Episode #23 - Giscad of Trinidad & Tobago - A rapidly growing Caribbean venture.

Background

In this episode, I welcome our first Trinidad & Tobago venture to ScaleApp Podcasts: Giscad, co-founded by Desmond Dougall and Sudesh Botha. What began 22 years ago as two engineers suddenly out of work has grown into a 50-person regional powerhouse operating across nearly numerous Caribbean markets. Giscad is a ScaleratorT&T alumnus.

Academics in the entrepreneurship space often make a stark dichotomy between so-called “opportunity entrepreneurship” and so-called “necessity entrepreneurship”, but the dichotomy is often a false one. I have never bought it, and now we have seen now three significant ventures in which needing to make an income lead to a regional or even global leader. The idea they are separate is, frankly, kind of bullshit.

Favorite Quotes

· “You get customers’ trust when you say, ‘no, we don’t do that, and it won’t be good for you.’”

·  "You don’t have all the answers. Take risks. Be open to advice.”

·  "We almost crashed and burned because we were growing 20% every year for eight years but had no cash to fund the growth.” 

·  “We have more external thank internal directors. It keeps you from doing nonsense.”

·  “Be prepared for setbacks. Don’t take them personally. Keep moving forward.”

·  “ScaleratorT&T totally changed our focus on how we would approach customers: building that customer persona, modeling the customer, and then also modeling the customer journey.”

Key Themes

Origin Story – Born from necessity after a downsizing, Desmond and Sudesh used their expertise in GIS and CAD to launch Giscad. Early success came as the local Autodesk rep, winning against global giants by offering nimble, relationship-driven service.
 
 Scaling Beyond Software – Giscad pioneered GPS tracking in the Caribbean, evolving into the region’s largest fleet management provider. Today, fleet solutions, Autodesk distribution, consulting, and GIS services make up the business, with offerings layered together to create strong customer stickiness.
 
 Challenges & Turning Points – Eight years in, rapid growth nearly bankrupted them. They turned to governance, external directors, and financial discipline to survive and grow.
 
 Culture & Trust – Built on telling customers 'no' when needed, focusing on solving problems rather than selling solutions, and expanding with local presence across multiple Caribbean nations.

Takeaways

·       Necessity can lead directly to opportunity and growth.

·       Trust and honesty are differentiators in markets dominated by relationships.

·       Professional governance and financial discipline are essential when scaling.

·       Layering services across business lines strengthens customer loyalty and market share.

·       Programs like ScaleratorT&T can sharpen strategy and unify teams.