
Welcome to another exciting edition of the BizStack Solopreneur Spotlight series, where we delve into the remarkable journeys of individuals who have dared to venture solo.
Today, we bring you the story of Kunal Bhusare, a serial entrepreneur based in Sydney, Australia, with a rich background in product and development.
He’s currently in the education sector with his online platform, Kiki Selective, designed to make learning fun and engaging for Australian students preparing for competitive exams.
Getting to Know Kunal Bhusare
Kunal, originally from India, brings years of entrepreneurial experience. Before setting his sights on Kiki Selective, he ran a development agency and brought multiple products to fruition.
Through his latest endeavor, he aims to fill an important gap in the market by providing a creative solution to the often tedious task of exam preparation.
Despite a demanding schedule that includes a day job as a Product Manager four days a week, Kunal dedicates significant time and effort to his passion project.
He shares with us how he balances it all, the tools and strategies he employs to keep the momentum going, and some lessons he’s learned along the way.
A Week in the Life of a Solopreneur Building on the Side
Kunal’s commitment to his project is unwavering. Every week, he strategically divides his time between his day job and Kiki Selective, preserving Sundays for rest and recharge.
He explains, “I invest around 15-20 hours per week towards my project… executing in 2-week sprints with one goal to complete at the end of that sprint.”
His methodical approach involves alternating between development and marketing-focused sprints. This strategy minimizes context-switching and fosters creativity and deep problem-solving.
However, Kunal is no stranger to the occasional lean patch. During these times, he emphasizes the importance of listening to one’s body and motivation signals, using these periods to recalibrate and focus on the most valuable next step.
Tools of the Trade
The backbone of Kiki Selective’s daily operations comprises a well-thought-out tech stack and efficient workflows. Some of the key tools Kunal relies on include:
- Notion for task documentation and sprint planning.
- ChatGPT for brainstorming and content creation.
- Slack for communication with interns.
- Loom for creating training videos.
- Development tools like VS Code and Co-pilot.
- Airtable for the internal dashboard.
- Azure for cloud services.
These tools are pivotal in facilitating seamless operations, enabling Kunal and his team to remain productive and focused on their goals.
Growth Strategies and Productivity Hacks
When asked about the strategies that have propelled Kiki Selective’s growth, Kunal emphasizes the value of identifying a niche, engaging directly with the target audience, and rapidly iterating on product feedback.
“I choose speed over perfection,” he states, highlighting the importance of agile development and continuous enhancement based on user feedback.
“Eliminate, delay, and delegate before you start working on something.”
Kunal Bhusare
Additionally, Kunal offers sage advice on productivity: “Eliminate, delay, and delegate before you start working on something.” He advocates focusing on the most crucial tasks by understanding which fire to keep burning while putting out the most important one.
Here’s what renowned entrepreneur Reid Hoffman says about letting fires burn:
Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Milestones
Marketing emerged as a significant challenge for Kunal, a hurdle he’s overcoming by becoming the face of Kiki Selective and actively engaging with his audience.
This strategy has started to pay off, as Kiki Selective has begun to attract its first paying customers and boasts a growing number of weekly active users.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Solopreneurs
To those considering the solopreneur path, Kunal offers four pieces of advice:
- Take help, but do not rely on others.
- Use AI and automation as much as possible.
- Speed is more important than perfection.
- Advance your project as far as possible while maintaining a steady revenue stream.
Kunal Bhusare’s Lightning Round
In this lightning round, I asked Kunal Bhusare to answer 12 rapid-fire questions:
What’s something that’s in your pocket right now, besides your phone?
A hanky and a comb
Artificial intelligence: hope or dread?
Hope (and extremely transformational)
Your favorite place to think big?
Shower and commute to work
If you were out of business tomorrow, what job would you pursue?
Product Manager or Operations guy in another startup
One object from your childhood you could never throw away?
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” book
One feature you wish your phone had?
Read my mind
Your favorite mobile app?
Twitter / X
The book that most influenced you?
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear

Messy desk or clean desk?
Tidy (but needs dusting)
One thing you always have in your fridge?
Chocolate ice cream
Your favorite time-saving hack?
Duplicate accessories (multiple chargers across my home)
Best movie ever?
“The Matrix”
Connect with Kunal Bhusare
Inspired by Kunal’s journey or interested in learning more about Kiki Selective? Kunal encourages our readers to connect with him on LinkedIn or visit Kiki’s website and join him in improving students’ preparation for exams.
At BizStack, we’re continuously inspired by solopreneurs like Kunal, chasing their dreams and making a significant impact in their niches.