#YouthMonth: How 2 CAs built a tech startup to disrupt recruitment

Nicholas and Luke | image supplied

Instead of just accepting the status quo, they launched Apti, a tech platform designed to shake up the way accounting students connect with firms.

Here, they share their journey from trainees to tech founders, the challenges they tackled, and how their innovation is changing the game for future professionals.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you both to co-found Apti?

Tollman: Nic and I are both recently qualified CAs(SA), who completed our articles at VAT IT. I studied at the University of Stellenbosch and Nic at the University of Cape Town. We both battled with the all important decision of which stream of articles and which firm within that stream was best suited to us and couldn’t help but feel that there wasn’t enough support available to students going through this decision-making process.

Forshaw: We built Apti to serve as a platform for students to learn more about themselves, the options available to them and then to connect them with the firms in an admin-free manner. Something our younger selves would have used to save time and gain clarity/certainty that we were making the correct articles decision.

You’ve both been through the challenging articles placement process yourselves. How did your personal experiences shape the vision for Apti?

Forshaw: We both were the role models for what a student should not do - spend countless hours applying to firms that we weren’t suited to. Accepting and then subsequently reneging on offers made, wasting both the recruitment team’s and our own time.

Tollman: I spent so much time researching options for possible article programmes that my academic performance saw a decline, which resulted in me pausing the hunt for a programme to focus on my studies.

This meant that I couldn’t evaluate all of the options available and had to settle with just the programmes I had looked into at that point in time.

With Apti we want students to be evaluated against all 600 possible programmes and receive a shortlist of the programmes best suited and a useful information pack about each programme. Letting them focus on their studies, while not limiting their options.

Articles placement is known to be highly competitive and stressful. What are some of the biggest hurdles students face, and how does Apti address them?

Forshaw: We believe there’s a misconception that it’s very difficult to get an articles placement - firms are fighting tooth and nail to get their programme in front of the students and to entice them to apply.

The real challenge is rather matching the right student to the right programme and removing the administrative barriers that come with applying.

Generally, students will have to undertake the research into the various options available, put together a CV and cover letter to apply to the programme and then submit a plethora of forms to be considered before even beginning the rigorous application process.

Apti removes this streamlining the research to a simple review of the options presented, we create a custom digital CV for each candidate (Meet Nic) and submit their application for them. Meaning candidates simply need to interview for programmes they meet the criteria and are suited for.

How does the Apti platform work in practice? Can you explain how it connects accounting students with companies looking for trainees?

Tollman: The background mechanics are quite simple. Students and firms sign up to the platform, completing a handful of forms which let us know a bit about them and what they’re looking for. This information populates a landing page of information, which serves as a CV for candidates and a job posting for firms (VAT IT’s TOPP Programme).

In the background, we then match candidates to companies using over 300 data points we have collected and schedule a one-on-one consultation for the candidate with a member of the Apti team to answer any lingering questions. The candidates will then be presented to the firms of their choosing and their internal processes kick off.

Since launching, Apti has grown rapidly. What were some of the key moments or strategies that helped scale the platform so successfully?

Forshaw: There have truly been some many blessings or lucky moments over the past two and a bit years that have played a hand in helping Apti grow - the SAICA trainee trailblazer being one of them.

SAICA has been nothing but supportive of Apti and we’re actually in the process of finalising a partnership to help the Thuthuka Bursary Programme in ensuring the Thuthuka Students are matched to the firms best suited to them - something we’re extremely passionate about.

Outside of that, it’s truly the students, firms and Apti team that have been pivotal to us being able to continue building this platform.

How did you balance the demands of starting a business with limited resources, especially in the early days?

Forshaw: This is a great question and something we battle with daily. Saying no is never easy. In our context, we’re constantly weighing up the pros and cons of exploring new markets, new products and new features on our platform.

All of these growth opportunities come at a cost and take time/effort to build out. We have been extremely selective in which opportunities to pursue and deliberate with where we put our time and focus, knowing sthat aying yes to something will mean pulling focus and resources from other areas. Nic has been particularly good at keeping us grounded and focused.

What role do you see technology playing in creating greater access and equity in professional training and recruitment?

Tollman: We see technology completely reshaping the recruitment landscape. Solutions like ours that are powered by technology are able to offer a completely personalised experience at scale, for free. This means there’s no longer a requirement to have the ‘right connections’ to be exposed to exciting opportunities and an equal opportunity to submit an application; everyone can access Apti and utilise our tools.

We’re cognisant of the incredibly high unemployment rate in South Africa and are thrilled that we’re contributing to combating this problem and hope that in the near future we’ll be able to assist students outside of just the accounting space.

What advice would you give to young accounting students struggling to find articles placements or considering entrepreneurship themselves?

Tollman: A piece of advice that has always stuck with me is - begin with the end in mind. Knowing where you want to go eventually makes it easier to see which direction you should take your next step in.

Knowledge really is power, and tools like Apti serve to help you have all the information you need to make an informed decision after having weighed up all the potential options available to you.