Mustafa Abbas, an education expert with experience as a head of product for an AI-based leadership coaching platform, approached LAILA with an ambitious vision: to create a digital platform that would revolutionize how mentorship works. His concept, "Counsello," would serve as an "Uber for mentoring," connecting mentees seeking guidance with qualified mentors across various domains, particularly focusing on educational and career advancement.

Working with LAILA's design partnership program, Mustafa transformed his concept into a functional MVP in just 4 weeks, moving from initial market research to a fully operational platform that facilitates mentor-mentee connections, scheduling, and feedback.

Startup: Counsello

Industry: EdTech/Mentorship

Mustafa had an idea for Counsello, what they described as an “Uber for Mentoring.” It had been on his mind for 2 years, but lacked technical resources, time, and market validation to bring it to life.

• Market Research Gap: While he had domain expertise in education, he lacked comprehensive market research to validate his concept and understand potential competitors.

• Technical Limitations: With a background in product management but limited coding experience, Mustafa needed technical expertise to build a functional platform.

• User Journey Complexity: The platform needed to handle various user types (mentors, mentees, and those who want to be both) with different journeys and expectations.

• Marketing Strategy: As a self-described "not a marketing guy," Mustafa needed guidance on how to attract the initial critical mass of users to the platform.

LAILA provided structured approach to address each challenge. Within just 4 weeks, Mustafa's concept transformed from an idea into a functional platform ready for user testing. Key outcomes included:

• Validated Business Model: Rapid market research validated the concept and provided insights into optimal pricing strategies and user acquisition approaches.

• Functional MVP: The resulting product allowed users to create profiles, connect, schedule sessions, communicate, and provide feedback.

• Marketing Strategy: Mustafa received guidance on targeting initial users, particularly focusing on high school and college students seeking admissions advice.

• Growth Pathway: The MVP established a foundation for future development, with a clear roadmap for adding features like video integration and advanced scheduling.

Mustafa didn’t just build a product—he built traction. In just four weeks, Counsello went from concept to a working MVP, now actively used for pilot programs, user testing, and investor pitches. This case highlights how LAILA’s structured, end-to-end process—spanning research, design, development, and strategy—can turn a vision into a validated, market-ready platform with speed and precision.

With early users already engaging, Mustafa is now positioned to refine the product, strengthen his pitch, and scale Counsello’s reach in the mentorship market.