The Entrepreneurs When is the right time to leave your job and start a business?
Feb 4, 2026
Kieran J. Haslam, CMO leading the Diriyah Gate heritage-led urban project near Riyadh. Frédéric Robles, ex-lawyer turned CEO of Namastay, modernizing hotel payments. They discuss quitting stable careers for risk, fixing hotel booking and payment friction, bridging legacy systems with one-click and in-site payments, heritage-led city design and cultural programming around Diriyah.
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Tech Hesitancy Is Cultural, Not Technical
- Hotels often underinvest in tech because hospitality prioritises human connection over automation.
- That cultural allergy creates openings for tech that enhances, not replaces, the human touch.
Pitch Three Clear Hotel Benefits
- Do target hotels with either a design-focus, direct-booking goals, or regulatory pain points.
- Frédéric cites experience, performance and compliance as the three fastest routes to customer buy-in.
Rapid Fundraising And Launch
- Frédéric raised €2.1m and launched a product within six months after founding in 2021.
- Namaste now serves ~300 customers across 40 countries with over €1m revenue last year.