David Owasi has built OutreachGenius from a side hustle into a technology-driven company that helps home service businesses manage inbound and outbound calls using AI.
Owasi's entrepreneurial journey began in Canada when he moved to Winnipeg from Nigeria with his family at 18. He studied computer science at the University of Manitoba.
The entrepreneur's first business involved helping university students operate house-painting franchises, giving him insight into both operations and the challenges contractors face. He identified one recurring problem while working on this business simultaneously with his undergrad: missed calls during peak workloads.
The combination of this personal experience and advances in AI voice technology became the foundation for OutreachGenius. "It was a matter of experiencing the pain myself, and then the technology reaching a point where you can actually solve the problem," Owasi explained.
The software acts as a virtual receptionist, answering queries, scheduling appointments, and forwarding urgent calls to staff, ensuring businesses never miss a customer opportunity.
The business accelerated when Owasi lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a young family and the side hustle already in place, he committed fully to building the company. Early operations focused on marketing services, which later evolved into a fully software-based business.
"I just think I'm a natural entrepreneur, but you have that little hesitation of thinking, I don't know this is the right time. We just had a baby, you got to think of the baby...Then I lost my job during the pandemic, and that kind of like forced the decision for me."
Owazi's investment grew from a side hustle to a full-time role, and he expanded the business from a marketing-focused model to a software solutions platform, as seen in the company's current incarnation.
OutreachGenius's AI functions like a front desk agent, capable of handling after-hours emergencies, scheduling appointments, and taking messages. The system prioritises urgent calls for live transfer while automating less critical interactions. This approach has allowed the company to handle millions of calls efficiently while maintaining a human-like experience.
The company now employs 10 staff members, primarily software developers, with additional personnel in operations and customer success.
To manage high call volumes, OutreachGenius combines AI with human-led quality assurance processes, ensuring calls are accurate, professional, and representative of the client's business.
A significant portion of the workforce comprises skilled immigrants who, Owazi says, bring ambition, drive, and a shared entrepreneurial mindset. Many team members are also early-career professionals recruited from local universities and colleges, eager to gain experience in a fast-growing startup.
"I find that immigrants have a lot to prove - just like I have a lot to prove to myself, to my people around me. So immigrants tend to have that to prove. They are very hungry. They are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful."
As OutreachGenius continues to grow, the company has developed templated workflows and quality assurance protocols that blend human oversight with AI learning, enabling rapid expansion without compromising service quality.
Owazi is also looking to tap other markets...
He has ambitions that extend far beyond AI-driven customer service. He is exploring space technology as a long-term venture, with the dual aim of advancing technological capability and positioning Canada as a leader in the sector. His vision includes space tourism as a potential funding pathway for broader initiatives, such as space mining and research.
"We always somehow think that its an American thing, to think big. I'm trying to change the culture of Canadians can dream big, especially when you speak to a lot of immigrants like myself, who have a lot to prove we can dream big. What's the biggest dream we can dream? It's space!" he said "I think Canada has the technology know how. It has financial infrastructure. It has everything needed to explore space we've just, for whatever reason over last few decades, think only Americans can do that. I think iwith the shifting geopolitical situation, I think there's renewed energy."
He acknowledges that few in Canada are qualified to build such a program, but argues that his track record of pursuing ambitious projects equips him to take on the challenge.
"You don't get penalties for dreaming the biggest things in the world. And why do you dream big? Because even if you don't hit that big thing, the next best thing is gonna be just as big."