin, a community in Austin, Texas, for influential entrepreneurs.

Since 1995, EO Austin has connected business owners and entrepreneurs across industries to build community, share experiences, and inspire innovation. 

EO Austin’s members are focused on business growth, personal development, and community engagement.

To join the world’s most influential community of entrepreneurs in Austin, visit https://eoaustin.com/join-eo/.