Meet Salim Gheewalla | Founder & CEO, utilITise | Technologist & Marketer | Community Builder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Salim Gheewalla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Salim, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
If you’d asked me a few years ago whether I’d ever start my own company, I would’ve told you no. I never saw myself as “the idea guy.” I was the operator — the person who could take someone else’s vision and scale it 10x. And for most of my career, that was my identity.

But somewhere along the way, that changed. Part of it came from a few mentor groups that pushed me to really understand my strengths. Part of it came from my Executive MBA at Texas A&M (shoutout to my fellow Aggies). And part of it came from spending 12 years inside a large organization, where I eventually felt… boxed in. All together this gave me self awareness.

What I realized was this: sometimes growth, politics, and legacy processes get in the way of doing what’s right — for customers, for the company, and for the people who work there. If you’ve ever read Innovator’s Dilemma, it perfectly captures the moment I was in. When companies get big, they start protecting the status quo. They slow down. They solve around problems instead of solving through them.

I had spent years watching the same IT problem hurt businesses over and over again. Everyone knew the issue. Everyone built workarounds. No one actually fixed it. And one day it clicked — I could.

I decided to prove there was a better way. That you can build a company that innovates fast, cares about the customer experience, designs with intention, and uses technology to remove friction instead of adding to it. That’s how utilITise was born — out of a desire to solve a real problem, to build with integrity, and to show that simplicity and clarity can still win in a world that loves complexity.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
utilITise is a self-healing, agentic-AI platform built around a simple belief: IT should just work. We’ve built an agentic AI orchestration engine that integrates directly with platforms like Microsoft and Cisco to detect issues as they occur, diagnose root causes, and deploy fixes automatically; without human intervention. We’re starting with SMBs, where “accidental IT managers” and overstretched teams feel the pain most, and with MSPs/MSSPs looking to eliminate Level 1–1.5 support work to improve margins and scale. For decades, companies have been patching around the same problems — more tools, more people, more tickets — instead of actually solving them. I wanted to take the opposite approach: build technology that removes friction, not adds to it. Our software detects

I’m incredibly proud of the product, but I’m even more proud of the philosophy and brand we’re building with it. utilITise wasn’t created in a lab. It was shaped by over a decade inside the IT and cybersecurity world. I’ve seen firsthand what slows companies down, why service desks stay overwhelmed, and how much time, trust, and energy get lost in the process.

We also built the brand and experience intentionally, at a level most aspire to but few execute. We’re not just building software; we’re building community through our IT Network and IT Circle, places where SMB leaders and IT professionals can learn, collaborate, and grow. Our core values — Make IT Work, Make IT Make Sense, Make IT Flow — show up in everything we do. I want people to feel proud that they use utilITise. I want it to feel like something that enables them to grow, not something they have to fight with.

Was it easy? Absolutely not. There are a hundred things in my head at any given time, and building a company forces you to prioritize, slow down, and learn. I’ve had to teach myself everything from building a cap table and structuring a C-Corp to fundraising, customer success, CRM tools, and selling into completely new segments. I’m still learning, still making mistakes, still course-correcting. But I’ve learned to accept the process and surround myself with smart advisors, mentors, and communities that push me.

My two biggest lessons?
1) Clarity wins. In product, brand, and leadership. The clearer you are about the problem you solve and who you serve, the faster everything moves.
2) Break things down to first principles. When you understand how something truly works, you can understand how to make it work for you.

What I want the world to know about utilITise is simple: this isn’t another IT tool. This is the beginning of what I call the Self-Healing Era of IT. A future where organizations stop fighting fires and use technology on the work that actually moves them forward.

And what I want people to know about me is this: I build with intention. I care about design, trust, community, and doing things the right way — even if it takes longer or cost more. My hope is that every part of utilITise embodies a feeling for the members.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a huge fan of Houston — especially the food scene — so if my best friend came to visit, I’d give them the perfect 24 hours of Salim.

We’d start the morning with coffee at BlendIn. It’s the spot for people who appreciate the craft of coffee — clean flavors, great baristas, and a calm start to the day. Then we’d head to Ojo de Agua for breakfast outdoors. Their chilaquiles are unbeatable, and the energy around River Oaks feels like a little escape inside the city.

Because I’m a startup guy at heart, we’d grab a workspace at The Ion. It’s where innovation lives in Houston — founders, builders, creators, all in one place. It’s the perfect stop to plug in for a bit and soak in the ecosystem.

Lunch would absolutely be at Handies Douzo — hands down the best sushi handrolls in the city. No debate.

In the afternoon, we’d do something immersive and creative. Houston always has something cool happening — whether it’s the Balloon Museum, Meow Wolf, or another pop-up that blends art, music, and sensory design. Those experiences remind me why this city is such an underrated cultural hub.

As the sun starts to cool down, we’d take a walk through the Ismaili Center Houston gardens and public spaces. It’s peaceful, beautifully designed, and one of my favorite places in the city to slow down.

Dinner needs to be iconic and since we are Texas it has to be steak — and for me, that’s Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. It’s one of the best in the country for a reason. Consistent, refined, and always a memorable meal (great wine menu may I add)

We’d close the night with music and cocktails at Seregato Lounge, the perfect mix of vibe, sound, and atmosphere.

Houston has its own rhythm — diverse, bold, creative — and I love showing people the version of the city that inspires me every day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
If I had to give one shoutout, it would be to the Ismaili Community (the.ismaili) and the organizations within it. There’s no version of my story that exists without the opportunities, mentorship, and leadership experiences that community gave me.

My journey started at 16, when I was invited by a gentleman named Arif to join the Aga Khan Youth & Sports Board. Alongside three people who are now lifelong friends — Murad, Kashif, and Hunaid — we launched a youth basketball tournament in San Antonio. What started as a local initiative eventually became an international event now known as the Jubilee Games.

My involvement over the years allowed me to lead teams of hundreds, manage multi-million-dollar budgets, and operate on a global scale — all before I even graduated college. That community taught me service, leadership, humility, and how to work with people from every background and skill set.

The Ismaili community didn’t just shape my professional path, it shaped who I am as a leader, a builder, and a human being. That will always be the foundation of my story.

Website: www.utilitise.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsalimg

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/iamsalim/

Image Credits
Juan Gonzalez