AskVinny didn’t start with a grand vision. It started with a phone number. Specifically, a WhatsApp line that helped tenants fix boiler issues. Within hours of going live, it was making money but within days, it was clear the model wasn’t scalable.
What followed was a masterclass in startup iteration. Co-founders Rory Buchanan and Johnny Siu quickly moved the product into B2B territory, recognising that large property operators needed far more than a point solution. They weren’t going to pay a premium to fix just one problem. They needed something broader and more comprehensive in terms of delivery. That’s how AskVinny was born.
Today, AskVinny automates the core workflows behind leasing, onboarding, maintenance, and move-outs across 10,000+ properties in the UK and Europe, replacing inbox firefighting with intelligent, AI-driven automation.
Rory’s sharp learning mindset and execution-led approach have shaped the company’s strong trajectory and Techscaler by CodeBase has not only witnessed this growth but also played a proud supporting role adding valuable momentum, whether through strategic brainstorming, peer founder networks, or warm introductions to customers and investors.
Rory Buchanan didn’t plan on founding a startup but years spent inside fast-growing teams at Bulb, Trustpilot, and Deel left him with a clear blueprint: build fast, stay close to the customer, and iterate relentlessly. These principles would eventually shape the DNA of AskVinny: customer-obsessed, relentlessly fast, and built to iterate and evolve.
However, after launching and raising through Antler in London, Rory found it difficult to tap into a meaningful founder network back in Scotland. While the company had begun scaling operationally, there was a gap in local peer support, mentorship, and strategic sounding boards, especially outside of structured accelerators.
Given AskVinny’s fast-paced, product-led culture from the onset, Rory wasn’t looking for formality or frameworks. He needed access to other operators who moved quickly, thought commercially, and could help stress-test decisions in real time. That alignment of ethos, practical, founder-first, and grounded in action, is what led him to engage with Techscaler and CodeBase.
After raising from Antler in London, AskVinny scaled as a remote-first company with team members across the UK and beyond. Rory, based in Scotland, was looking to establish deeper founder networks and gain access to experienced sounding boards closer to home. He knew the company had to move fast but also grow with intention. The early focus was on proving traction, refining the product, and building a repeatable sales engine.
His aim in engaging with CodeBase was two-fold:
Rory wanted flexible, timely support that met him where he was on his journey, from spontaneous check-ins to investor introductions.
Rory’s involvement with Techscaler, delivered by CodeBase, took shape through a series of high-value interactions: many informal, but deeply impactful.
After being introduced to the Techscaler community through a mutual connection, Rory found himself part of an active WhatsApp group for full-time founders in Scotland. What began as a low-touch entry quickly became a vital source of peer advice, validation, and shared challenges, shifting Rory’s mindset after returning from London and realising that thinking there wasn’t much happening in Scotland had simply been a misread.
A key relationship formed with Andrew McGinley, one of Techscaler’s Entrepreneurs in Residence.
As Rory refined his hiring strategy and doubled down on sales-led growth, Andrew provided no-nonsense feedback and mentorship in key focus areas such as how to best spend the marketing budget or what to prioritise in a marketing hire.
The conversations were grounded, pragmatic, and based on lived experience, not theory — a contrast to other sources of advice, since while Rory had investors, advisors, and a great co-founder, Andrew was the one he could grab a coffee with in his own town, bringing a rare blend of real-world insights and ease of access.
Through CodeBase, Rory also received introductions to prospective customers and support on due diligence prep ahead of fundraising. This flexible, founder-first approach offered targeted value that felt additive, not distracting.
AskVinny is now on a clear path to scale. In the past year alone, they’ve grown from one new customer a month to four and are on track to double that again. That progress is driven by smart resource allocation and intense focus.
They didn’t just hire another engineer but rather went for a Business Development Representative who could do cold outreach, and free up for Rory’s co-founder Johnny to focus only on closing deals. That one move changed everything.
Rory treats sales like a product: trackable, repeatable, constantly improving. He knew they were ready to double down when every demo started sounding the same. Same questions, same objections, same answers. That’s when the need to systemise and accelerate is most potent.
They’ve also started using AI tools like Cursor to build rapid prototypes during or after sales calls. It’s changed how they sell. They now pitch a prototype, not a product. And let the customer feedback decide what it should become.
AskVinny is scaling fast, with a product shaped by real user needs and a team driven by execution. With 10,000+ units already under management and a roadmap validated by demand, Rory and Johnny are pushing toward 20,000 units and a significant seed raise later this year.
They’re actively exploring new partnerships with:
For Rory, the journey so far is proof that founder ambition, paired with the right support, can go further and faster and Techscaler, delivered by CodeBase, has been a catalyst to avail him access to honest advice, customers, and connections that genuinely moved the needle, all grounded in local, real-world support that matters.
The Techscaler programme delivered by CodeBase offered Rory exactly what his stage of growth demanded — practical support, sharp feedback, and a founder-first community that matched his pace. It’s played a meaningful role in AskVinny’s momentum as the company scales across the UK and beyond.
For founders considering Techscaler, Rory’s take is clear: surround yourself with people who move fast, think commercially, and aren’t afraid to challenge your thinking. The right ecosystem can make all the difference.
Follow AskVinny on LinkedIn for updates, or visit askvinny.co.uk to learn more.
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