From Product Design to Healthcare Lending: The Entrepreneurial Journey (feat. Sharmeen Aqeel)
This episode explores trust-driven fintech, niche healthcare financing, and why understanding real customer pain matters more than simplifying applications.
In the fast-evolving world of medical spas and aesthetic clinics, securing funding is a critical step for growth and sustainability.
In this episode, Krish Palaniappan speaks with Sharmeen Aqeel, founder of Lyyvora, a lending platform tailored for healthcare businesses. Sharmeen shares her journey, the challenges faced by clinic owners, and how her platform is revolutionizing the lending process for medical spas across North America.
Krish and Sharmeen explore how many medical spa owners struggle with funding not because their businesses are weak, but because traditional lending wasn’t designed for them. Sharmeen shares how listening closely to clinic owners revealed a hidden working-capital problem, why business health should matter more than personal collateral, and how trust is built through clear communication rather than complex applications. The conversation highlights the value of solving real problems, focusing on a specific niche, and designing financial solutions that meet founders where they actually are.
Podcast
This conversation highlights how AI is quietly reshaping early-stage businesses beyond the hype. From accelerating product development to reducing the cost and time required to launch a lending platform, AI enabled Lyyvora to move faster with a lean team while staying focused on real customer needs. Instead of over-engineering systems, Sharmeen leveraged AI-driven workflows to validate ideas, iterate quickly, and prioritize trust and communication—showing how AI can be a practical enabler for founders when used as a tool, not a distraction.
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Takeaways
Sharmeen founded Lyyvora to address funding challenges in the med spa industry.
Lyyvora matches clinics with multiple lenders to streamline the funding process.
Understanding client needs is crucial for successful business operations.
Building trust with clients goes beyond just having a streamlined application.
Focusing on a specific vertical can lead to better market insights and solutions.
User experience design principles can be applied to business strategy.
AI has significantly changed the software development landscape.
Hiring motivated individuals can be more valuable than just hiring based on expertise.
Building a network of clients is essential for business growth.
The journey of entrepreneurship involves continuous learning and adaptation.
Understanding Lyyvora
Sharmeen began her career as a product designer before venturing into the world of finance. Last year, she launched Lyyvora, which focuses on providing funding solutions specifically for medical spas and aesthetic clinics. Sharmeen explains that Lyyvora offers loans ranging from $50,000 to $2 million, helping clinic owners translate their business performance into lender-ready terms. The unique selling proposition of Lyyvora is that it simplifies the funding process; clients only need to apply once to receive multiple offers from various lenders, thus saving time and effort.
Identifying the Need for Funding
During the podcast, Sharmeen highlights a common scenario faced by clinic owners: the need for working capital. She recounts the story of a clinic owner who was struggling to pay her employees due to slow growth. This owner did not initially recognize her need for working capital but was matched with a lender through Lyyvora, enabling her to cover her expenses. Sharmeen emphasizes that many business owners might not even realize they need funding until they face pressing challenges.
Why Focus on Medical Spas?
Sharmeen’s focus on the medical spa industry was born out of necessity. After hearing from various clinic owners about their struggles to secure loans, she recognized a gap in the market. Despite a growing business, many owners faced long wait times for loans, often having to provide collateral that put their personal assets at risk. Sharmeen’s mission is to ensure that business health serves as collateral instead, allowing clinic owners to secure funding without jeopardizing their personal finances.
A User-Centric Approach
Sharmeen draws a fascinating parallel between her experience as a user experience designer and her current role as an entrepreneur. She believes that understanding user journeys and empathizing with clients’ needs are crucial in building a successful business. Initially, she assumed that a streamlined application process would build trust with borrowers. However, she learned that effective communication and addressing the immediate concerns of clients were far more critical to building that trust.
The importance of understanding the specific needs of your target market – in this case, medical spa owners.
The necessity of effective communication in building trust with clients.
A focus on providing solutions that accommodate the unique financial situations of business owners, especially in a niche industry.
The evolution of a business idea from recognizing a problem in the real world rather than trying to manufacture one.
Conclusion
Sharmeen’s journey with Lyyvora exemplifies the power of listening to customers and addressing their needs. By focusing on the medical spa sector, she not only found a market gap but also created a solution that empowers owners to pursue their business goals without the burden of financial constraints. For those in the medical spa industry or any aspiring entrepreneurs, her insights are invaluable in understanding how to navigate the financial landscape effectively.