The Real Reason Propellus’ Founder Left His $350K Banking Job: How a Heartbreaking Visa Error Sparked a Mission to Transform Global Mobility

Introducing Mehsum Sayani: Co-Founder & CEO, Propellus.co Empowering Travelers with Seamless Global Access—Regardless of Passport Strength

An Idyllic Life in Singapore: Comfort, Success, and the Illusion of Freedom

For years, Mehsum Sayani lived a life many would envy. After two decades of hard earned success in banking, he had risen to a senior executive role at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. His career was the stuff of LinkedIn aspiration: a $350,000 salary, global responsibilities, and a comfortable home in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Weekends were filled with laughter, family, and dreams of travel—often planned with his wife, Shu Theng, whose Singaporean passport opened doors to almost every country on earth.

But beneath the surface of this idyllic existence, an invisible tension simmered. For all the prosperity and opportunity Singapore offered, Mehsum’s Pakistani passport meant that every family trip was a logistical minefield. While his wife could dream without borders, Mehsum had to navigate a maze of embassies, paperwork, and uncertainty—each journey shadowed by the possibility of rejection.

The Invisible Walls: Living with a “Weak Passport”

For Shu Theng, travel was a right. For Mehsum, it was a privilege—one that came with endless forms, anxious waits, and the constant threat of denial.

She breezed through immigration; he was scrutinized and questioned.
She planned trips with spontaneity; he prepared for every possible setback.

The difference was more than inconvenience—it was a daily reminder of a world divided by invisible walls. And it wasn’t just his struggle: millions of travelers from “weak passport” countries faced the same barriers, their dreams held hostage by outdated systems.

The Family That Dreamed Without Borders

Despite the challenges, the Sayani family refused to be defined by bureaucracy. Shu Theng, ever the optimist, would announce, “Let’s go to Europe next month!” her eyes shining with excitement. For Mehsum, each trip triggered a familiar checklist:

Visa processing times
Documentation requirements
The threat of rejection
Backup plans for every destination

He became the family’s visa strategist, always bracing for the worst, yet hoping for the best. Until one trip changed everything.

The Moment That Changed Everything

It was supposed to be a dream family holiday—a chance to watch Manchester United at Old Trafford, a trip planned for months. The anticipation was palpable, especially for Mehsum’s 10-year-old son, a devoted fan.

But at the airport, a single sentence shattered their plans:

“Sir, we cannot let him board. This visa has an error.”

Mehsum pleaded. He argued. He begged.
“Look at my passport number. Look at my son’s. You can see we applied together!”

But the officer pointed to a microscopic mistake: a 6 typed as an 8 on his son’s visa.

As the reality set in, his 10-year-old’s eyes filled with tears. The family trip collapsed. Their other sons, waiting in Singapore, were told not to board their flight. The boarding gate closed. Their hopes closed with it.

That night, holding his sobbing son in a Dubai hotel room, a question burned in Mehsum’s mind:

How is it that in 2022, when we’re sending rockets to Mars, half the world still struggles with visa systems that destroy dreams over a single mistyped digit?

He thought of his banking career, where he could issue credit cards in five minutes and verify identities instantly across borders. Yet here he was, watching his son’s dreams crumble because of processes stuck in the paper age.

The numbers haunted him:

4 billion people need visas to travel.
300 million face manual processes every year.
Countless families miss reunions, graduations, opportunities.

For the next 2.5 years, while still working in banking, Mehsum built prototypes on weekends, studied visa regulations until 2AM, and pitched to skeptical investors.

“This isn’t a real problem”, one investor shrugged.
“You’ve never had your child in tears at an airport,” Mehsum thought.

Every week, his son would ask, “How’s the visa company going, Dad?”—his eyes still holding that hope from Dubai.

Today, Mehsum has left his banking career to build Propellus full-time. They’re testing and processing visa applications, but he measures success differently now:

In families reunited at airports.
In promises kept to children who won’t hear visa denied.

The banking world taught him about money. His son taught him about purpose.

Sometimes the most powerful businesses are born from the simplest promises:
“Next time, you won’t have to worry.”

That promise, made to a heartbroken 10-year-old boy, is now a venture-backed startup.

The Woman Behind the Mission: Shu Theng’s Role as Co-Founder and Anchor

Behind every founder’s leap is someone who makes it possible. For Mehsum, that person was his wife, Shu Theng.

When he doubted leaving banking, she managed the family’s finances and took extra shifts.
When late nights blurred into early mornings, she brought coffee, tested prototypes, and offered honest feedback.
When investors rejected them, she reminded him of their mission.
When he was ready to quit, she became his courage.

One night, after a particularly tough rejection, Shu Theng placed her Singaporean passport beside his Pakistani one. “The difference between these two books isn’t just paper and ink. It’s privilege and opportunity. It’s freedom and constraint. It’s a system that needs fixing. And we’re going to fix it.”

She gave up vacations, luxuries, and security—not just for her husband, but for the mission she believed in. The truth about entrepreneurship is that it’s rarely a solo journey. Behind every “visionary founder” is often someone whose name doesn’t make the headlines, but whose belief makes it possible.

Reconnecting with Usman: Friendship, Shared Struggle, and a Call to Action

Long before Propellus, Mehsum and Usman Zuberi’s lives were linked by shared struggles. They met in Karachi—one a media star, the other a reserved banker. Friends joked that they were opposites, but their experiences with passport inequality forged a bond that distance couldn’t break.

Though life took them to different continents—Usman to Australia, Mehsum to Singapore—each faced the same adversities at borders and embassies. In 2022, after yet another frustrating travel experience, Mehsum called Usman:

“What if we use technology to solve visa problems forever?”

Usman didn’t hesitate. “I’m in.”
The partnership was sealed—not just by friendship, but by a shared mission to change the world for travelers everywhere.

Turning Pain into Purpose: The Birth of Propellus

Adversity is universal, but few turn setbacks into opportunity. That’s what Mehsum did. The pain of watching his family’s dreams crushed by a visa error became the driving force behind a new mission: to ensure no one else would have to endure the same heartbreak.

Propellus was born from this frustration and a promise:
No more families should have their dreams crushed by a visa error.

But the journey from pain to purpose wasn’t just about solving a personal problem. It was about addressing a global issue—passport inequality—that affects millions. Mehsum, Shu Theng, and Usman set out to build a solution that would empower not just themselves, but travelers, agents, and businesses everywhere.

Building Propellus: From Kitchen Table to AI-Powered Platform

We all face adversity in life, but few turn it into opportunity.

That’s what Mehsum did. The early days of Propellus were filled with uncertainty and relentless problem-solving. The team worked from kitchen tables and coffee shops, fueled by late-night brainstorming sessions and an unwavering sense of mission.

The Problem: Why Visa Processing Is Broken

Traditional visa processing is riddled with inefficiencies:

Manual paperwork and repetitive data entry lead to high error rates and slow approvals.
Travel agents and OTAs struggle with fragmented systems, compliance risks, and rising costs.
Travelers face anxiety, lost opportunities, and the humiliation of unnecessary rejections.

The system is especially punishing for those with “weak passports,” who must navigate a labyrinth of requirements just to cross a border.

The Solution: How Propellus Works

Propellus set out to change all of this with a platform built for today’s travel industry:

AI-Powered Automation: Visa forms are autofilled and documents validated using advanced AI, reducing error rates by 70%.
Smart Data Locker: Customer data is stored securely and can be reused for future applications, streamlining the process for repeat travelers.
Real-Time Status Updates: Both agents and travelers receive instant updates, eliminating guesswork and delays.
End-to-End Fulfillment: From application to approval, every step is managed within a single, automated platform.
API Integration: OTAs can embed Propellus’ visa services directly into their booking flows, creating new revenue streams and a seamless customer experience.
Automated Agency Shopfront: Travel agents get a digital storefront to manage orders, documents, and customer histories—boosting productivity by 5x and cutting payroll costs by 60%.
Visa/Travel History Tracking: Every application and journey is logged, making future trips faster and easier.

The Impact: Real Stories, Real Results

The results were immediate and profound. Travel agents using Propellus reported:

Dramatic reductions in running costs.
The ability to process more visas with fewer staff.
Happier customers and higher approval rates.

Prince Visa, an early partner, testified that Propellus technology reduced their running costs and increased their processing capacity. For OTAs, Propellus’ API integration unlocked new ancillary revenue streams in a saturated market.

But the real impact was felt by travelers—families who no longer had to fear border crossings, businesspeople who could seize opportunities, and students who could pursue dreams abroad without bureaucratic nightmares.

Facing the Odds: Doubts, Sacrifices, and the Power of “Why”

Leaving the comfort of banking wasn’t easy. Mehsum faced the same doubts as any founder:

What if I can never go back to corporate?
What if big companies crush us?
How do we find our first customer?
How will we support our family?

But one question outweighed them all: “Why are we building this?”

That why—anchored in a promise to his family and millions like them—became the North Star. Without it, the daily onslaught of doubts and setbacks might have drowned the mission.

The sacrifices were real. The family tightened their budget, gave up luxuries, and endured long stretches of uncertainty. Investors came and went. Some friends questioned the wisdom of leaving a high-flying career for an unproven startup. But every time the mission wavered, the pain of that airport moment—and the vision of a fairer world—brought renewed resolve.

A New Chapter: Launch, Partnerships, and Vision for the Future

Propellus launched its beta in the UK, partnering with early-adopter travel agents like Prince Visa Service to refine and enhance the platform. The feedback was immediate and invaluable, helping the team iterate quickly and ensure the solution met real-world needs.

With $575,000 in seed funding led by Felix Strategic Investments, Propellus accelerated its development, focusing on markets where passport inequality is most acute—Bangladesh, Pakistan, and beyond. The company’s mission resonated with investors, advisors, and partners who believed in a future where travel knows no borders.

Today, Propellus is not just a platform—it’s a movement. The company’s social channels are filled with stories of travelers whose lives have been changed, agents whose businesses have been transformed, and a growing community rallying around the fight for passport equality.

The Fight Against Passport Inequality

Passport inequality is a silent barrier that shapes destinies. It determines who gets to dream, who gets to work, and who gets to explore the world. For millions, a simple vacation or business trip is a logistical nightmare, fraught with anxiety and disappointment.

Propellus is committed to changing this reality. By leveraging AI and automation, the company is tearing down the invisible walls that separate people—not just for the privileged few, but for everyone.

The vision is bold:
To make global mobility as simple and fair as booking a flight, regardless of your passport.

Lessons for Founders and Dreamers

The story of Propellus is a testament to the power of purpose. Adversity is inevitable, but it’s what we do with our pain that defines us. Mehsum, Shu Theng, and Usman turned their struggles into a mission that now empowers thousands.

For aspiring founders, the lesson is clear:

Find your "why".
Surround yourself with people who believe in your mission.
Be willing to sacrifice comfort for impact.
Remember that real change starts with a single, determined step.

Q&A: Visa Automation, Passport Inequality, and Propellus

Q: What is Propellus?

A: Propellus is a Singapore-based B2B travel-tech startup providing an AI-powered visa automation platform for travel agents, OTAs, airlines, and governments. The platform streamlines and automates visa processing, reducing errors and increasing productivity.

Q: How does Propellus help travel agents and OTAs?

A: Propellus offers an automated agency shopfront, smart data locker, and seamless API integration. Agents can manage customer orders, documents, and visa applications in one place—boosting productivity by 5x, reducing payroll costs by 60%, and cutting error rates by 70%.

Q: What is passport inequality and why does it matter?

A: Passport inequality is the disparity in global mobility based on passport strength. Holders of “weak passports” face more travel barriers, complex visa processes, and frequent rejections. Propellus aims to eliminate these barriers and make travel accessible for all.

Q: What makes Propellus different from competitors?

A: Unlike traditional or manual visa services, Propellus is fully automated, AI-powered, and built for B2B partners. Features include end-to-end fulfillment, secure smart data storage, and compliance with the latest data protection laws.

Q: Who are the founders of Propellus?

A: Mehsum Sayani (Co-Founder & CEO), Usman Zuberi (Co-Founder & COO), and Alina Shu Theng Tan (Co-Founder & CFO). Their personal experiences with passport inequality inspired the company’s mission.

Q: How can travel agents or OTAs partner with Propellus?

A: Visit Propellus.co (https://propellus.co/) to learn more or request a demo. Early adopters in the UK and South Asia are already seeing productivity gains and new revenue streams.

Are you ready to join the movement for seamless, automated visa processing?

Contact Propellus (https://propellus.co/contact) to empower your business—and your travelers—with the future of global mobility.