Building Too Much Too Early : Building tech as a non-technical founder |

Overbuilding can quietly kill a startup — especially in HR tech.

In this episode of Be Agile, Lillian Secelela Madeje founder of ‪@niajiriplatform‬ breaks down one of the most common (and expensive) startup mistakes: building too much too early.

What started as an MBA project turned into an HR tech platform serving employers and career seekers across Africa. But along the way came hard lessons about product focus, monetization, and solving the right problem at the right time.

In this episode, we explore:
• Why trying to solve everything at once slows growth
• Building tech as a non-technical founder
• Employers vs career seekers — who should you build for first?
• Monetization realities in African startups
• Lessons learned from COVID, partnerships, and scaling

If you’re a founder, product builder, HR professional, or developer, this conversation will help you avoid years of wasted effort and cost.

00:00 – Trailer
01:08 – Introduction & Setting the Context
03:48 – From Media to HR & Consulting
06:18 – How Niajiri Started as an MBA Project
08:28 – When the Project Became a Real Business
10:38 – Building Too Much, Too Early
12:23 – The Biggest Lesson: Focus on One Problem
13:58 – Employers vs Career Seekers
16:08 – Monetization Mistakes Founders Make
18:38 – COVID and the Founder Breaking Point
21:08 – Finding Revenue That Actually Works
23:08 – B2B vs B2C in African Markets
24:48 – Partnerships That Made Survival Possible
27:38 – The Invisible Support System
30:18 – Hiring and Managing Gen Z Talent
33:18 – Culture Over Cash
36:08 – Hiring for Values, Not Just Skills
38:28 – Letting Go as a Founder
41:18 – Why Side-Hustle Building Fails
44:28 – Exposure, Travel & Global Perspective
47:18 – You Don’t Have to Fit the Startup Stereotype
50:58 – The Lowest Emotional Point
55:18 – Separating Identity from the Business
57:48 – Advice for Non-Technical Founders
01:00:38 – Test Before You Build
01:03:28 – Final Founder Lessons
01:09:48 – Future of Work & Compliance