Image Credit: Faiz-ul-Hassan
Education and connections often dictate the success of tech startups. Faiz-ul-Hassan’s story defies convention. The 27-year-old CEO and founder of Wordsense has built a successful and innovative tech company. This achievement is even more impressive considering he grew up in a resource-scarce Pakistani village where the concept of computers was alien to many.
A Broken System Breeds Innovators
The tech industry thrives on innovation, but systemic barriers, from rigid educational structures to limited access to resources, prevent many bright minds from contributing. Hassan encountered these obstacles early on. The school system “didn’t work for me,” he states. That circumstance stifled his curiosity and practical problem-solving abilities. While most of his peers were constrained by traditional career paths, Hassan’s fascination with technology blossomed through trial and error.
Armed with a secondhand computer, he learned to repair and program. These skills will soon make him a local prodigy. “I was the kid they would call to fix their computers and remove viruses from software,” he says. However, Hassan’s ambitions stretch far beyond troubleshooting hardware in his village.
A Decade of Trial and Triumph
Between 2008 and 2013, Hassan faced what he calls his “rough patch.” Dropping out of formal education, he plunged into side hustles to stay afloat. Before the smartphone boom bought and sold cell phones. Additionally, he explored opportunities on platforms like Google AdSense. These ventures were laboratories where he learned business principles and tech skills that no classroom could teach.
“I learned the technical art of earning through Google which would later pay the way for my company, Wordsense,” he says. By 2013, Hassan was ready to channel these fragmented experiences into something bigger and that’s when his company was born. However, it reflects it was not a conventional startup. Instead, it reflected his hybrid approach of merging grassroots resourcefulness with technology.
The Rise of Wordsense
Wordsense reflects Hassan’s philosophy that “opportunities don’t happen; you create them.” Although he started the company with a lean team, Hassan built it into a powerhouse that generated revenue through digital services and expanded into multiple enterprises, including Infinity, Xify, and Amectix.
“Not sticking to one niche and gaining experience from multiple backgrounds proved extremely helpful,” he shares. This experience helped him think and work toward owning his own software-based company.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
The COVID-19 pandemic dismantled much of what Hassan had built. In 2020, he was forced to shut down operations. Although this was a devastating blow after years of relentless effort, he used the setback as a pivot point.
He restructured Wordsense by doubling down on scalable solutions and emerged stronger than before. This resilience is rooted in what Hassan caused a “no victim mindset.” For him, failure isn’t a dead end but a stepping stone. “You are always responsible for the choices you make,” he emphasizes.
Breaking the Mold
Hassan’s story is an invitation to rethink what’s possible. It shows that success is often about perseverance, adaptability, and daring to break the mold. “Given my background with no conventional education, I could have been easily defeated,” he says.
Faiz-ul-Hassan offers this advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Treat yourself well. Focus on your growth. The world will criticize, but your journey is yours alone.”
