From Berkeley to Nairobi: Getting SaaS-y with a United States Market Entry
Project Country: Kenya / IBD Client: Seamless HR
Written by: Aitana Felgueroso, Diego Morales, Julia Concetta Conte, Goutham Murthy, and Salahuddin Mohammad Sharib
MBA students routinely assess risk when entering school: the risk of leaving behind your paycheck, the risk of recruiting for your niche dream internship, even the risk of sending that corny LinkedIn message hoping for a response and genuine connection. One of the best risks our team has ever taken was signing up for a class where we had no idea who we would work with, for whom, and in what country.
Haas’s International Business Development course threw our diverse, yet beautifully balanced team into an educational, yet fulfilling whirlwind. We would love to show you our incredible moments in Nairobi, Kenya with SeamlessHR, Africa’s leading HR software company.
Saturday, May 17th – Sunday, May 18th – Jambo Nairobi!
Our arrival to Nairobi was fragmented, daunting and yet hopeful. Each team member arrived by themselves, facing different challenges from managing the hectic ocean of people outside of the airport to delays on our flights. As a team lead, Diego was on the lookout for any problem that could happen with the arrival of any team member, either by connecting Goutham and Sharib to the client’s taxi service to messaging constantly with Aitana and Julia to ensure they arrived safely.
Despite the challenges, arriving was a warm hug to the team, since the road to the hotel passed directly through our client’s billboard, reminding us of the impact they have already had on the continent. We knew that we were in another world, another challenge, but we had the support of a world class company to surpass our challenges and we were ready for them.
Monday, May 19th – Hitting the Ground Running
Our first day was a big one. It was the presentation of the desk and market research summarizing all of our efforts that would later support our recommendations and enable client discussions to build together their ideal Go-To-Market strategy. We had already presented to our main client stakeholders, including the Chief of Staff Adetoun Akinsunmi, but now we were going to present to everyone involved in the expansion to the US market. There are always questions – did we focus on the correct topics? Did we balance correctly breadth and depth? Or would our work be considered below expectations? Yet, it was a sunny day and seeing an eagle on the way to the office was a sign of good luck and that we would be able to handle any challenge in front of us.
The session was a success that created healthy debate, curiosity and set the standard for the next few weeks to have fun while also stepping out of our comfort zones. Our personalities and differences started to come out in the best ways possible.
Tuesday, May 20th – Heating Up the Work and the Spicy Food!
We started each of our work days with a ride to the office from our awesome driver, Patrick. Patrick was an expert at navigating the crazy Nairobi traffic! Driving on the left hand side of the road, motorcycles weaving between the traffic, and honking: it was an adrenaline rush to drive to the office.
On Tuesday morning, our team led an interactive Go-to-Market Workshop with the SeamlessHR team. After having presented our market analysis on Monday, we now turned to the client, asking what they believe the correct GTM strategy is from multiple angles.
It was important to us that we made the session as interactive as possible. This proved to be easy, as there was clearly a great degree of trust, openness and kindness within the SeamlessHR team! To ensure we heard everyone’s perspective, we (1) issued individual surveys, and (2) assigned small discussion groups. The surveys allowed participants to anonymously voice their opinions anonymously and without risk of judgement / biases on key metrics of the GTM strategy. The small group discussions allowed team members to react to one another’s insights and gain different perspectives.
The workshop provided rich insights that would go on to fuel our final GTM strategy recommendation. All in all, it was a productive two hour session!
Lastly, we also kicked off one-on-one interviews with 10+ people from the SeamlessHR leadership team to deeply learn their perspectives, hypotheses, and concerns. Our first one-on-one was with the Regional Vice President of East Africa, who gave great insights and also introduced us to Kenyan “purple tea”!
During lunch, we tried Nigerian food for the first time – goat stew and jollof rice. The jollof was super spicy, but those that could handle the heat enjoyed it!
Wednesday, May 21st – Conversations and Cake
This day was a particularly meaningful day for our project, filled with both insights and celebration. We had the opportunity to speak with several senior leaders across SeamlessHR, including heads of product, marketing, sales, and revenue, each offering a unique lens on the company’s aspirations, operating context, and strategic considerations for entering the US market.
A few consistent themes emerged across these conversations. First, there’s a strong commitment to grounding any market expansion in a deep understanding of local context, not just in terms of regulations or infrastructure, but in the lived realities of wage-based workers and the businesses that employ them. Leaders repeatedly emphasized the need to validate pain points, tailor solutions to specific industries, and resist assumptions based on past successes in other regions.
Second, there’s a thoughtful openness around go-to-market strategy, with clear debates and healthy skepticism around pricing models, distribution channels, and whether to lead with a high-touch sales approach, partnerships, or a more product-led path. Many acknowledged that the US is a crowded and competitive market, and that differentiation will require clarity of focus, agility, and perhaps most importantly, humility.
And finally, there’s a strong undercurrent of identity and ambition, the challenge and pride of being a leading African company considering global growth, while being honest about the biases, barriers, and optics that may come with it. Leaders spoke candidly about the importance of navigating perception without losing sight of who they are and what they bring to the table.
Amidst all these discussions, we also took a moment to celebrate Toun’s 6th work anniversary with cake and company stories, which offered a richer sense of the team’s camaraderie and culture. And over lunch, we enjoyed Kenyan pilau, a fragrant spiced rice dish that felt emblematic of the day itself: layered, grounded in tradition, and generously shared.
Thursday, May 22nd – Partnerships on the Table
With our initial round of interviews behind us, today marked a shift, we went from absorbing insights to testing hypotheses. We spoke with two leaders who offered a different lens on the opportunity, helping us move from abstract frameworks to real-world operating implications.
The first conversation leaned into the idea of external partnerships and surfaced critical considerations around incentives, onboarding, and support. It became clear that a partnership-led model involves trust, enablement, and mutual value. We heard that the structure of incentives, especially in a competitive, noisy market, will make or break how well-engaged the partners are.
The second discussion blended elements of an interview and a working session. It helped clarify how a partner onboarding might take shape, how to scope it, what value each party would derive, and how to structure it in a way that preserves flexibility while still anchoring to tangible outcomes. This interaction helped us think through what an early launch strategy could look like, through collaborative build-and-learn loops that strengthen both product-market fit and brand trust.
At the same time, we started closing out the survey instruments we had rolled out earlier, allowing us to layer emerging quantitative signals on top of the qualitative insights we’d been collecting.
By now, we were also beginning to synthesize what we had heard so far, connecting patterns, pressure-testing our assumptions, and shaping a first-pass go-to-market hypothesis to build on in the coming days.
In the evening, we explored Spinner’s Web, a vibrant market of local art and crafts, and followed that up with a relaxed dinner at a famous Indian restaurant. The day ended with full minds, full bellies, and the growing sense that we were beginning to turn insight into strategy.
Friday, May 23rd – Work Hard, Play Hard
Even though we worked hard all week, we came to the office on Friday motivated (and excited for the impending weekend adventure ahead!). Our day was full of back-to-back 1:1 meetings with SeamlessHR team members, which we split up across the team. The SeamlessHR team indeed worked quite seamlessly – each member was unique and perfectly suited for their role, and yet they all worked in cohesion with a common strategy and goal. We really enjoyed getting to know everyone personally, and 1:1 conversations often carried over to breakroom chats about the best restaurants in Nairobi. We ended the work day with a session with a US Social Impact work expert, which Adetoun Akinsunmi led on behalf of the SeamlessHR team and found very helpful for considering the US landscape.
That evening, we got a taste of Nairobi cuisine and nightlife as we celebrated a week well-done. The team went to “The Location”, a delicious restaurant that turns into a nightclub as the evening goes on. With great music and welcoming partygoers, the team enjoyed the free moments – making sure to still get home early and be well-rested for the big adventure that awaited us on Saturday.
Saturday, May 24th – Sunday, May 25th – A Weekend Worthy of its Own Blog
First and foremost, the SeamlessHR team is the most generous, welcoming, and fun client we could have ever asked for. They planned our whole weekend in Nairobi – everything from the safari to the baby elephant orphanage to the giraffe sanctuary. We were lucky enough to have them join us in all the activities.
On Saturday, we kicked off the weekend bright-and-early at 5 AM. We were told that the animals wait for no one and in order to make sure to see their peak activity, it was a MUST that we be at the Nairobi National Park ASAP. The first major animal we saw: lions. In the vehicle, we chased the lions right into the mud. Once in the mud, our truck got stuck. We were not able to move at all and since the lions were nearby, none of us were anxious to get out to help move the vehicle. After the lions left, the driver got out of the car and got help from other drivers to “tow” us out of the mud. It was incredible to see the camaraderie between all the safari drivers trying to help each other out of the mud. The sense of community and support continued throughout the safari as the guides frequently stopped and talked about animal locations, and “hot” attractions. We were in awe! We saw so many animals: lions, zebras, ostriches, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, ducks, antelopes, and monkeys. Our team really showed off their incredible talents on the safari too! Diego took the most artistic photos. Julia shared all of the animal facts she learned from National Geographic. Goutham had the most photogenic smile in all photos. Sharib had the best ~nonserious~ safari narration. Aitana had the longest standing duration in the incredibly bumpy car ride.
Fun fact: The animal we saw most on the safari was the ostrich (specifically the pretty boy ostriches! Per our tour guide, the pretty ostriches are males as they use their beauty to attract a mate.)
After the safari, we went straight to the baby elephant sanctuary: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. What a sight! We arrived a few minutes late, and the elephant feeding had already started. When we arrived, there were eight baby elephants running to the handlers with the baby elephant milk bottles. The handlers told us the story of each baby elephant, how they were orphaned, and what their recovery journey has been like in the sanctuary. The elephants were inches away from us and as they got closer, we were able to pet them. The sanctuary does an incredible job educating the public, taking care of the animals, and fundraising for wildlife conservation.
Life Update! Julia is the new proud mom of the cutest baby elephant, Wamata! As a new mother, she got her very own watercolor portrait of her toddler. In the future, she will receive life updates of her child via email. We can’t wait to keep up with her new family.
On Sunday, we took a morning trip to the Museum of Illusions. We were able to walk around and take a bunch of pictures with Lydia (our favorite SeamlessHR activity organizer)! In the afternoon we went to the Giraffe Giraffe Center. We all were able to feed the giraffes. Goutham fed a giraffe and had his whole hand inside the giraffe’s mouth. Luckily, no harm! Sharib was angry at the older giraffe since the older giraffe bullied the other giraffes. Aitana was pretty squirmish, but was able to keep it together to feed the animals. All in all, the team had an incredible weekend experiencing the amazing beauty within Nairobi, Kenya. It was a perfect recharge in preparation for the final presentation.
Monday, May 26th: The BIG Readout!!!
After an adventurous weekend, our team quickly re-entered work mode for our biggest presentation: a two-hour long summary of our go-to-market recommendations! Our team and multiple members from SeamlessHR, including the co-founder / CTO, packed into our team’s small “war room”. Many others joined via video call, including the other co-founder / CEO. Julia amped up the excitement by kicking off with an interesting case study. Aitana, Goutham, Diego and Julia walked through the GTM strategy’s value proposition, target customer, differentiators, and ways to reach the customer. Sharib wrapped up the session with a practical roadmap and capability assessment to ensure our recommendations were able to be seamlessly implemented.
The SeamlessHR team engaged throughout the presentation, asking great questions and discussing with one another. Everyone seemed happy with our work, and we received several interesting follow-ups to research in the coming days.
To celebrate the big meeting, we first had lunch in the beautiful office courtyard, enjoying the nice weather. Even though we had the big meeting, we still worked late on Monday so that we could fit in a fun activity on Tuesday morning.
Later that night, we went to a family-style Chinese restaurant with members of the client team: Adetoun, Lydiah, and Moyowa. We bonded and laughed over one huge hot pot of delicious beef stew and also enjoyed dumplings, pork stew, pineapple fried rice, and an amazing eggplant dish. We also made an adorable cat friend, who we lovingly named Dumpling. It was the perfect way to celebrate our biggest meeting.
Tuesday, May 27th – Biking and Hiking through Hell
Thanks to working longer hours on Monday, the team was able to go on a fun adventure on Tuesday morning. We woke up early and drove two hours to Hell’s Gate, a national park with no big cats, meaning it’s a rare park where visitors can get out of their vehicles and stroll. We biked through herds of zebras and past giraffes, warthogs, wildebeest, monkeys, and more. Julia had a fangirl moment when she finally met one of her favorite bugs, the dung beetle. We also hiked into the “Gate of Hell”, a deep valley with hot springs. Despite the name, we felt like we were in paradise!
After some intense physical activity, we were ready to lounge on a boat ride at Lake Naivasha. But this wasn’t just any boat ride – we were searching for hippos. We were able to watch baby hippos playing together with mothers bobbing in the water nearby. We also saw a huge hippo stroll onto the grass for some “salad”. While we were a little scared of the hippos at first, it was an incredible experience!
Fun fact: A group of hippos is called a “bloat”! We saw two different bloats from our boat!
Wednesday, May 28th – Wrapping Up and Gearing Up
After a whirlwind of activity in the previous days, today was the culmination of our delivery phase. We finalized and sent out the completed presentations, documents, and strategic recommendations to all stakeholders. This day was a blend of celebration and focus. a chance to reflect on the work we had done and ensure everything was polished and ready for handoff. Throughout the day, we balanced lighthearted moments with colleagues around the office with serious review sessions where we synthesized feedback and fine-tuned our final recommendations. These discussions helped us clarify the narrative and highlight the most impactful insights, ensuring our conclusions were both practical and compelling.
With the delivery behind us, attention quickly turned to preparing for the BluAlliance summit and saying our goodbyes to Julia and Aitana. We began outlining our presentation strategy, discussing potential roles and contributions for each team member. The mood was optimistic and energized as we shifted from delivering on this phase to gearing up for the collaborative opportunity ahead, bringing our insights into a broader, dynamic context.
Thursday, May 29th – On the Road to BluAlliance: From Nairobi to Nanyuki
With Julia and Aitana heading back to the U.S. for their internships, Diego, Sharib, and Goutham stayed on to represent the team at the BluAlliance Design Partnership Program—a three-day summit hosted by SeamlessHR that brought together leading employers, the Gates Foundation, UC Berkeley, and other stakeholders to co-create scalable solutions for Africa’s blue-collar workforce.
The day started early as the group gathered at a central meeting point in Nairobi. Delegates from across the continent slowly arrived—some from the Gates Foundation, others from potential client organizations, and many familiar faces from the SeamlessHR team. There was a quiet buzz of anticipation, with everyone clearly excited for what the weekend would bring.
Soon, buses were assigned for the 5–6 hour drive to the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki. Diego used the ride to catch up on some much-needed rest. Sharib put on his headphones and took the time to connect with friends and family. Meanwhile, Goutham sat next to Deji, SeamlessHR’s CTO, and the two were deep in conversation the entire way.The bus ride itself became an unexpected cultural exchange. Stocked with snacks and soft drinks, the journey wound through changing landscapes and lively conversations. For many Nigerian delegates, it was their first time in Kenya. Conversations drifted from sports rivalries to politics, history, and the everyday similarities and differences between West and East Africa.
The group arrived at Fairmont around 4 PM and was welcomed with a hearty lunch. The resort looked like something out of a movie—llamas roamed one side of the lawn, while elegant peacocks strolled by on the other. We were also delighted to learn that the hotel sits directly on the equator—a quick jump from the northern hemisphere to the southern one (and back again) became a favorite party trick for the afternoon.
The Berkeley crew shared a table with new friends from SeamlessHR, already feeling like part of the team. Upon check-in, suitcases were waiting in their rooms—along with surprise gift bags from SeamlessHR and jaw-dropping views of Mount Kenya right outside the window. It was the kind of welcome that makes you pause and soak it all in.
Later that evening, all 30 or so conference attendees gathered for the official kickoff. Dr. Emmanuel, SeamlessHR’s CEO, gave a heartfelt welcome, sharing the company’s origin story, its mission to empower Africa’s workforce, and the goals for the weekend ahead. One by one, each delegate introduced themselves, creating a diverse mosaic of backgrounds—from tech and HR to global development and philanthropy.
The night wrapped up with a buffet dinner filled with laughter and lively conversations. Guests bonded over a mix of cuisines and shared aspirations. For Goutham, Diego, and Sharib, it was the beginning of an unforgettable weekend—one rooted in purpose, collaboration, and a deep sense of community.
Friday, May 30th – Monday, June 1st – More Than a Summit: A Journey Etched in Perspective
Day two of the BluAlliance summit began bright and early with a beautiful breakfast overlooking the Mount Kenya landscape. As always, the air was crisp, the views stunning, and the coffee strong—exactly what we needed to dive into a full day of design thinking and collaboration.We gathered in the main conference room, where six round tables had been thoughtfully arranged with name tags for each participant. The groups were strategically formed to bring together diverse voices—industry leaders, HR practitioners, technologists, and researchers—all ready to co-create solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing Africa’s blue-collar workforce.
The morning kicked off with a design thinking workshop, focused on understanding the needs of blue-collar workers and imagining innovative solutions tailored to the African market. Over the course of the next day and a half, the room buzzed with rich discussions—identifying systemic barriers, exploring opportunities, and brainstorming actionable ideas.Midway through the session, Diego took the stage to present market research on the U.S. blue-collar worker segment. The insights were met with great interest. The audience was engaged, asking thoughtful follow-up questions that led to a deeper discussion about how learnings from the U.S. could—or couldn’t—translate to the African context. Diego, backed by the team’s work, responded with clarity and data-driven insights, sparking valuable cross-regional comparisons.
Each of the six groups came up with their own solution ideas, ranging from workforce training to financial wellness products. Acting as table facilitators, Sharib, Goutham, and Diego played key roles in guiding the sessions—posing questions, capturing key points, and helping their teams synthesize different perspectives into coherent proposals. By the end of the day, each group presented their take on the most critical challenges and early-stage prototypes to address them.
That evening, we were invited to a special dinner featuring a live performance by a local Kenyan tribe. Drums echoed through the open-air space, and soon enough, we were all up dancing—laughing, clapping, and completely immersed in the moment. It was a true escape from reality, yet somehow it also grounded us, reminding us why building a better future for workers across Africa matters so deeply.Although we missed Julia and Aitana’s presence, the day was filled with new friendships and meaningful conversations. It was the kind of experience that leaves a lasting impression—not just on your resume, but on your heart.
As the summit drew to a close, we packed up and boarded the bus back to Nairobi. The return journey felt different—quieter, more reflective. Gone was the buzz of anticipation from a few days earlier. In its place was a warm sense of fulfillment. Each of us sat with our own thoughts, not just about the BluAlliance summit, but about the entire two-week journey we had shared in Kenya.Though we had known each other through Haas for nearly a year, something shifted over these past two weeks. Collaborating in a new environment, navigating challenges together, and immersing ourselves in a different culture created bonds that went far deeper than anything a classroom could offer. We laughed, we worked, we learned—and in the process, we grew, both individually and as a team.
It’s moments like these that remind us why we chose to step away from stable careers and comfortable routines to pursue something uncertain but meaningful. This wasn’t just a project. It was a journey of purpose, people, and perspective. And every bit of it was completely worth it.
