About Beyond Cubicles
📢 #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina D’Souza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.
Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industries—ranging from tech and education to wellness and adventure—who share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers.Â
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
When Abrar Siddiqui decided to build SarahAI earlier this year, it wasn’t his first leap into entrepreneurship.
Having founded and exited a company in Canada, he saw small and medium-sized businesses left behind in the AI revolution.
“I saw a massive gap for affordable and accessible AI technology for SMEs,” he says. “Big tech is focused on enterprise or consumer markets, and SMEs are on their own right now. That’s when I knew it was time to take the leap.”
Over 20 years in technology, Abrar led AI transformations for organizations such as IBM, Callsign Technologies, and EPAM Systems. “After building enterprise systems and working in AI for over 10 years, I had founders and SME business owners asking me for solutions to help them,” he says.
Their needs became the foundation for SarahAI, which acts as an AI Chief of Staff for founders, managing meetings, tasks, emails, and follow-ups through WhatsApp and voice.
“Our mission is to simplify the day-to-day so founders can focus on growth, not grind,” he says.
The name reflects his belief that technology should feel human. “Sarah stands for Smart AI Resource and Assistance Hub, and represents a calm, reliable partner every entrepreneur deserves.”
Speaking about the challenges and lessons, he says, “We are building a product with a small budget and team while the AI ecosystem is young. One doubts if it’s even doable. But I’m a believer in taking risks and not sitting by opportunities.”
Mentors, advisors, and family provided steady encouragement, with many joining the company’s pre-seed round.
Born in Pakistan and having spent two decades in Canada, he moved to Dubai as VP of Engineering before launching the company. The rollout of the MVP marked a milestone. “Seeing people engage with the product was special,” he says. “Anytime I see a founder interacting and using it as a person, it makes me feel very good.”
“Freedom is waking up to build something that matters,” he says. “Fulfillment is watching a founder in Dubai, Riyadh, Nairobi, or Karachi use the technology to reclaim their time and reduce stress.”
Once known as the “Tech guy” behind enterprise projects, Abrar now defines his personal brand as a storyteller shaping the next generation of human-centered AI.