Building Lunash: A Symphony in Progress

When I first started Lunash, I was full of excitement. The news from Antler, confirming our spot in their program, felt like the opening notes of a brand-new symphony. Everything was new, and I was ready to take on whatever lay ahead. But as I’ve come to realize, building a startup isn’t a straightforward process. It’s unpredictable—like playing a piece of music that changes tempo without warning. Some days, it feels slow and deliberate, like an adagio, and other days it feels fast-paced and chaotic, like a rondo.

If I were to compare this journey to a piece of music, Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony comes to mind. The different movements remind me of the phases I’ve gone through while building Lunash. Each one brings its own challenges, its own tempo, and its own mood. Like Mendelssohn, I’m still hoping to reach my Andante Con Moto—the moment where things fall into place, where progress is steady and sure. But Mendelssohn’s journey with that symphony wasn’t easy, and neither is mine.

Mendelssohn composed the Reformation Symphony during a time when he was pushing against the norms of his era. His work was inspired by the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther’s stand for what he believed in. In a way, Mendelssohn was fighting for what he thought was right, even when it wasn’t the popular choice. And that’s something I relate to deeply.

Being a CEO isn’t easy, especially when you’re naturally reserved like I am. I’ve always been someone who avoids crowds, but here I am—having to talk to people constantly, selling Lunash, building relationships with VCs, networking. It’s like juggling a lot of different things all at once, and it can feel exhausting. But just like Mendelssohn, I have to keep marching forward, trusting that the hard work will pay off.

One of the toughest moments in this journey was when I lost a very big proof of concept (POC) deal. It felt like a jab right through my stomach. Closing that deal would have meant a lot for Lunash—it was a big client. But as painful as that loss was, I got back up. I took their feedback and immediately started incorporating it into our product iterations. Maybe losing that POC will give me more wins in the long run. It’s just another movement in this symphony—one where the resolution hasn’t been written yet.

One of the biggest challenges has been navigating the resistance we’ve encountered with Lunash. AI and automation are nothing new in marketing, but when it comes to debt collection, AI is still unfamiliar territory for a lot of people. There’s an educational curve—people are resistant because they don’t know enough about AI, or maybe they don’t know because they’re resistant. Either way, it’s my job to push through that resistance, to educate, to show that AI in debt collection isn’t just possible—it’s the future.

Through all of this, I’ve come to rely on the support of my co-founders and my team. They’ve been incredible. Their relentless pursuit of shipping the product, their faith in our vision—it’s what keeps me going on the tough days. Even though I often feel like I’m leading an orchestra full of strangers, trying to find a rhythm we can all follow, I know we’re working toward something beautiful.

I’m also learning to allow myself to be vulnerable. This isn’t easy for me—I’ve always kept my struggles to myself. But I’m realizing that vulnerability isn’t a weakness. It’s okay to let people see that building a startup isn’t all smooth sailing. It’s okay to let them see the hard days, the doubts, the exhaustion. Because just like in Passacaglia, where the repetition builds intensity, there’s something beautiful in the cycle of struggle and resilience. Even when things feel overwhelming, I have faith that everything we’re doing is building toward something incredible, even if I can’t see the full picture yet.

At the end of the day, building Lunash feels like playing in an orchestra. It’s not just about hitting the right notes. It’s about creating something melodic, something that flows, something that moves people. And that doesn’t happen in isolation—it’s a collective effort. We’re all figuring out our parts, and I’m still figuring out mine. But when we come together, I know the end result will be worth it.

In the end, the startup journey, like a symphony, isn’t always about perfection or getting everything right the first time. It’s about persistence. It’s about trusting that every movement, every struggle, and every success adds to the composition. And maybe, just maybe, when I reach the final cadence of this journey, it will be more beautiful than I ever imagined.

(Photo source: Unsplash)