Day Devs, co-founded by Gabriel Chouchane and his brother, Saemie Chouchane, is a software development company dedicated to helping businesses succeed with their software and technology needs. Their services range from custom software development, project outsourcing, and staff augmentation for additional project support. Recognizing that 70% of software development projects fail, they believe that their testing methods can significantly reduce this number and guide companies toward successful project outcomes.

Joining the MSDUK Accelerator

The MSDUK Accelerator came to me at a good time when I was actively seeking additional resources and mentoring to expand my knowledge in various aspects of running a business. As a founder, I find myself overseeing several departments from marketing to sales to finance. Ideally, a team of experts would handle these areas, but in reality, I often end up managing everything. The programme provided an extremely positive and intensive experience that was well worth my time. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations, and learning can become secondary. The fixed sessions of the accelerator were a great way to manage my time and commit to attending masterclasses and workshops.

At Day Devs, we align our goals closely with those of our customers, and this programme helped us understand how to achieve those goals by streamlining our processes and gaining knowledge in the areas we needed to improve.

Gabriel’s Learning Experience

Starting with Module 1: Customer Discovery and Validation was great. Although we had a clear target audience, this module refined our processes, providing structure to tasks such as cold outreach and networking. Module 4: Sales and Communication was incredibly useful, encouraging me to review our website messaging to ensure clarity. The facilitator’s method helped us refine our messaging, which we’ve now integrated into our communications. A key takeaway was the importance of naming internal processes when working with clients to make them stand out—something new to me and now implemented at Day Devs. Module 5: Pitching was instrumental in preparing me for Demo Day. It covered skills like stage presence, breath control, and pacing during speech, which are also applicable in sales calls where concise communication is crucial. This module supported my pitch preparation, ensuring I was confident and effective on stage. Module 3: Growth Marketing was also beneficial. We’ve initiated our content marketing strategy and brought in new team members to help. Prior knowledge from the module allowed me to set clear brand guidelines and create an onboarding document. The tasks in this module encouraged practical application, and the constructive feedback from facilitators led to actionable insights. For instance, the Growth Marketing task focused on refining our existing lead collection methods rather than creating new ones, resulting in updated wording on our website and LinkedIn to ensure alignment.

Demo Day: Showcasing Day Devs

Participating in Demo Day as one of the 10 businesses pitching was great. Despite initial nerves, my practice paid off, and I delivered a strong presentation. The feedback from the Accelerator Team was invaluable in refining our message for the audience. Positive audience feedback and engagement were highlights, as it’s typically us founders approaching potential clients. It was also rewarding to see the growth and increased confidence among my cohort peers.

Gabriel’s Biggest Takeaway

As an ethnic minority founder, navigating entrepreneurship without a blueprint and with fewer network connections can be challenging. The MSDUK Accelerator provided a supportive environment where I learned alongside other minority founders facing similar challenges. This collective learning experience was encouraging and a reminder that I am not alone in this journey. I gained insights not only from experts but also from fellow founders whose stories resonated with mine.