In this episode, Nadim Alameddine, CEO & founder of Wafeq, shares his journey from bootstrapping his first startup to building a SaaS company that simplifies accounting and financial management for businesses in MENA.Nadim discusses the lessons he learned from scaling multiple products, why localization is a key differentiator in the region, and how Wafeq navigates the complex landscape of regulations and compliance. He also dives into the challenges of pricing SaaS in MENA, his approach to fundraising, and how AI is reshaping financial software.Key takeaways:- Bootstrapping forces founders to be resourceful and prioritize sustainable growth.- Having a technical co-founder—or learning to code—can be a game-changer in early-stage startups.- Localization is a critical competitive advantage in MENA’s SaaS market.- Navigating regulatory complexity is a major challenge for fintech and accounting software.- SaaS pricing should evolve with product maturity and competitive positioning.- Fundraising in MENA requires patience, persistence, and the right investor match.- AI is transforming software development, but its role in accounting SaaS is still evolving.Chapters:00:00 Nadim Alameddine, CEO & founder of Wafeq00:50 Bootstrapping Pricena with Two Technical co-founders 05:12 Starting Wafeq By Becoming Technical 09:20 The Accounting Software Landscape in MENA12:11 Finding Product-Market Fit, Product Dynamics 17:16 Wafeq's Size, Growth, and Challenges 21:57 Figuring Out SaaS Pricing24:50 Hiring & Decision Making29:05 Key SaaS Growth Metrics 31:48 Fundraising in MENA35:05 How is AI Changing SaaS? Accounting?