The Platform Redefining Fitness Studio Operations

At Octopus Ventures, we believe the strongest companies are shaped by the stories behind them – the early sparks of insight, the frustrations that insist on a better way, and the moments that give a founder the conviction to build something bold. A great founder story becomes a company’s compass: it attracts teams, rallies customers, inspires partners and travels with the business as it grows.

One founder who embodies this is Zakaria Mansour, Founder & CEO of bsport, one of the leading SaaS platforms transforming the wellness industry. bsport began with a simple realisation: the tools studio operators depended on weren’t built for the realities of their world. Spotting that disconnect – and believing he could redesign it – became the first chapter in Zakaria’s story.

Across our recent video series, Zakaria shared the key lessons that shaped bsport’s journey so far. See below for Zakaria’s top tips and his full story.

The traits that helped build one of the leading wellness platforms

Zakaria’s journey highlights the behaviours that often sit at the heart of category defining companies:

• Spotting opportunities early – especially the ones others overlook
• Building deep conviction – the kind that keeps you moving when things get difficult
• Backing yourself under pressure – because timing matters, and confidence compounds

These are the quiet skills that shape how a business grows long before the market notices.

Growth comes from doing the work others skip

In an age of automation, Zakaria’s approach is refreshingly simple: pick up the phone. Speak to customers. Stay close to the people you serve. While the tools and channels may change, the discipline of consistent, direct effort remains one of the most powerful growth engines.

What it really means to work with the right investment partner

Scaling isn’t only about strategy – it’s about who you bring with you. Zakaria reflects on what it’s like to work with an investment partner and how the dynamic with Octopus Ventures has shaped bsport’s growth. For him, partnership meant trust, shared ambition and the kind of honest discussions that help a founder think bigger.

Bringing these threads together, Zakaria’s story shows how a founding insight becomes a company’s origin story — a piece of folklore that shapes culture, informs decisions and anchors ambition as the business expands. It started with noticing what didn’t make sense in an industry. It grew through conviction, partnership and grit. And today, bsport continues to scale with that same clarity of purpose.

You can watch the full video below: