Call2action.ai — a startup that can conduct 100 interviews at the same time

Yersultan Jussakinov, San Mateo city, founder and CEO of Call2action.ai, Instagram, LinkedIn

How it all started

I have been a serial entrepreneur for the last 10 years. During this time, I have launched various projects and have always faced the problem of call centers and hiring. When I had an e-commerce business with more than 30 operators, the recruitment process took too much time and effort.

Initially, we created a robot to automate the work of call center operators. However, when we entered the U.S. market, we realized that the real pain for businesses was hiring employees. So we pivoted and focused on creating an AI recruiter.

That iss how we created Call2action.ai — a product that can simultaneously conduct hundreds of interviews, evaluate candidates, and make recommendations to employers. Today, we help companies save time and money by solving real business problems.

Startup launch

In 2022, we started in Kazakhstan with the development of a voice robot that helped companies with customer calls, surveys, telemarketing, and accounts receivable management. Large companies such as Kazakhtelecom, KazPost, OLX, and others became our clients.

In 2024, after analyzing the U.S. market, we focused on the freight transportation and logistics sector. This sector accounts for 30% of the U.S. economy, and truck driving is the most popular profession in the country. At the same time, the industry faces a major challenge: high staff turnover and a constant shortage of drivers create serious difficulties for businesses.

The U.S. trucking market is estimated at $1.29 trillion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $1.57 trillion by 2029. After seeing these numbers and realizing the scale of the problem, we pivoted.

We were accelerated at Alchemist X and SVR in Silicon Valley and started developing Call2action.ai — a product that helps American companies automate the hiring process in trucking and logistics. This solution significantly reduces the time and cost of recruitment, addressing a key problem in the industry.

Target audience

Our main target audience is owners of trucking companies and logistics businesses in the United States, where high staff turnover among frontline employees is a pressing issue. We focus on companies with between 100 and 500 employees and a turnover rate of 100% per year.

In the United States alone, the trucking sector employs more than 3.5 million drivers, and the total market includes about 711 000 trucking companies. Staff turnover in the industry often exceeds 100% per year, leading to huge costs for hiring, training, and onboarding employees.

Call2action.ai helps businesses automate the hiring process, reducing the time needed to fill vacancies by up to 100% and cutting hiring costs by up to 150%. Thanks to our product, companies receive a high-quality stream of candidates, accurate skill assessments, and ready-made recommendations, allowing them to onboard employees faster and reduce losses due to turnover.

Incubation programs

In the fall of 2023, we completed the Antler acceleration program, where we reached the finals among 100 startups. This experience helped us improve the product, build a strategy, and receive valuable recommendations from experts.

From August to November 2024, we participated in leading acceleration programs in Silicon Valley: Alchemist X and SVR in Palo Alto, California. These programs allowed us to adapt the product to the demands of the U.S. market, establish contacts with key players, and gain access to experienced mentors.

And, most excitingly, we were unexpectedly accepted into the next acceleration program for 2025 — In Residence at Moon Creative Lab in Palo Alto. This program is supported by the Mitsui Group and aims to develop products with global potential.

The startup has been developing over the years through bootstrapping. As a founder, I prefer to invest my own funds, believing that it is better to risk my own money rather than investors' money until there is significant traction. This approach has allowed us to focus on growth while maintaining full independence in decision-making.

Challenges

One of the main difficulties was understanding how business in the United States differs from Kazakhstan. For example, 80% of communication here is conducted via email, while messengers are rarely used. Digital advertising is three times more expensive, and the cost of a lead can reach $50-100 due to high competition. At the same time, we cannot set prices above our competitors if we want to remain competitive.

The biggest challenge was finding the first customers. At the initial stage, we sent over 500 emails and held about 30 meetings before closing our first deals. It was not easy, but it helped build trust and understand the market’s needs.

A tip for beginners: test hypotheses quickly. Even if something does not work, it provides valuable market insights. Finding your Product-Market Fit is a process, and mistakes only bring you closer to your goal. Most importantly, be patient and do not be afraid to adapt.

Progress

Our achievements in three months in the U.S.:

1. We already have three paying customers actively using our product.
2. Four pilot projects have been launched, including one with a large trucking company that has a fleet of 700 trucks.
3. We are negotiating with more than 40 potential clients from different states.
4. We have secured support from two angel investors in the U.S. who believe in our product.
5. Two sales managers from Silicon Valley have joined our team to help grow the business in the U.S.

These achievements show that we are moving forward confidently, creating a product that is truly in demand in the U.S. market.

Plans

By the end of 2024, the company plans to sign contracts with several new companies, complete pilot projects, and prepare the platform for scaling. In 2025, the focus will be on strengthening our position in the U.S. market and optimizing scaling processes. In 2026, we plan to expand into related industries with high staff turnover, such as construction and warehousing, and achieve an MRR of more than $200 000. By 2027, we aim to strengthen our global presence, attract more than 1000 paying customers, and reach an MRR of over $1 million. By 2028, our goal is to lead the trucking and logistics recruitment market with over 2000 customers and an MRR exceeding $2 million, cementing our status as a leading AI recruitment solution.

We are confident that with our current pace of development and the support of our customers and partners, we will achieve these goals and bring Call2action.ai to a global level.